Pakistan on Monday reversed their decision to boycott their T20 World Cup match against India, but rain could intervene.

Indian captain Suryakumar ⁠Yadav said his players ⁠are not concerned about the threat of rain for Sunday’s Twenty20 World Cup clash with Pakistan, adding that the defending champions are focused on preparing for the showdown between ⁠bitter rivals.

Pakistan had initially boycotted the Group A fixture in Colombo over Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament for refusing to play in India over security concerns, but reversed their decision on Monday.

But weather forecasts have warned ⁠of heavy rain between Sunday afternoon and evening, casting new doubts over the match.

“Weather is something which is not in our control,” Suryakumar told reporters on Saturday.

No complacency from India against Pakistan

He said the clash would not be a routine game for the co-hosts.

“When you play an India vs Pakistan game it’s more about the occasion. It’s a ‌big platform, obviously. No matter how many times you say, it’s just another game … It’s human tendency, you know which game you’re about to play,” the 35-year-old said.

“Whatever we have worked hard on and practised, we try to execute them in the game.”

India and Pakistan have both won two games each in the tournament. While Pakistan played both their games in Colombo due to an agreement that they would play each other only on neutral venues, India arrived after a win over Namibia on Thursday.

Suryakumar said ⁠India would not be disadvantaged by unfamiliarity with the ground.

“We have similar wickets ⁠back home, and we’ve played a lot of cricket here during bilaterals against Sri Lanka, so we’re also very familiar with the conditions,” he said.

India and Pakistan most recently faced off in last year’s Asia Cup, where India won all three of their ⁠meetings, including the final.

“You can’t carry history into the ground, because it can cause complacency,” Suryakumar said.

India ready for Pakistan’s ‘out of syllabus’ Tariq

India have carried out preparations to ⁠face Usman Tariq, a spinner with an unorthodox action, who took ⁠three wickets for Pakistan during Tuesday’s win over the United States.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said earlier on Saturday that Tariq was a trump card against India.

“At an exam, when there’s an out-of-syllabus question, we can’t just skip it; we have to try something to ‌tackle it,” Suryakumar said about Tariq.

“We practise with similar bowlers, with similar actions. We’ll try to execute what we practise in the net sessions.”

Salman had also expressed hope that Indian opener Abhishek Sharma, who is the ‌highest-ranked ‌batter in the 20-over format, will play on Sunday after missing the previous game due to illness.

“All right, if (Salman) wants him to play, then we’ll play him tomorrow,” Suryakumar said about Sharma.

Captain Aiden Markram hits an unbeaten 86 in seven-wicket defeat of New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

South Africa are on the brink of reaching the Twenty20 World Cup’s Super Eight stage after captain Aiden Markram’s storming half-century led them to a dominant seven-wicket victory over New ⁠Zealand, securing their third straight Group D win.

New Zealand on Saturday suffered their first loss in the campaign after they posted 175-7 as South Africa’s Marco Jansen took four wickets.

In response, opener Markram hit four ⁠sixes and eight boundaries in his unbeaten knock of 86 off 44 balls, the highest by a South African captain in the tournament’s history, helping his team reach 178-3 with 17 balls to spare.

Last edition’s finalists South Africa chose to bowl first in Ahmedabad, India, and it immediately paid off as player of the match Jansen (4-40) dismissed most ‌of New Zealand’s top order by the seventh over.

Finn Allen (31 off 17 balls) tried to mitigate the damage after Tim Seifert and Rachin Ravindra fell to Jansen. But Jansen got Allen caught at mid-off in the sixth over, leaving New Zealand struggling at 58-3.

Mark Chapman (48) and Daryl Mitchell (32) turned things around with a 74-run partnership for the fifth wicket until Jansen got Chapman caught by Ryan Rickelton at backward point in the 14th.

New Zealand scored only 17 runs in the next four overs until James ⁠Neesham’s unbeaten 23 off 15 balls got them to a fighting total.

Markram’s magic seals the deal for South Africa

Chasing 176, South Africa got off to a fast start with Markram hitting three sixes and five boundaries to steer his team to 62-0 in four overs.

Losing fellow opener Quinton de Kock (20) did not affect Markram, who hit Mitchell Santner for a ⁠six down long-on to reach his half-century in just 19 balls. By the time Rickelton (21) fell in the eighth over, South Africa had already crossed ⁠the 100-run mark.

With the required run rate falling below six per over, Markram ⁠did not hit a single boundary in the next seven overs and focused on rotating the strike, getting South Africa within 28 runs of victory with 30 balls left.

“It’s about managing it through the right phases, I guess, but up front, you’ve seen how teams are ‌taking on the powerplay and we’d be silly not to try that. It’s not always going to come off, but when it does, … we can get ahead of the game,” Markram said.

David Miller, who scored an ‌unbeaten ‌24, cleared the mid-wicket boundary to bring up the winning runs.

South Africa will conclude their group campaign against the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, a day after New Zealand play Canada.

The way Sheila E. remembers it, she received her first call about a gig as a working Los Angeles musician as she was busy unpacking the moving truck with which she’d just moved to L.A.

“‘Can you come do a session?’ — that type of thing,” the Oakland native recalls with a laugh. “It was pretty awesome.”

In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

This was 1980 or ’81, she reckons, just after she’d come off the road playing percussion for the jazz star George Duke; by 1984, she’d become a star herself with the pop hit “The Glamorous Life,” which she cut with her mentor Prince and which went to No. 7 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

Over the decades that followed, Sheila E. went on to record or perform with everyone from Ringo Starr to Beyoncé. Yet her latest projects look back to her earliest days playing Latin jazz with her father, fellow percussionist Pete Escovedo: “Bailar” is a salsa album with guest vocal spots by the likes of Rubén Blades and Gloria Estefan, while an accompanying instrumental disc features appearances by players such as bassist Marcus Miller and trumpeter Chris Botti.

Sheila E. will tour Europe in April. Here, she runs down her routine for a welcome day off at home in L.A.

10 a.m.: Parents in the pews

I would get up around 7:30 or 8, and the first thing I’ll do is go to church. My church is called Believe L.A., and it’s in Calabasas. My pastor is Aaron Lindsey, who’s an incredible gospel producer who’s won many Grammys. The band is always on point, and it feeds my soul — it’s what I need as part of my food. You just walk out so happy. I mean, I walk in happy most of the time. But you walk out filled with love and peace. It’s a joyful time, especially when I get to bring my parents with me. Still having them around is a huge blessing. They just celebrated their 69th anniversary. That’s really rare.

Noon: No juice required

After church we’ll go to brunch at Leo & Lily in Woodland Hills. Sometimes I’ll order the breakfast, which is two eggs and turkey bacon and potatoes. But sometimes that’s a little bit too heavy, so I’ll get the orzo salad, which is really good. I might have an espresso, or I might have a glass of Champagne. I don’t like mimosas — just give it to me straight.

1:30 p.m.: Retail therapy

My parents love driving down Ventura Boulevard. We’ll stop at some places and go window shopping, or maybe we’ll go to the Topanga Westfield mall. And when we finish at the mall, I have to go to Costco. The Costco run is really just for my dog — I have to get all her food. I get turkey and vegetables, and I cook all that and pre-make her meals for two weeks so I don’t have to deal with it. I can just open it, warm it up and feed her. She’s a mixed pit rescue, and her name is Emma. I got her when she was 5 months old in Oakland while we were performing, and now she’s 12. She’s a sweetheart.

4 p.m.: Family secret

We’re sports fans, so if it’s football season, we have to hurry up and get back to my house for the game. We’re a 49ers family. I would say the Raiders because we’re from Oakland, but we’ve always been 49ers fans. I mean, when it’s time to root for the Raiders, we do. We don’t hate like the Raiders hate on us. I’ll cook food depending on who all’s coming over — my nephews and various friends and so on. I grill a lot, so I’ll do steaks or lamb chops or chicken wings. My mom loves making potato salad. I can’t tell you the recipe — it’s a secret. It’s actually her mother’s potato salad, and they’re Creoles. Those Creoles don’t mess around with their potato salad.

8:30 p.m.: Games after the game

I never tell anyone to leave. Sometimes people spend the night — it’s an open house. If we’re not too tired, we’ll start playing board games or card games. Don’t get us started on poker.

11:30 p.m.: Steam time

Before bed I’ll get into the sauna just to relax and do a little sweating. Then I go take a shower with jazz or spa music playing. Sometimes I’ll do a little stretching before I get in the bed. I usually don’t read before I go to sleep. My go-to is HGTV — I set it for an hour and a half, and I’m out.

Akshay Bhatia holds a two-shot lead after the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am as fellow American Collin Morikawa’s round of 62 moved him into contention for his first victory in almost two and a half years.

Bhatia had been tied for top spot on 15 under with Ryo Hisatsune going into the day’s play, but six birdies in his first seven holes helped him on his way to a lead that was as many as five shots at one point.

Battling blustery conditions in California, a bogey at 17 saw his advantage cut to two.

Gusts then slowed play down considerably on the final green and a missed putt for birdie saw Bhatia card 68 to stand at 19 under.

Morikawa’s round, 10-under-par, saw him climb the leaderboard into second at 17 under.

An eagle at the last hole – having managed the same at the first – moved another American, Jake Knapp, into joint-second with his round totalling 66.

Austrian Sepp Straka made it a three-way tie with a 67.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy, six back at the start of the day, fell further behind the lead despite starting with two birdies in the opening three holes.

A three-over-par seven at the fourth and a double bogey at the last saw him shoot an even par 72 and trailing by 10.

With heavy rain and strong winds forecast for Sunday, start times for the tournament’s final round have been moved forward and will now run from 07:22-09:45 local time, with threesomes off split tees.

Karachi, Pakistan – As rain and thunder threatened to disrupt their team’s T20 World Cup match against India on Sunday, Pakistan’s cricket fans are bracing for a different storm – the now-customary loss against their archrivals at global events.

Pakistan have not beaten India in the tournament since 2021 when they recorded a solitary win in eight T20 World Cup encounters against their formidable opponents.

Despondent fans have now shifted from anticipating a thrilling, unpredictable game to praying for a miracle as Salman Ali Agha’s team step on the field at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Pakistan’s latest “win” came in the form of a move to boycott the match on political grounds. Despite the eventual reversal of the decision after weeklong negotiations with the International Cricket Council (ICC), the initial decision to not take the field against India was seen as a triumph by cricket fans in Pakistan.

Despondent or optimistic, fans still eager for match

Escalating political tensions between the South Asian neighbours have seen a decades-old sporting rivalry turn into an ugly debacle both on and off the pitch with customary handshakes avoided and light jibes replaced by controversial hand gestures invoking their most recent armed conflict in May.

Politics and sport blur boundaries on both sides of the border, making these fixtures an exhibition of nationalistic pride that can sometimes turn distasteful.

The pre-match jingoism in Pakistan, though, was short-lived. It has been replaced by bitterly disappointed fans airing their thoughts in the form of self-deprecating memes or reels depicting the “foolishness” of a section of fans expecting a win.

“We’ll have heartbreak on February 14 and 15,” read the captions of several social media posts set to melancholic songs on Valentine’s Day, the eve of the match.

Supporters – both hardcore and casual – will religiously watch the three-plus-hour encounters. Come 6:30pm (13:30 GMT) on Sunday, the public will be glued to screens across the country to watch the high-stakes match.

Roadside tea stalls will be thronged by male spectators filling up wooden benches, plastic chairs or squatting on their haunches in front of small TV screens.

Food delivery riders busy with an overflow of match-day meal orders will occasionally halt their journeys to catch a glimpse of the action on their phones or through restaurant windows.

Upscale eateries will bring in large screens and host groups of young fans and families.

Domestic responsibilities will be wrapped up before the start of the match, and extended families will gather around a living room TV with drinks, snacks and feasts of biryani.

The weekend – now the standard time that all India-Pakistan matches are played for economic and logistical reasons – will offer some respite from an otherwise hectic schedule of school and office routines that throw the heaving metropolis of Karachi into transport turbulence.

India favourites, but Usman Tariq could spin a win

Despite the days of anticipation and hours spent preparing for the showpiece, fans remain realistic in their expectations.

On a balmy late Friday afternoon in Karachi as life gradually returned to its normal pace after an hour-long pause for midday prayers at mosques across the city, a group of young law students picked up their kits for a local league match.

“It’s looking 70-30 in India’s favour,” Talha Bandayal, a law student, told Al Jazeera as he watched his teammates play a cricket match in their local lawyers league at the historic Karachi Parsi Institute on Friday.

Bandayal and his friends plan to watch the match at a restaurant in one of Karachi’s posh localities.

“It’s a Pakistan-India match. We’re excited regardless of the result!”

Syed Ahmed Shah, who officiated the league match as a third umpire, was more sceptical of the team’s chances and more in tune with the country’s overall opinion of Pakistan’s expected performance.

“Sport is just like politics in our country,” a bespectacled Shah opined dryly to everyone’s amusement, drawing comparisons between the nation’s two most favoured topics.

“India is far superior to us, not just in cricket but everything,” Shah told Al Jazeera.

Cricket analysts have appeared on national talk shows throughout the week, dissecting the team’s shortcomings, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s organisational failures and the squad’s weak mental fortitude for a match of this proportion.

Local cricketers like Bandayal have been analysing Pakistani players’ strengths and weaknesses. Usman Tariq’s unreadable spin action and variations are being seen as Pakistan’s secret weapon.

When life comes to a standstill

When it comes to off-field behaviour, though, India’s trend of avoiding handshakes with Pakistani teams has been frowned upon.

“Politics should strictly be kept separate from sports,” a local cricket coach who requested anonymity said of Suryakumar Yadav and his team’s controversial actions from the Asia Cup last year.

“But if India takes that stance, Pakistan also needs to have some self-respect and respond accordingly,” the 46-year-old coach said.

Admittedly, the handshake row has taken centre stage in a fixture that has historically been remembered for scintillating bowling performances, swashbuckling innings or nail-biting finishes.

When Pakistan awakes on Sunday morning, most cricket fans will begin their day by playing their own cricket games – whether in narrow neighbourhood streets or vast, dusty fields hosting multiple matches simultaneously. As the evening draws closer, the clothes will be dusted off and equipment packed away for the showdown in Colombo.

Just as the hustle and bustle of life gave way for prayers two days earlier, the India-Pakistan match will do the same.

After all, it’s only cricket and Friday prayers that can bring life to a standstill in Pakistan.

Operation Hawkeye has killed and captured more than 50 ISIL fighters after hitting about 100 targets.

United States forces have carried out a series of strikes against ISIL (ISIS) targets in Syria in retaliation for last year’s killing of two of its soldiers and an interpreter.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on Saturday that it attacked more than 30 ISIL targets in Syria between February 3 and 12, hitting the armed group’s infrastructure and weapons storage facilities with “precision munitions”.

CENTCOM said it launched the most recent attacks to “sustain relentless military pressure on remnants from the terrorist network”.

ISIL attacked US and Syrian forces near the historic city of Palmyra in December, killing Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard, and Ayad Mansoor Sakat, identified as an American civilian interpreter.

Launched after the killings, Operation Hawkeye has killed and captured more than 50 fighters and hit about 100 ISIL infrastructure targets over the past two months, said CENTCOM.

The US military on Friday completed the transfer of thousands of ISIL detainees from Syria to Iraq, where they are expected to stand trial.

The prisoners were sent to Iraq at the request of Baghdad in a move welcomed by the US-led coalition that had for years fought against the armed group.

In other developments, the Syrian Ministry of Defence confirmed that government forces took control of the al-Tanf military base in the east of the country, which was run for years by US troops fighting ISIL.

The US-led coalition worked alongside the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the battle that led to ISIL’s territorial defeat in Syria in 2019.

However, Washington has now drawn close to Syria’s new authorities, recently saying that the purpose of its alliance with the SDF was largely over.

The US withdrawal from al-Tanf comes as Damascus seeks to extend its control over all of Syria.

THE PAD

If sleeping in a hut doesn’t sound very luxe, how about one with a Dyson hairdryer, Le Creuset crockery and a dishwasher?

Nestled on the verdant slopes of Stonor Park Estate, Quercus is a whimsical en-suite hideaway – one of two on the Drovers’ Hill site – and is both cosy and elevated.

With shuttered windows, a log burner and four-poster bed, it’s perfect for the ultimate reset.

Wake up to misty views of elegant Stonor House and roaming herds of deer, before firing up the barbecue for an alfresco brekky.

Take the relaxation up a notch by booking the miniature, Scandi-inspired Reset Wild Spa, just a short stroll away.

Dashing between its scenic outdoor sauna and cold-plunge tubs takes willpower, but the endorphin rush is so worth it.

One-hour sessions cost £25 per person (Resetwildspa.co.uk).

EXPLORE

Stonor’s 12th-century manor house is still family owned and is practically in your back garden.

Ogle the lush tapestry and intricate walnut furniture, then take a stroll through the quaint walled garden.

Entry costs £13 per person (Stonor.com).

Exploring is thirsty work, so head to nearby Oaken Grove Vineyard, for a vine-growing masterclass.

You’ll learn everything from planting to harvesting grapes with super- knowledgeable owner, Phil, and there’s plenty of wine to wash it all down with, including a citrusy sparkling pinot noir rosé.

A two-hour tour costs £25 per person (Oakengrovevineyard.co.uk).

If gin’s more your thing, book a tour and tasting at Henley Distillery – another family affair – to sip on locally made classic, spiced, pink and fruit versions, while watching the stills gurgle and boil.

A one-hour tour costs £20 per person (Thehenleydistillery.co.uk).

Picturesque Henley-on-Thames is just down the road – be sure to rummage in Duke Street’s Tudor House Antiques, an Aladdin’s cave stacked ceiling-high with quirky figurines, vases and road signs.

REFUEL

Beat the afternoon slump with velvety Milo & Malteser gelato, £4.45 a scoop, at Gelato Henley (Gelatohenley.co.uk), or tuck into a sticky, fluffy lardy cake, £4.95, at Warings Bakery (Waringsbakery.co.uk).

For the perfect lunch pitstop, head to The Cheese Shed at Nettlebed Creamery, 10 minutes’ drive from your hut.

Order the legendary toastie with organic cheeses and butter made on-site, £6.95 – it has the perfect balance of ooze and crunch (Nettlebed creamery.com).

Nearby Turville, where The Vicar Of Dibley was filmed, is postcard-pretty with chocolate-box cottages and cosy village pub The Bull & Butcher.

Feast on crumbly shortcrust Welsh lamb and mint pie with creamy mash, £19.80, beside the crackling fire.

It pairs perfectly with a pint of local sweet but hoppy Brakspear Gravity ale, £4.90 (Thebullandbutcher.com).

BOOK IT

Stays at Drovers’ Hill at Stonor cost from £150 a night (Stonor.com/drovers-hill).

PACK IT

The Predator is airing tonight but there is an alternative film to watch that’s been branded a “masterpiece”.

An “all-time favourite” war film that’s “not just a film” but an “experience”, is available to stream.

Science fiction war film enthusiasts are set for a treat this weekend as The Predators will be broadcast on Sunday, February 15, at 12.30am, on Channel 4.

Initially released in 2018, The Predator, which forms part of the Predator franchise, follows sniper Quinn McKenna (portrayed by Boyd Holbrook) during a military operation to rescue hostages from a Mexican drug cartel when he encounters a spaceship crash landing.

Nevertheless, for those unwilling to stay awake until the small hours on Sunday to watch The Predator, there’s an even superior option.

“It is as near to being perfect as any I have ever seen”, an enthusiast on IMDb described this 1986 film. Another declared it was “one of the most thrilling films ever”, whilst a third branded it a “masterpiece” and an “all-time favourite”.

Fellow science fiction war film Aliens centres on Lt Ripley ( Sigourney Weaver ) whose shuttle is discovered by a deep salvage team after drifting in space for 57 years.

The official synopsis continues: “Upon arriving at LV-426, the marines find only one survivor, a nine-year-old girl named Newt (Carrie Henn).

“But even these battle-hardened marines with all the latest weaponry are no match for the hundreds of aliens that have invaded the colony.”

Aliens, the award-winning film helmed by James Cameron, serves as a direct sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1979 movie Alien but numerous fans have expressed their preference for it over the original.

So, if you’re eager to watch The Predator but can’t wait, Aliens is readily available for Disney+ subscribers to stream at their leisure.

With The Predator earning a paltry 34% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to Aliens’ near-flawless score of 94%, it’s clear which film is considered the superior offering.

Sigourney Weaver returns as Lt Ripley in this much-loved sequel, sharing the screen with Lance Henriksen as Bishop, Jenette Goldstein as Pvt Vasquez and Bill Hudson as Pvt Hudson.

While Weaver is most recognised for her role in the Alien franchise, she also made her mark in both the Avatar and Ghostbusters series.

“It’s nearly perfect in every way: storyline, characters, menacing threat, suspense, action, direction, music, emotion, etc”, one fan gushed about Aliens.

They added: “It’s always been a favourite of mine and still is. To me this is not just a film, it is an experience.”

Aliens is available to stream on Disney+.

ANN ARBOR, MICH. — Yaxel Lendeborg had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead No. 2 Michigan to an 86-56 victory over UCLA on Saturday that puts the program in position to be ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2013.

No. 1 Arizona lost its first game Monday night on the road against No. 9 Kansas, giving the Wolverines (24-1, 14-1 Big Ten) a path to the top spot in the poll with their 10th straight win.

The Bruins (17-8, 9-5) had won five of six games.

Michigan made nine straight shots — including Lendeborg’s two three-pointers — early in the second half to turn what was a closely contested game into a rout.

Just two years after losing a school-record 24 games in Juwan Howard’s final season, coach Dusty May took advantage of the transfer portal to build a deep and talented roster that has won 24 of 25 games for the first time in school history.

The Wolverines are aiming to be No. 1 for the first time since Jan. 28, 2013, a season that ended with AP national player of the year Trey Burke and coach John Beilein losing to Rick Pitino-led Louisville in the national championship game.

In their latest lopsided win, Morez Johnson finished with 15 points, LJ Cason scored 13, Nimari Burnett added 12 and Aday Mara had nine points, eight rebounds and three blocks against his former team.

UCLA’s Trent Perry scored 11 of his 14 points in the first half and Tyler Bilodeau had 10 of his points in the opening 20 minutes, when the visitors trailed by just two points.

Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, has suspended some operations at a Nasser Hospital in Gaza after its staff and patients saw “armed men, some masked” posing “serious security threats” inside the building.

The Geneva-based medical charity reported on its website that non-essential work at the hospital in Khan Younis was halted on January 20 due to concerns with the “management of the structure, the safeguarding of its neutrality, and security breaches”.

“MSF teams have reported a pattern of unacceptable acts, including the presence of armed men, intimidation, arbitrary arrests of patients, and a recent situation of suspicion of movement of weapons”, said the site’s “frequently asked questions” section, last updated on February 11.

“Hospitals must remain neutral, civilian spaces, free from military presence or activity to ensure the safe and impartial delivery of medical care”, it said, adding that the charity expressed concern to the “relevant” authorities.

Under the suspension, MSF will continue supporting critical services, such as inpatient and surgical departments, but will end support to the paediatrics and maternity wards, including the neonatal intensive care unit, and will no longer offer a range of outpatient consultations and other services.

The organisation was not able to indicate the armed men’s affiliation, but said its concerns were heightened by previous, deliberate Israeli attacks on health facilities.

Israel has decimated the enclave’s health infrastructure and continues to hold captive 95 Palestinian doctors and medical workers, including 80 from Gaza.

Zaher al-Waheidi, the head of the records department at Gaza’s Ministry of Health, said that MSF’s suspension will have a significant impact as hundreds of patients are admitted to the maternity and burn wards daily. He said the ministry would take over maternity patient care.

Gaza’s Ministry of Interior said in a statement that it is committed to preventing any armed presence inside hospitals, and that legal action will be taken against violators. It suggested that armed members of certain families recently entered hospitals, but did not identify those involved.

Israeli ban on aid organisations

MSF’s announcement comes after Israel recently ordered the charity and dozens of other international organisations to stop their work in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank if they did not meet new rules, including sharing details about their staff.

Two weeks ago, MSF – which provides international staff for six hospitals, and operates two field hospitals and eight primary health centres, clinics and medical points – said it would not submit a staff list to Israel after failing to receive assurances for their safety.

Israel has repeatedly attacked hospitals and healthcare workers throughout its genocidal war on Gaza.

In other developments on Saturday, Israel’s military said its troops “eliminated” a person in northern Gaza, alleging that the unidentified individual crossed the “yellow line“. The demarcation divides Gaza into an eastern area under Israeli military control and a western area where Palestinians face fewer movement restrictions but are under constant threat of air strikes and forced displacement.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas slammed Israel for violating the US-brokered “ceasefire”, during which Israel has killed nearly 600 Palestinians since October 10.

In a speech by Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa at an African Union summit in Ethiopia, he called on Israel to remove all “obstacles” to implementing phase two of the “truce” deal, including the work of a technocratic committee that will oversee the daily governance of Gaza.

More than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed and 171,000 wounded in attacks in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza since October 2023.

Vinicius Jr strikes twice ⁠from ⁠the penalty spot as Madrid move provisionally above Barcelona, who play Girona on Monday.

Vinicius Junior scored two penalties as Real Madrid moved top of La Liga with a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad, despite missing superstar Kylian Mbappe.

Mbappe watched from the substitutes’ bench on Saturday after missing some team training sessions during the week with discomfort in his left knee.

Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said on Friday that he was able to play, but evidently, he did not want to rush his star goal-scorer.

Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, out with a hamstring injury, watched as Madrid produced an assured team performance to end the visitors’ 11-game unbeaten run across all competitions, and move two points clear of Barcelona before the defending champions visit Girona on Monday.

Perhaps Tuesday’s team dinner at a fancy restaurant paid for by Mbappe and Vinicius helped focus the players before facing Benfica in the Champions League playoffs next week.

Gonzalo Garcia opened the scoring with a slight touch to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross in the fifth minute. However, it was to be a largely frustrating game for the young attacker, who failed to make more of other good opportunities.

Dean Huijsen conceded a penalty for bringing down Yangel Herrera, and Mikel Oyarzabal duly equalised from the spot with a hard, high, centrally-placed shot in the 21st.

Referee Francisco Jose Hernandez Maeso awarded another penalty at the other end four minutes later, when Jon Aramburu caught Vinicius’s ankle, bringing him down. The Brazilian dusted himself off to score from the spot in the 25th minute.

Madrid captain Fede Valverde gratefully scored the third in the 31st after being left too much space at the edge of the penalty box. It was Valverde’s first goal of the season.

Garcia should have scored again before the break, when Valverde set him up for what looked like a simple tap-in, but Vinicius made it 4-1 with his second spot kick after the break, awarded after Aramburu was again penalised for bringing him down.

Dani Carvajal made his long-awaited return around the hour mark, when he replaced Alexander-Arnold for his first league appearance since Madrid’s 2-1 loss to Barcelona in October.

Vinicius thought he had scored a hat-trick when he headed in a free kick in the 90th minute, only for it to be ruled out for offside.

Elsewhere in La Liga on Saturday, Borja Iglesias scored in stoppage time, after having another seemingly good goal ruled out through VAR, to salvage a 2-2 draw for Celta Vigo at Espanyol.

A rueful Iglesias shook his head and smiled after having a 77th-minute goal disallowed when a long check determined there had been an offside infringement.

His frustrations grew when Ramon Terrats pulled the ball back for fellow substitute Tyrhys Dolan to score what he thought was the winner for Espanyol in the 86th minute.

But Iglesias equalised in the third minute of stoppage time when Pablo Duran set him up with his heel after a good run from Sergio Carreira.

Espanyol remained sixth, and Celta a point behind in seventh.

Also on Saturday, Getafe held on to upset visiting Villarreal 2-1, and the 10-man Sevilla drew with Alaves 1-1 in a duel between two strugglers.

The nation faces some tough questions following the unwittingly hilarious performance of U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi when she testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday about the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files, among other things.

Viewers were left asking themselves if the over-the-top dramatics they witnessed were in fact a midweek “SNL” comedy sketch, with Amy Poehler playing Bondi. But on second thought, no one is better at playing the Entitled Mean Girl than Bondi herself.

Deflecting from questions about the DOJ’s mishandling of the Epstein files, Bondi for nearly five hours interrupted, scoffed and yelled at her bipartisan interrogators. She rolled her eyes at questions that annoyed her (i.e. most of the questions asked by Dems), praised President Trump at the weirdest of times, and hurled personalized insults she’d noted ahead of time in a “burn binder” (more on that later).

U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi appears before the House panel Wednesday as, behind her, survivors of sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein respond to a question from the committee with a show of hands.

(Tom Brenner / Associated Press)

Bondi reserved her most dramatic how dare you! bellows for Democrats but did lash out at a few Republicans. Anyone who pressed her for transparency on the many questionable redactions in the Epstein documents risked a spiteful dressing down, including those who inquired if the DOJ was actively investigating any of the rich and powerful men involved in the disgraced financier’s sex trafficking enterprise.

She called Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) “a washed-up loser lawyer,” referred to Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) as “a failed politician” and accused Jewish House member Becca Balint (D-Vt.), who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust, of being antisemitic.

When Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) asked how many of Epstein’s accomplices she had indicted, rather than tell the truth — which is none — she launched into a non-sequitur talking point about the Dow Jones Industrial Average topping 50,000, the S&P 500 nearing 7,000 and the Nasdaq “smashing records” under President Trump. “You all should be apologizing,” Bondi said. “You sit here and you attack the president. I’m not going to have it. I’m not going to put up with it!”

Poehler is talented, but how does anyone top that performance?

If only the hearing were a comedy skit. The hundreds if not thousands of young women who were victimized by Epstein deserve justice, and the many rich, powerful men involved in his criminal enterprise deserve to be held accountable. Bondi claimed there were “pending investigations” into the case but gave little more detail.

Seated in the audience behind Bondi were survivors and families of late survivors of the sex trafficking ring operated by Epstein and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. The women were recognized, with their permission, at the start of the hearing.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) later addressed the group of women: “To the survivors in the room, if you are willing, please stand.” All of them stood up.

“And if you are willing, please raise your hands if you have still not been able to meet with this Department of Justice.” All of the women raised their hands.

Jayapal then addressed Bondi: “Attorney General Bondi, you apologized to the survivors in your opening statement for what they went through at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein. Will you turn to them now and apologize for what your Department of Justice has put them through with the absolutely unacceptable release of the Epstein files and their information?”

Bondi did not face the survivors, instead replying: “I’m not going to get into the gutter with this woman doing theatrics.”

The committee repeatedly asked about numerous problems they’d found in the DOJ’s redactions of the Epstein files, including redacting the names of his suspected co-conspirators while not redacting the names or photos of some of the victims.

She snapped back at them, reminding the room that her DOJ had released more than 3 million documents, and proclaiming loudly, “Donald Trump is the most transparent president in the nation’s history!”

It was all those other guys who dropped the ball, according to Bondi. Why hadn’t former Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland or President Biden investigated the disgraced financier? Rep. Massie cut her off at the knees.

“This goes over four administrations,” he said. “You don’t have to go back to Biden. Let’s go back to Obama. Let’s go back to George Bush. This cover-up spans decades, and you are responsible for this portion,” he said.

She accused Massie of suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome.”

Many of the personal attacks she launched at House members were prewritten in what’s become known as Bondi’s “burn binder,” a notebook filled with unflattering factoids about her inquisitors (she used a similar binder at a Senate hearing). Bondi referenced the guide with such frequency, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) joked that he’d like to see her “flip to the Jared Moskowitz section of the binder. I’m interested to see what staff provided on the [opposition research] on me.”

If “SNL” does decide to spin a sketch out of the most unprofessional testimony ever by a U.S. attorney general, how can it ever top the show we just saw?

CHICAGO — President Bush said Tuesday that he welcomed a Justice Department investigation into whether White House officials illegally disclosed the identity of a CIA agent in an effort to discredit or punish her husband, an administration critic.

Bush also dismissed calls by Democrats for the appointment of a special counsel to look into the matter. Administration critics argued that Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft is too partisan to preside over an impartial investigation.

On a campaign fund-raising trip through the Midwest, Bush said he is “absolutely confident that the Justice Department will do a very good job.”

“I want to know the truth,” Bush said. “If there is a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is. And if the person has violated the law, the person will be taken care of.”

The remarks were the president’s first on the burgeoning scandal, which burst into view over the weekend when it was disclosed that the CIA had asked the Justice Department to investigate whether senior administration officials deliberately unmasked a CIA agent married to former diplomat Joseph C. Wilson IV, a critic of Bush’s handling of intelligence before the war in Iraq.

The Justice Department said Tuesday that it was conducting a formal investigation into who leaked the agent’s identity to conservative columnist Robert Novak, an apparent violation of a 1982 law designed to protect intelligence operatives.

The allegations are serious; exposing the identity of a CIA operative is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. And the charges have handed Democrats a juicy political opportunity, enabling them to accuse the hawkish Bush administration of playing fast and loose with national security.

In the Senate, a resolution sponsored by about two dozen Democrats was introduced Tuesday calling for a “fair, thorough and independent investigation into a national security breach.”

Democrats took to the Senate floor to liken the leak to President Richard Nixon’s enemies list and to “kneecapping” the CIA agent in retaliation for her husband’s criticism of the administration’s policies.

“This is not just a leak; this is a crime, plain and simple,” Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said.

The politically charged nature of the case was underscored Tuesday when Wilson, who has portrayed himself as defending the CIA career of his wife, Valerie Plame, confirmed on CNBC that he has been in contact with a number of Democratic campaigns, in particular that of Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.). Wilson said he had donated money to Kerry’s presidential campaign and is considering endorsing him, although he said he also had contributed to the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2000.

Wilson has agreed to meet today with Democrats on Capitol Hill.

Justice officials said they weren’t ruling out the possibility of acceding to the demands for a special counsel. Some former prosecutors said they believed the facts of the case were so murky that appointing a special counsel seemed premature.

For now, the politically delicate task falls to a low-profile group of Justice professionals. The team is headed up by John Dion, chief of the counterespionage section of the department’s criminal section, a 20-year spy catcher who has won department awards during Republican and Democratic administrations for his work investigating turncoats and security breaches.

“John is a very aggressive prosecutor who will call it as he sees it,” said Eric Dubelier, a Washington lawyer and former federal prosecutor who worked with Dion several years ago. “He will make a decision based on the facts and the law. Then, the question will be, ‘Who is the final arbiter?’ ”

But some members of Congress said there was already evidence that the investigation was going off-track.

They cite a heads-up the Justice Department gave the White House on Monday night that it had decided to launch a formal investigation, and that it would be sending out a letter Tuesday morning explaining which documents it wanted preserved.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the White House counsel’s office asked whether staff should be notified immediately; the Justice officials said it could wait until the next morning.

McClellan rebuffed a question asking whether the evening phone call could be seen as advance warning, calling it a “silly suggestion.”

Schumer said the notice created an opportunity for mischief, essentially giving White House staff an opportunity overnight to destroy evidence.

“If there were a special counsel, it is extremely doubtful that the White House would have been allowed to delay the request to preserve documents and other evidence,” Schumer said. “After all, every good prosecutor knows that any delay could give a culprit time to destroy the evidence.”

Legal experts said the White House probably was already obliged under the law to preserve documents, given the widespread publicity the case had generated over the weekend. Others said they thought the White House should have acted more aggressively in ensuring that the documents be preserved.

“I think a conscientious lawyer would have done it immediately. We are not dealing with a rural D.A.’s office,” said Stephen Gillers, a legal ethics specialist at New York University law school. Gillers said he thought that White House counsel Alberto Gonzales’ own preservation order was “incredibly vague” and might have confused some employees.

Later Tuesday, Gonzalez expanded his notification to White House staff members by specifying that they preserve records of any contacts with members of the news media, including columnist Novak and Newsday reporters Tim Phelps and Knut Royce.

Phelps and Royce were apparently named because a story they wrote about Novak’s column in July disclosed that Plame was an undercover operative, which Novak’s column didn’t say.

Their story also quoted Novak as saying that an administration official had sought him out with the information about Plame. Novak now tells it differently, saying that the information emerged in an interview that he requested with the administration official. The Newsday account suggests a more aggressive role by the unidentified leaker.

Under Justice Department regulations, Ashcroft has full discretion in whether to appoint a special counsel, unlike the post-Watergate independent counsel statute, which ascribed that authority to a panel of judges. Congress allowed the counsel statute to expire in 1999 amid recriminations over the expense and scope of the Whitewater investigations.

In its place, then-Atty. Gen. Janet Reno enacted guidelines for when the department should veer from its normal rules in cases where officials have conflicts of interest. Those rules remain in effect.

“The attorney general is absolutely free to structure any special investigative appointment within the Department of Justice that he wishes. That has been done repeatedly as needed throughout history,” said John Barrett, a law professor at St. John’s University law school in New York, and a former member of the independent counsel team that investigated the Iran-Contra affair during the Reagan administration.

Ashcroft himself has exercised the prerogative, setting up a special task force to scrutinize Enron after recusing himself from the investigation because he had once taken campaign contributions from the fallen energy trader.

Barrett said even if the independent counsel law were still in effect, the investigation would be going through a sorting-out process, trying to zero in on suspects, before deciding whether a conflict existed warranting an outside prosecutor.

“Even in the independent counsel model, the preliminary work was to be done by the Department of Justice. Someone has to do the initial spade work,” he said.

On Capitol Hill, such legal distinctions were buried under political rhetoric from both sides.

“If we need an independent counsel to investigate a private real estate deal,” said Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), referring to the independent counsel investigation into President Bill Clinton’s and Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Whitewater land venture, “certainly a breach of national security deserves the same level of scrutiny.”

California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, both Democrats, were among those supporting calls for an outside counsel. Feinstein, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement: “Clearly, a well-respected special counsel from the outside — Democrat or Republican — is the only option to ensure a fair and thorough investigation that will have the confidence of the American people.”

But House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) said of the Democrats’ call for a special counsel: “Surprise, surprise.”

DeLay said the appointment of a special counsel “makes no sense.”

“You have special counsels if you think the administration is trying to cover up or obstruct justice,” he said. “The White House is very upset about this … They’re trying to get to the bottom of this.”

Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) ridiculed Democrats’ call for an outside counsel, noting they were among critics of the independent counsel statute in the past.

“We killed the independent counsel because it was used for politics by both sides of the aisle,” Santorum said.

Times staff writer Richard Simon in Washington contributed to this report. Reynolds reported from Chicago and Schmitt from Washington.

PHOENIX — Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz has been settling in with his new team at Camelback Ranch, but in his first comments to the media since camp opened, he faced questions about his old team.

In an interview with Mets broadcaster Howie Rose on Friday, team owner Steve Cohen called Díaz’s decision to a sign a three-year, $69-million contract with the Dodgers “perplexing.” Though Díaz was caught off guard by Cohen’s comments, he said Saturday he had no bad feelings towards the Mets or their fans.

“It’s a market and I was a free agent, so I got the chance to talk with everyone,” Díaz said. “I think the Dodgers did a great job of recruiting me, so at the end of the day, I chose to be here. I have a lot of respect for the Mets organization — players, staff, ownership — they treated me pretty good. I don’t have anything bad to say about them. But at the end of the day, I’m here, so this is a new journey for me. I’m happy to be with the Dodgers, so let’s see how it goes.”

Díaz participated in the Dodgers’ first day of official workouts Friday, throwing a clean bullpen session without any hiccups. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has liked what he has seen thus far from the three-time MLB reliever of the year.

“I’m very excited to get to know him more,” Roberts said. “[He’s] just a great teammate, really good person, loves baseball, a good heartbeat. You can tell he knows what he needs to do to get ready. [He’s] likable, and at the end of the day, he chose to be here, so that’s something that is of a lot of value for us. High character. I’m really looking forward to getting to know him.”

One thing that attracted Díaz to the Dodgers was the team’s culture.

“That’s how they’ve been so good,” Díaz said. “They have a really good clubhouse… They’ve got different personalities in the clubhouse. They’ve got different players from different countries, and they all get together and have fun, so that’s something good.”

Part of having a melting pot of a clubhouse means missing some key ingredients for an extended period of spring training. The Dodgers will have several players participating in the World Baseball Classic, including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Will Smith and Díaz.

Each Major League player competing in the event runs the risk of injury, something Díaz knows all too well. Moments after striking out the side to send Puerto Rico to the WBC quarterfinals in 2023, Díaz sustained a season-ending knee injury.

Despite suffering the trauma of the last WBC, Díaz told reporters it was a no-brainer, when he was asked to compete for his country again in 2026.

“It wasn’t in my mind,” Díaz said. “I have the chance to play in front of my family in Puerto Rico. It was an easy decision.”

Díaz’s fearlessness is one trait that Roberts admires about his new closer. Díaz met Roberts’ squad in the 2024 National League Championship Series, where the Dodgers managed only two hits off him across 5.1 IP, scoring no runs.

“He’s not scared,” Roberts said. “When he’s in the game, it’s an uncomfortable at bat for lefties and righties, and when we did see him in the postseason, [we were] really trying to keep him out of the game, knowing that he can go one, two [or] even three innings. That, he’s done against us in the postseason; [he’s] just a great competitor.”

The addition of Díaz should stabilize the back end of the Dodgers rotation. Since bidding farewell to Kenley Jansen after the 2021 season, the Dodgers haven’t had a closer tally more than 25 saves in a season. Over his nine-year career, Díaz has 253 saves.

With Díaz expected to be the regular ninth-inning guy, Roberts looks forward to having more flexibility when managing his bullpen.

“It’s huge,” Roberts said. “I don’t think that there’s one way to manage a pen, but when you have a guy like Edwin Díaz as your closer, I do think it frees up other guys, myself included. Not having to worry about matchups for the ninth, I think that’s freeing for me and allows for getting the matchups we need in the prior innings.”

Dodgers staying cautious with Graterol

One key relief weapon Roberts hopes to have in his armory is Brusdar Graterol.

The hard-throwing right-hander underwent labrum surgery shortly after the 2024 World Series, and hasn’t pitched in a game since.

Roberts provided an update on Graterol’s recovery Saturday.

“He’s in the picture, but I do think that coming back from the shoulder, it’s going to take some time,” Roberts said. “He’s in the bucket of, ‘We’re going to slow-play him’. I think yesterday he threw off the mound, and the velocity is not near where it’s going to be, so I think that it’s a slow progression. I just don’t know where that puts us, but it’s a slow process for Brusdar.”

Staff writer Anthony Solorzano contributed to this report.

Feb. 14 (UPI) — The Routt County, Colorado, Coroner’s Office has identified the four victims who died in a plane crash while approaching a Steamboat Springs airport early Friday morning.

The victims are Aaron Stokes, 47, Jackson Stokes, 21, Colin Stokes, 21, and Austin Huskey, 37, the Steamboat Pilot reported.

Aaron Stokes is the father of Jackson Stokes, but it is unclear if he also is the father of Colin Stokes.

Aaron Stokes was a resident of Franklin, Tenn., which is where the flight originated on Thursday before making a brief stop in Kansas City and then proceeding to Steamboat Springs.

Franklin is located about 20 miles south of Nashville and is home to many country music stars and other celebrities.

Aaron Stokes was the founder of Shop Fix Academy, which assisted the owners of independent auto shops, according to his Ever Loved obituary.

“The Franklin, Tennessee, community and the global automotive industry are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Aaron Stokes, a visionary entrepreneur, mentor and beloved family man,” the obituary says.

“A self-made multi-millionaire with 25 years of entrepreneurial experience, Aaron’s influence extended significantly within the industry,” it continues. “He successfully owned and operated five auto repair shops and hosted the popular radio show Fixin’ Cars with Aaron Stokes.”

The obituary describes him as a “cherished member of the Franklin community. Known for his vibrant personality, kindness, and adventurous spirit, he embraced life with enthusiasm.

“He was a devoted husband and father, and his family has requested privacy during this difficult time. Friends remember him for his deep faith and unwavering integrity.”

The plane crashed at 12:20 a.m. MST near the summit of Emerald Mountain, which is located southeast of Steamboat Springs and the Yampa River.

The remote crash site required a local rescue team to recover the victims’ bodies.

ALS Aviation LLC of Franklin is the registered owner of the single-engine, turboprop Epic Aircraft E1000 that crashed and caused the deaths of all four aboard it.

Initial reports do not say which of the four deceased passengers was piloting the aircraft or if ALS might have been owned by Aaron Stokes.

The company was formed in 2021 and dissolved in 2024, but its ownership certificate is valid through 2031.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash and its cause.

‘Illiberal’ PM, endorsed by ally Trump this week, to receive US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says his country should fear the European Union more than Russia while promising to clear away the EU’s “oppressive machinery” before what looks will be heated parliamentary elections.

Delivering his annual state-of-the-nation speech on Saturday, Orban pledged to push out “the foreign influence that limits our sovereignty together with its agents” as the opposition Tisza Party maintains an 8 to 12 percentage point lead over Orban’s ruling Fidesz party eight weeks from the April 12 elections.

“Fear-mongering about [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is primitive and unserious. Brussels, however, is a palpable reality and a source of imminent danger,” said the 62-year-old leader, who compared the EU to the repressive Soviet regime that dominated Hungary for decades last century.

Since returning to power for a second time in 2010, Orban has waged a campaign against “pseudo-civil organisations”, “bought journalists”, judges and politicians in his drive to build what he calls an “illiberal state”.

His crackdown on immigration has provided a blueprint for right-wing leaders, such as United States President Donald Trump.

‘War or peace’?

In Saturday’s speech, Orban signalled his work of clearing liberal forces from the country is only “half-done”, noting that Trump, who is backing him to win the upcoming vote, “rebelled against the liberals’ global-scale business, media and political network, thereby improving our chances as well”.

On Friday, Trump posted a new endorsement of Orban on his Truth Social platform, saying he’s a “truly strong and powerful leader with a proven track record of delivering phenomenal results”.

The US president’s comments came as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio prepares to visit Hungary on Sunday. Rubio will fly in from the Munich Security Conference in Germany with a stopover in Slovakia for talks with nationalist Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Orban, who has cultivated warm relations with Putin during his current stretch in power, this week cast the April elections as a stark choice between “war or peace”, warning in a Facebook post that Peter Magyar’s Tisza Party would drag the country into the conflict raging next door in Ukraine.

The prime minister has doubled down on his strategy of portraying Magyar as a “Brussels puppet” with billboards depicting him saying “yes” to a demand for “Money for Ukraine!” from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

When we decided to rank the best Los Angeles movies, we thought 101 titles would be plenty: room enough for undeniable classics, personal obsessions, even a guilty pleasure or two. Of course it wasn’t. You let us know, endorsing many of our selections but insisting we’d missed a few.

Sifting through your responses, 14 films had the most passionate advocacy. You’ll find them listed below in alphabetical order. Together they make up a perfectly valid alternate list, one that captures the glamour and romance of L.A. — as well as its lovable plasticity — just as well.

‘American Gigolo’ (1980)

Richard Gere and Lauren Hutton in the movie “American Gigolo.”

(Paramount Pictures)

Reader Cindy Simon from Pacific Palisades shares an anecdote: “I had just moved to L.A. from New Jersey. My friend and I — young mothers — ducked out of our baby-centered life to see ‘American Gigolo.’ The first scene was the incredible Richard Gere smoothly walking outside a Malibu beach house. My friend and I literally gasped!”

There is so much to recommend to this movie — an excellent choice and a regrettable omission on our part. Not only is it responsible for introducing Blondie’s “Call Me” to the world, it does so via an opening credits scene of Pacific Coast Highway cruising that all but defined L.A. hedonism as the ’70s became the ’80s.

‘The Anniversary Party’ (2001)

Jennifer Beals, Alan Cumming and Jennifer Jason Leigh in the movie “The Anniversary Party.”

(Peter Sorel / Fine Line Features)

“A dysfunctional showbiz marriage in the Hollywood Hills, a party with a lost dog, what’s not to love?” asks reader Jim Ehlers of Pasadena. “It’s so iconically L.A. — the sexy mid-century modern house. When do you get Parker Posey, Gwyneth Paltrow and John C. Reilly in the same cast?”

That spectacular glass-walled home in the Hollywood Hills is the Schaarman House, designed by architect Richard Neutra. But fans know the movie for other reasons: Phoebe Cates came out of retirement to act with her “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” co-star Jennifer Jason Leigh. Today’s audiences ogle a young Alan Cumming.

‘City of Gold’ (2015)

Jonathan Gold in the documentary “City of Gold.”

(Sundance Selects)

Junko Garrett of Eagle Rock says this documentary “captures the essence of L.A.: diversity and vibrancy, amazing food and people. I was a big fan of Jonathan Gold’s articles and looked forward them every week.”

So did we. Gold’s omnivorous enthusiasm remains a guiding light for so many Angelenos and his Pulitzer-winning food writing is easy to find. We’re still going to several of the film’s featured restaurants: Jitlada, Chengdu Taste, Guelaguetza.

‘Crash’ (2004)

Thandiwe Newton and Matt Dillon in the movie “Crash.”

(Lorey Sebastian / Lions Gate Films)

More than a few of our readers bemoaned the omission of an Oscar-winning best picture like “Crash.” Says Jim Rodriguez of Torrance, it “captures the quintessential reality that, in L.A., all the levels of social strata, at one time or another, exist side by side on our roads and freeways, separated by a few feet, metal and glass. And yet, still so isolated from each other.”

And Ian Barnard of DTLA calls the movie “a wonderful antidote to Hollywood’s whitewashed and unrealistically glamorous depictions of L.A.” It shows the city “in all its diversity, prejudices, contradictions, inequities and generosities.”

To us, “Crash” will always be the movie that stole “Brokeback Mountain’s” glory. But let’s be generous and note that Carney’s Restaurant on Ventura gets a nice moment.

‘The Day of the Locust’ (1975)

William Atherton, left, and Donald Sutherland in the movie “The Day of the Locust.”

(Paramount Pictures / Getty Images)

The Nathanael West novel is, of course, essential, so where’s the movie? Reader Andrea Hales, a San Diegan who lived in Los Angeles for 15 years, calls the film version “eerie and fascinating, capturing the essence of Los Angeles: the city of hopes and dreams, fires and riots. The setting is 1930s Hollywood but it could be today.”

One thing is certain: As a one-stop shop for classic L.A. locations, you can’t do much better than “The Day of the Locust,” which takes us to the Ennis House, Paramount’s iconic Bronson Gate and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.

‘Earthquake’ (1974)

A scene from the movie “Earthquake.”

(United Archives / Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

Reader Dina Schweim, writing from Winston-Salem, N.C. (fine, we’ll allow an outsider’s perspective in this case), expressed her disappointment to not find “Earthquake” on our list: “There are few things I love more than a good disaster movie that obliterates L.A. to balance out fanciful and the corrupt — and yes, I was pleased to see that ‘Volcano’ made the list but ‘Earthquake’ really does capture the raw core of what destruction in L.A. can look like.”

The film was mostly shot on the Universal backlot and we wish it had more of an authentic L.A. feel. Still, if you harbor satisfaction at seeing the city get trashed (and who doesn’t on occasion?), we’re not getting in the way of that rumble.

‘(500) Days of Summer’ (2009)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel in the movie “(500) Days of Summer.”

(Chuck Zlotnick / Fox Searchlight Pictures)

You like this one. Really like it. “It celebrates and beautifies the city in a way few other movies ever have,” says Anthony Cavalluzzi of Yorba Linda, adding, “Its absence completely invalidates the list.” And Michael Backauskas of Beverlywood writes, “I went to see it five times and I never do that.”

Any film about an aspiring architect is going to make the most of its locations. If you mourn the lovers’ bench at Angel’s Knoll Park, know that it became immortal because of this film.

‘Get Shorty (1995)’

John Travolta and Rene Russo in the movie “Get Shorty.”

(MGM)

This comedy’s dialogue was quoted in our comments twice. For reader Sean Dickerson of Beverly Grove, the movie gives us “maybe the greatest line about our city: ‘What is the point of living in L.A. if you’re not in the movie business?’” And for David Hughes of Sierra Madre, the moment comes when John Travolta’s gangster-turned-Hollywood-wannabe is asked what he knows about the movie business: “I don’t think the producer has to know much.”

There is an unforced charm to the way Travolta’s character falls in love with Hollywood — he’s already a movie geek but other elements fall into place for him. Eagle-eyed viewers will recognize both the Aero and Vista theaters.

‘Grand Canyon’ (1991)

Kevin Kline and Danny Glover in the movie “Grand Canyon.”

(20th Century Fox)

Paul Krekorian of Encino calls this one “a brilliant and underrated study of life in Los Angeles. In a deeply personal way it lays bare so many of the societal challenges Los Angeles always struggles with — economic segregation, racial division and injustice, violence, the disparity between Hollywood-created facades and the reality of ordinary life, and the struggle to find meaning and substance.”

Its writer and director, Lawrence Kasdan, was also responsible for “The Big Chill,” a similar portrait of generational flux, and there are quiet moments in “Grand Canyon” that are some of his best. It also starts with a Lakers game.

‘Knight of Cups’ (2015)

Christian Bale in the movie “Knight of Cups.”

(Melinda Sue Gordon / Broad Green Pictures)

Reader Peter Turman of Brentwood sees depth in Terrence Malick’s oblique portrait of a distracted screenwriter (Christian Bale) searching for grace but finding a lot of sex, calling it “a fever-dream meditation on Los Angeles and Hollywood, with its promises, chimeras, illusions, seductions, nightmares and disappointments, told by a great filmmaker who knows of what he speaks.”

Malick shot all over Los Angeles but his moments on the Warner Bros. lot, the enormous numbered studio buildings looming, may be his most beautiful.

‘Lost Highway’ (1997)

Patricia Arquette and Balthazar Getty in the movie “Lost Highway.”

(October Films)

Even with two other David Lynch films placing on our list, that wasn’t enough for Clark Leazier of West Hollywood, who calls the L.A. vistas and landmarks in “Lost Highway” “the most burned in my brain — particularly the Firestone Auto Shop that is now the popular All Season Brewing in Mid City. Also it captures Southern California nighttime driving in a messed up yet accurate way.”

Lynch obsessives know “Lost Highway” to be the one narrative film in which you can see the director’s own house, part of his compound on Senalda Drive in the Hollywood Hills, used as the setting for his main characters’ mansion.

‘Spanglish’ (2004)

Paz Vega, left, Téa Leoni and Adam Sandler in the movie “Spanglish.”

(Bob Marshak / Columbia Pictures )

Says Rochelle Lapides of Ventura County, “It tells one of the essential stories of our Los Angeles-bound Mexican immigrant population and the cultural challenges they face. Also, in my opinion, it’s one of Adam Sandler’s best dramatic roles.”

Agreed, especially on Sandler, whose turn in “Punch-Drunk Love” so impressed director James L. Brooks, he decided to cast him here. The film’s romantic patio scene is filmed at the Beverly Hills restaurant Il Cielo.

‘Star 80’ (1983)

Mariel Hemingway, left, Eric Roberts and Cliff Robertson in the movie “Star 80.”

(Paramount Pictures / Getty Images)

“Talk about dying for the dream,” writes William Mariano of Escondido. “It was filmed in the same spot she died.” He means Playboy model Dorothy Stratten, murdered by her sicko husband Paul Snider in a Rancho Park home that was actually used by the movie’s production while filming their dramatization of the crime.

“Star 80” does crystallize the ominous side of the L.A. myth, as a place where you’ll arrive, find success (and exploitation) and be destroyed in the process. Bob Fosse completists need to see it; it was the “All That Jazz” director’s final movie.

‘Tequila Sunrise’ (1988)

Kurt Russell, Michelle Pfeiffer and Mel Gibson in the movie “Tequila Sunrise.”

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Jean Clark of Manhattan Beach celebrates this thriller’s cast, cinematography and plot, which she sums up as “classic good guy vs. bad guy and the woman who loves them both, set against the dark underbelly of glamorous L.A. and its golden beaches back in the 1980s.”

And Jean would know — the movie was largely shot around Manhattan Beach. But don’t go looking for Michelle Pfeiffer’s restaurant Vallenari’s. It was entirely constructed on a soundstage.

Reporting from Washington — The Senate on Tuesday advanced the Obama administration’s aid package for small business but failed to relieve millions of companies from onerous new tax filings, accelerating the election year debate over which party is most responsible for gridlock in Washington and lost jobs on Main Street.

Two Republicans joined Democrats in the vote to move the bill, which includes a $30-billion loan fund and other tax breaks for small businesses.

But lawmakers could not reach agreement on a way to spare small businesses from a new requirement to notify the Internal Revenue Service of every purchase of goods worth more than $600.

“I have never seen it like this,” said National Small Business Assn. President Todd McCracken, who has been lobbying Congress for more than two decades. “It is what makes small-business owners feel like their heads are going to explode.”

While the gridlock is politically risky for Republicans, it is likely to be particularly damaging to the Obama administration and congressional Democrats, who have advanced several substantial business aid packages over the last two years but are being accused of not doing enough to revive the economy.

The small-business bill that advanced Tuesday, which President Obama stumped hard to pass, would create a new government-operated fund to help smaller banks make loans to small businesses.

And it would offer $12 billion in tax breaks to encourage investment and hiring. Businesses would be able to write off more of the cost of buying new equipment and making improvements to their stores. Those who are self-employed could deduct healthcare costs. The bill would also continue to waive Small Business Administration loan fees that were cut in the 2009 recovery act.

“This bill will do more to support small businesses than any bill has in years,” said John Arensmeyer, president of Small Business Majority, a left-leaning business group.

Senators voted 61 to 37 Tuesday to end a GOP filibuster of the measure, clearing the way for passage later this week. The bill is then expected to pass quickly in the House, where Democrats hold a commanding majority.

Obama hailed the vote as a crucial step Tuesday. “This is a bill that would cut taxes and help provide loans to millions of small-business owners who create most of the new jobs in this country,” he said in a statement.

Republicans, who have long cast themselves as the champions of small business, almost unanimously opposed the package. The two GOP senators who voted for it are retiring.

Most Republican lawmakers slammed the package as misguided. “If there’s one message that my constituents have made clear, it is that they’re tired of bailouts,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who heads the GOP Senate campaign committee, referring to the government backing of additional loans.

In Chicago, Roberto Carmona, chief executive of Crimson Leadership Group, a business-consulting firm with four full-time employees, said he was reserving judgment on the small-business legislation until he sees how it’s implemented.

“You see the battles, the trading,” he said. “Like all legislation, it looks one way when it’s going in.”

And although several leading business groups backed all or part of the bill, they attacked the Senate’s inability to deal with the other issue confronting small businesses: the tax reporting requirement.

R. Bruce Josten, senior lobbyist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is funding a multimillion-dollar campaign against Democratic congressional candidates nationwide, said the failure to eliminate the reporting mandate showed a “fundamental misunderstanding about the challenges facing this economy.”

The obscure section of the mammoth healthcare law that contains the burdensome IRS requirement was inserted to help offset the cost of expanding coverage to millions of uninsured Americans. It was supposed to generate approximately $17 billion over the next decade, according to the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation, which Congress relies on for revenue estimates.

That plugged an important hole as Democrats struggled to keep the healthcare legislation from raising the deficit. (The law ultimately will shrink the deficit, according to final analyses of the bill).

But the provision, which goes into effect in 2012, has raised the prospect of an administrative nightmare for businesses.

“This is just one more opportunity for the government to make work,” said Richard Boehl, owner of QTE North America Inc. in Rancho Cucamonga, a small business that sells tools and supplies to machine shops and manufacturers.

“This is work that is not productive: It doesn’t produce any income; it doesn’t produce any profit. All it does is create an extra burden on the expense side of the ledger. And it’s going to bury a bunch of small businesses that are just barely hanging on, like me.”

Democrats and Republicans have said they are committed to modifying or eliminating the mandate, but they have been unable to agree on a solution.

Tuesday, Republicans blocked a Democratic proposal backed by the White House that would have scaled back the mandate by exempting businesses with 25 employees or fewer and by exempting transactions worth less than $5,000. The proposal was offset by eliminating a tax break for oil and gas companies.

Leading business groups said many businesses would still face the reporting headache.

Democrats in turn blocked a GOP proposal that would have eliminated the mandate entirely, but that also cut funding for public health programs and exempted more people from having to buy health insurance starting in 2014, a key provision designed to control premiums for everyone.

“Everyone wants to be our friend,” said McCracken at the National Small Business Assn. “But the effect is that everyone ends up being our enemy.”

noam.levey@latimes.com

lisa.mascaro@latimes.com

Andrea Chang in Los Angeles and Wailin Wong in Chicago contributed to this report.

Scotland delivered a magnificent Calcutta Cup triumph for under-pressure head coach Gregor Townsend after a week of “guilt”, says captain Sione Tuipulotu.

Off the back of an opening Six Nations defeat by Italy in torrential Rome rain which triggered a sharpened focus on Townsend’s tenure, Scotland’s title chances were on the line as they welcomed in-form England to Murrayfield.

And they delivered a spectacular opening burst, racing into a 17-0 lead inside 15 minutes, one which they never looked like surrendering.

Townsend’s side played with pace and verve as Finn Russell stamped his mark on this famous old fixture.

The Scotland fly-half set up Huw Jones’ first try with a gorgeous tap-on pass before spreading the play right and then left for Jamie Ritchie to go over.

Even when England hit back through Henry Arundell – who was subsequently sent off for a second yellow card offence – Scotland continued to play with freedom and confidence and they added a third after Ellis Genge failed to gather Russell’s chip over the top and Ben White capitalised.

The visitors, having won their past 12 Tests, came back into the contest after half-time but Scotland stood strong in defence and scored a bonus-point try through Jones after George Ford’s drop-goal attempt was charged down.

“I’m extremely proud,” Tuipulotu said.

“To go through what we went through last week really hurt and we understood because we deserved it. Ultimately Italy were better than us.

“We really felt like our backs were against the wall and we showed up today.

“I felt guilty. Head coaching is a hard job because when it is going well you get all the positives but when it is not going well you get all of the criticism.

“We got behind our coach this week. I’m proud of the boys for getting behind our coach and delivering a performance.”

France and Germany call for UN special rapporteur for occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, to step down over her critical comments.

More than 100 prominent artists – including musicians, actors and writers – have signed an open letter in support of the United Nations special rapporteur for occupied Palestinian territory who faces international calls to step down.

In a letter from the group Artists for Palestine on Saturday, the signatories offered “full support to Francesca Albanese, a defender of human rights and, therefore, also of the Palestinian people’s right to exist”.

“There are infinitely more of us in every corner of the Earth who want force no longer to be the law. Who know what the word ‘law’ truly means,” the letter said.

Among the supporters were actors Mark Ruffalo and Javier Bardem, Nobel Prize-winning author Annie Ernaux and British musician Annie Lennox.

At last week’s Al Jazeera Forum, Albanese, an outspoken critic of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, said “we as humanity have a common enemy”, but a fake video that was later debunked had her accusing Israel of being the “common enemy”.

She later explained in a social media post she was referencing “the system that has enabled the genocide in Palestine” as the “common enemy”.

‘Crush any criticism of Israel’

Still, European countries, including France and Germany, continue to call for her removal.

On Tuesday, a group of French lawmakers sent a letter to Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemning Albanese’s remarks as “anti-Semitic”. A day later, Barrot called on her to step down, saying France “unreservedly condemns the outrageous and reprehensible remarks”.

On Thursday, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called her position “untenable”.

Frank Barat, an author and film producer, said French President Emmanuel Macron and Barrot have repeatedly said they support international law “while the facts show the complete opposite”.

Albanese has highlighted for the past two years that under international law, “states have a duty to act to prevent genocide, and they’ve been failing completely” in Gaza, Barat told Al Jazeera.

“Because Francesca has been highlighting this hypocrisy, she’s been targeted by most Western governments. The political agenda of these governments is to crush any criticism of Israel. We’ve seen it in the streets of Europe. We’ve seen it in the streets of the US,” he added.

People who have spoken out against Israel’s war on Palestine are “criminalised while the perpetrators of genocide continue to be let go“, Barat said.

Marta Hurtado, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said at a news briefing on Friday that her colleagues are “very worried” about the backlash against Albanese.

“We are concerned that UN officials, independent experts and judicial officials are increasingly subjected to personal attacks, threats and misinformation that distracts from the serious human rights issues,” Hurtado said.

Nearly 600 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in Gaza since an October 10 “ceasefire” alone. At least 72,000 Palestinians have been killed and 171,000 wounded in Israel’s war since October 2023