backs

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. The Times begins a nine-part series previewing Southern California’s top high school football players Tuesday. In a final sneak peek, let’s look at defensive backs and kickers/punters.

Secondary power

Oregon commit Davon Benjamin of Oaks Christian returned three interceptions for touchdowns last season.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

The hardest projection this coming season involves which school has the best secondary. That’s how much depth and talent some teams have at defensive back.

Sierra Canyon has two USC commits, Madden Riordan and Brandon Lockhart, plus an LSU commit, Havon Finney Jr., and a terrific junior safety, Myles Baker.

Gardena Serra is loaded with Duvay Williams, Marcellous Ryan, Wesley Arce and Devohn Moutra Jr. Mater Dei has Cory Lavender, Aaryn Washington and Ace Leutele. St. John Bosco counters with USC commit Josh Holland, standout junior safety Isala Wiley-Ava and improving junior cornerback Dorian Franklin.

Murrieta Valley has the Johnson brothers, Derrick Johnson Jr., an Oklahoma commit, and junior Darius Johnson. Long Beach Poly has juniors Julius Johnson and Donte Wright Jr. Rancho Cucamonga has cornerbacks Joshua Mensah and Justin Lewis, both committed to UCLA.

There’s top defensive backs throughout the region, from Jeron Jones of Mission Viejo to Davon Benjamin of Oaks Christian. Sophomore Jalen Flowers of Palos Verdes is coming off an exceptional freshman season and keeps getting better and better. Sophomore Jordan Slye Jr. of Salesian is someone to keep your eye on because of his athleticism and size. Sophomore Micah Hannah of Simi Valley already has proven himself as a freshman.

They can kick

San Pedro junior kicker Dylan Moreno was seven of nine on field goals last season.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

The band of kickers and punters keeps getting better aided by an army of private coaches.

Aiden Migirdichian of Orange Lutheran was nine of nine on field goals last season. Jacob Kreinberg of Loyola could be doing double duty after making 11 field goals.

Dylan Moreno of San Pedro is headed for All-City honors for his accuracy. Oscar Reyes Ramirez of Hemet returns after making 15 field goals as a junior. Jackson Shevin of Mira Costa is headed toward averaging better than 40 yards on punts. Washington commit CJ Wallace of St. John Bosco reaches his senior year ready for a big season.

Sophomore Jerry Shifman has left Agoura for Mater Dei and junior Carter Sobel has left Chaminade for Sierra Canyon. Each has shown strong kicking skills. Gabriel Goroyan of Westlake is a junior who figures to receive lots of kicking opportunities. Carter Montgomery of Claremont holds a school-record 48-yard field goal.

Top 25 preseason rankings

Mater Dei coach Raul Lara receives Division 1 championship plaque after win over St. John Bosco last season.

(Craig Weston)

Drum roll, please. The Times’ top 25 preseason football rankings are out, and Mater Dei starts out as the No. 1 team.

The Monarchs went unbeaten last season and there’s no reason they can’t go unbeaten again. Their receiving group is exceptional but there are top players throughout positions.

Here’s a look at the top 25 rankings.

Practice notes

Los Alamitos and Inglewood will open the football season on Friday night at Inglewood in an official game a week ahead of most schools. Los Alamitos has a game scheduled in Hawaii on Aug. 22, so it gets to have a double zero week game. Simi Valley is playing Spanish Springs at Simi Valley. Santa Monica is traveling to Honolulu to play Kaimuki on Saturday.

Long Beach Millikan is also opening on Friday in Nevada against Foothill in Henderson. Most schools will be playing scrimmages this week, such as Corona Centennial hosting Sierra Canyon on Thursday night. Scrimmages are considered practices, so players who won’t be eligible because of a sit-out transfer period are allowed to play.

The Moore League, led by Millikan and Long Beach Poly, held its first media preview session. Here’s a report.

The Meeker twins, quarterback Liam (left) and receiver Luke, are key players for Mira Costa.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Mira Costa is turning to twins Liam and Luke Meeker, surfer and football dudes. Here’s a report.

The Tri County League held a media day in Ventura. Here’s a report.

The Marmonte League held its media day at Oaks Christian. Here’s a report.

Narbonne is engaged in another rebuilding year after an exodus of players because the team is banned from the playoffs for the next three years. Here’s a report.

Dymally has canceled its scheduled season opener against Palisades on Aug. 22 for lack of players.

Orange Lutheran quarterback Makena Cook throws a pass.

(Steve Galluzzo For The Times)

The flag football season has begun with new rules and new pressure on quarterbacks to adapt to having defensive players only one yard away from the line of scrimmage to start a play instead of seven yards.

Here’s The Times’ flag football preview.

Panorama has some key players returning and could be a factor in the City Section. Here’s a report.

Anthony Barr retires

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Barr (51) warms up in 2022.

(Ashley Landis/AP)

Former Loyola High, UCLA and NFL linebacker Anthony Barr, 33, has retired from football.

His coach at Loyola in 2009, Jeff Kearin, said, “He was real pleasure to coach. High level and high profile and he knew his hard work would get him to where he wanted to be. Never felt a need to thump his own chest or transfer three times to feed his own ego. And believe me, the sharks were swimming around. His mom and family were well grounded. Different time. And different kind of guy.”

Here’s a look at Barr in a story from 2009 when he was a star running back.

Notes . . .

Transfers in California during the 2024-25 school year totaled 17,041, according to CIF stats. That’s down from the record 17,068 the previous school year. . . .

The CIF announced a record number of students — more than 820,000 — participated in high school sports during the last school year in California. . . .

Brock Livingston, Crespi’s long-time lacrosse coach, has resigned to move back east to take care of his family. . . .

Max Luchs is the new boys lacrosse coach at Chaminade. . . .

Mater Dei and Santa Margarita have won the Southern Section Commissioner’s Cup for boys and girls sports as the top athletic programs for 2024-25. . . .

Pitcher Grayson Martin of Temecula Valley has committed to Cal Baptist. . . .

The girls volleyball season begins this weekend with teams traveling to Hawaii for the Ann King Invitational. Top teams entered include Mira Costa, Sierra Canyon, Redondo Union, JSerra, Los Alamitos, Huntington Beach and Harvard-Westlake. . . .

Golfer Hill Wang from La Serna has committed to Pepperdine. . . .

Standout girls soccer and flag football quarterback Makena Cook of Orange Lutheran has committed to Georgia. . . .

Pitcher Juju Diaz-Jones from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame has committed to Cal. . . .

Junior pitcher Roy Kim from Great Oak has committed to Stanford. . . .

Softball pitcher Liliana Escobar of JSerra has committed to Florida. . . .

Outfielder Ethan Price of Harvard-Westlake has committed to Santa Clara. . . .

Cory Skinner is the new softball coach at Chaminade. . . .

Standout junior guard Grayson Coleman is leaving Calabasas for Milken. His father, Ryan, will take over the Milken program after being head coach for many years at Shalhevet. . . .

Incoming Harvard-Westlake freshman baseball players Louis Lappe and Mateo Mier have made the U.S. 15U national baseball team. Also selected was Mira Costa sophomore Kekoa Delatori. Lappe was the hero on El Segundo’s championship Little League team in 2023. They will compete at the U-15 Pan American Championship in Mexico Sept. 13-18. . . .

Former Mira Costa and UCLA third baseman Kyle Karros made his major league debut for the Colorado Rockies on Friday and got a single and RBI in his first at-bat.

From the archives: Giancarlo Stanton

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame baseball coach Tom Dill with his former pupil, Giancarlo Stanton.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame standout Giancarlo Stanton continues to move forward in his pro baseball career with the New York Yankees. Last week he hit his 438th career home run, tying him for 46th on the all-time list.

Stanton will go down as one of the three greatest athletes in Southern California high school history, having been All-CIF in football, basketball and baseball.

Here’s a story from 2016 on Stanton talking about being a multi-sport athlete in high school.

Here’s a story from 2007 when Stanton’s first name was Mike and his skills were becoming known.

Recommendations

From FIBA basketball, a story that shows former Harvard-Westlake guard Robert Hinton playing for Taiwan.

From Gpb.org, a story on a high school in Georgia opening its $62 million stadium.

From Newstribune.com, a story on a high school football player in Tacoma who got too big to be a UFC fighter.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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Government source says recent Kurdish-led conference ‘dealt blow’ to talks on implementing a March integration deal.

Syria’s new government will not take part in planned meetings with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Paris, Syria’s state news agency has reported, as tensions mount between the two sides.

SANA’s report on Saturday cast doubt over an integration deal signed this year by the armed group and Syria’s interim government, which took over after the overthrow of longtime President Bashar al-Assad in December.

Quoting an unnamed government source, the news agency said the government wants future negotiations to be held in the Syrian capital, Damascus, “as it is the legitimate and national address for dialogue among Syrians”.

The SDF was the main force allied with the United States in Syria during fighting that defeated ISIL (ISIS) in 2019. In March, the SDF signed a deal with the new government to join Syria’s state institutions.

The deal aims to stitch back together a country fractured by 14 years of war, paving the way for Kurdish-led forces that hold a quarter of Syria and regional Kurdish governing bodies to integrate with Damascus.

However, the agreement did not specify how the SDF will be merged with Syria’s armed forces. The group has previously said its forces must join as a bloc while the government wants them to join as individuals.

Saturday’s report comes a day after the Kurdish administration held a conference involving several Syrian minority communities, the first such event since al-Assad’s removal from power.

The conference’s final statement called for “a democratic constitution that … establishes a decentralised state” and guarantees the participation of all components of Syrian society.

Damascus has previously rejected calls for decentralisation.

In its report on Saturday, SANA said the government “stresses that the SDF conference dealt a blow to the ongoing negotiation efforts” towards implementing the March agreement.

“Accordingly, the government will not participate in any meetings scheduled in Paris, nor will it sit at the negotiating table with any side seeking to revive the era of the deposed regime under any name or cover,” the report said.

Participants in the Kurdish-organised conference also criticised the government over sectarian clashes in Syria’s southern province of Suwayda and the coastal region.

“The current constitutional declaration does not meet the aspirations of the Syrian people. … It should be reviewed to ensure a wider participatory process and a fair representation in the transitional period,” the conference’s final statement read.

The dispute is the latest in a recent conflict between the Syrian administration and the SDF after clashes between the group and government forces this month.

The SDF on Saturday accused government-backed factions of attacking areas in northeastern Syria more than 22 times.

It said it had exercised restraint during such “aggressions” but the continuation of attacks “threatens mutual trust and undermines understandings”.

One of California’s most influential labor organizations endorsed redrawing the state’s congressional maps to counter President Trump’s effort to push Republican states, notably Texas, to increase his party’s numbers in Congress in next year’s midterm election.

The California Federation of Labor Unions voted unanimously Tuesday to support putting a measure on the ballot in November. The proposal, backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and many of the state’s Democratic leaders, would ask voters to temporarily change congressional district boundaries that were drawn by an independent redistricting commission four years ago, with some conditions.

Republicans could potentially lose up to a half dozen seats in California’s 52-member delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives. After it returns for its summer recess on Aug. 18, the California Legislature is expected to vote to place the measure on the statewide ballot in a special election.

“President Trump has said that Republicans are ‘entitled’ to five more congressional votes in Texas. Well, they aren’t entitled to steal the 2026 election. California’s unions refuse to stand by as democracy is tested,” Lorena Gonzalez, president of the federation, said in a statement. “California Labor is unified in our resolve to fight back against President Trump’s anti-worker agenda.”

Redistricting — the esoteric redrawing of the nation’s 435 congressional districts — typically occurs once every decade after the U.S. census tallies the population across the nation. Population shifts can result in changes in a state’s allocation of congressional seats, such as when California lost a seat after the 2020 census the first time in the state’s history.

The political redistricting process had long been crafted by elected officials to give their political parties an edge or to protect incumbents — sometimes in brazen, bizarrely shaped districts. Californians voted in 2010 to create an independent commission to draw congressional maps based on communities of interest, logical geography and ensuring representation of minority communities.

The ballot measure being pushed by Newsom and others would allow state lawmakers to help determine district boundaries for the next three election cycles if Texas approves a pending measure to reconfigure districts to increase Republican-held congressional seats in that state. Line-drawing would return to the independent commission after the 2030 census.

The California Federation of Labor is committed to spending several million dollars supporting a mid-decade redistricting ballot measure, on top of what it already planned to spend on competitive congressional races next year, according to a person familiar with the plans who asked for anonymity to speak candidly about the strategy.

A spokesperson for several organizations devoted to fighting any effort to change the state’s redistricting process said that Charles Munger Jr., the son of a billionaire, and who bankrolled the ballot measure to create the independent commission, is committed to making sure it is not weakened.

“While Charles Munger has been out of politics since 2016, he has said he will vigorously defend the reforms he helped pass, including nonpartisan redistricting,” said Amy Thoma, spokesperson for the Voters First Coalition. “His previous success in passing ballot measures in California means he knows exactly what is needed to be successful. We will have the resources necessary to make our coalition heard.”

Israel international Shon Weissman was expected to complete move from Spain’s Granada to Germany’s Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Bundesliga 2 side Fortuna Dusseldorf has pulled out of signing Israel striker Shon Weissman in response to fan anger about his social media posts on the Gaza war, German tabloid Bild has reported.

Fan furore erupted online on Monday when news emerged that Weissman was on the cusp of joining Dusseldorf from Spanish side Granada FC.

On Tuesday, the club tweeted: “We looked into Shon Weissman intensively, but ultimately decided not to sign him”.

The club did not reveal the reasons for the decision, but Bild reported the club reacted to fan anger about social media statements from Weissman, who was already in Dusseldorf and had completed a medical exam.

The centre forward, who has 33 Israel caps, made several social media posts after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that set off the Gaza war.

Bild reported that Weissman called for Israel to “wipe Gaza off the map” and to “drop 200 tons of bombs on it”.

The 29-year-old had also liked posts saying “there are no innocents [in Gaza], they don’t need to be warned”.

Weissman, who deleted the posts soon after making them, has since said he made a mistake and was acting in the heat of the moment.

Dusseldorf fans launched an online petition on Monday saying Weissman’s “disrespectful and discriminatory” comments are in stark contrast to the principles Fortuna “stand for and try to promote”.

Weissman has already been the subject of fan protests in Granada, a side he joined in January 2023.

Bild reported that Dusseldorf and Weissman had planned to issue an apology statement for the posts, which was to be made public after the signing was made official.

After 22 months of combat in Gaza sparked by the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas that killed 1,219 people and saw hundreds kidnapped, the Israeli army has devastated large parts of the Palestinian territory.

More than 60,933 Palestinians have been killed, according to figures from Gaza’s Ministry of Health, and humanitarian agencies have warned that the territory’s 2.4 million people are slipping into a catastrophic famine.

Germany, as it has sought to atone for the Holocaust, has long been a steadfast supporter of Israel, but concern has risen sharply over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The war has previously made an impact in professional football in Germany.

In 2023, Bundesliga side Mainz decided to sack player Anwar El Ghazi for statements made on social media about the conflict.

El Ghazi, a Dutch international with Moroccan roots, won a wrongful dismissal case in a German court against the club, who have since appealed.

Former Bayern Munich defender Noussair Mazraoui, now with Manchester United, apologised publicly after making several social media posts on the conflict, including one which called for “victory” for “our oppressed brothers in Palestine”.

German football fans are heavily involved in major decisions, from signing players to setting fixtures, due to the so-called 50+1 regulation, which requires club members to retain overall control of professional football sides.

In June more than 100 of Britain’s most renowned athletes wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urging the government to back London’s bid to host the World Athletics Championships.

It came after concerns that a bid could be at risk, with uncertainty over the estimated £45m that government was being asked for amid spending cuts, despite claims that the event would deliver £400m of economic impact.

The championships were not referenced when ministers unveiled half a billion pounds of investment into sporting events in a spending review last month.

However, talks have been taking place with UK Athletics and UK Sport, and Starmer said he is “delighted to support the bid”.

“Bringing the World Athletics Championships to the UK would be a moment of great national pride, building on our global reputation for hosting memorable sporting events that showcase the very best talent,” he said.

“Hosting these championships would not only unlock opportunities for UK athletes, but it would inspire the next generation to get involved and pursue their ambitions.

“The event would provide a boost for UK businesses and support jobs as well as bring our communities together.”

Jack Buckner, CEO of UK Athletics, said: “After superb medal hauls over the last few years on the world, Olympic and Paralympic stage, athletics in the UK is on an upward trajectory, with new partners, record participation and sold-out stadia. This support will drive the sport on to new heights.”

Josh Kerr, 1500m world champion and double Olympic medallist, said: “London 2017 was my first senior World Championships and it lit a fire in me.

“Being part of a home team in that kind of atmosphere was incredible – it made me hungrier than ever to become a world champion and chase Olympic medals.

“Having the government support to bid for 2029 and potentially bring that experience back to London would be massive.

“It would inspire so many young athletes and give the sport the platform it deserves.

“I’m proud to support the bid and hope we get the chance to show the world what we can do on home soil.”

WASHINGTON — Filmmaker Peter Jackson owns one of the largest private collections of bones of an extinct New Zealand bird called the moa. His fascination with the flightless ostrich-like bird has led to an unusual partnership with a biotech company known for its grand and controversial plans to bring back lost species.

Last week, Colossal Biosciences announced an effort to genetically engineer living birds to resemble the extinct South Island giant moa — which stood 12 feet tall — with $15 million in funding from Jackson and his partner, Fran Walsh. The collaboration also includes the New Zealand-based Ngai Tahu Research Center.

“The movies are my day job, and the moa are my fun thing I do,” Jackson said. “Every New Zealand schoolchild has a fascination with the moa.”

Outside scientists say the idea of bringing back extinct species onto the modern landscape is likely impossible, although it may be feasible to tweak the genes of living animals to have similar physical traits. Scientists have mixed feelings on whether that will be helpful, and some worry that focusing on lost creatures could distract from protecting species that still exist.

The moa had roamed New Zealand for 4,000 years until they became extinct around 600 years ago, mainly because of overhunting. A large skeleton brought to England in the 19th century, now on display at the Yorkshire Museum, prompted international interest in the long-necked bird.

An artist’s depiction of the largest species of moa, the South Island giant moa, which could stand 12 feet tall.

(Colossal Biosciences via AP)

Unlike Colossal’s work with dire wolves, the moa project is in very early stages. It started with a phone call about two years ago after Jackson heard about the company’s efforts to “de-extinct” — or create genetically similar animals to — species such as the woolly mammoth and the dire wolf.

Then Jackson put Colossal in touch with experts he’d met through his own moa bone collecting. At that point, he’d amassed 300 to 400 bones, he said.

In New Zealand, it’s legal to buy and sell moa bones found on private lands, but not on public conservation areas — nor to export them.

The first stage of the moa project will be to identify well-preserved bones from which it may be possible to extract DNA, Colossal’s chief scientist, Beth Shapiro, said.

Those DNA sequences will be compared with genomes of living bird species, including the ground-dwelling tinamou and emu, “to figure out what it is that made the moa unique compared to other birds,” she said.

Colossal used a similar process of comparing ancient DNA of extinct dire wolves to determine the genetic differences with gray wolves. Then scientists took blood cells from a living gray wolf and used the CRISPR gene-editing tool to modify them at 20 sites. Pups with long white hair and muscular jaws were born late last year.

Working with birds presents different challenges, Shapiro said.

Unlike mammals, bird embryos develop inside eggs, so the process of transferring an embryo to a surrogate will not look like mammalian IVF.

“There’s lots of different scientific hurdles that need to be overcome with any species that we pick as a candidate for de-extinction,” Shapiro said. “We are in the very early stages.”

If the Colossal team succeeds in creating a tall bird with huge feet and thick pointed claws resembling the moa, there’s also the pressing question of where to put it, said Duke University ecologist Stuart Pimm, who is not involved in the project.

“Can you put a species back into the wild once you’ve exterminated it there?” he said. “I think it’s exceedingly unlikely that they could do this in any meaningful way.”

“This will be an extremely dangerous animal,” Pimm added.

The direction of the project will be shaped by Maori scholars at the University of Canterbury’s Ngai Tahu Research Center. Ngai Tahu archaeologist Kyle Davis, an expert in moa bones, said the work has “really reinvigorated the interest in examining our own traditions and mythology.”

At one of the archaeological sites that Jackson and Davis visited to study moa remains, called Pyramid Valley, there are also antique rock art done by Maori people — some depicting moa before their extinction.

The South Island giant moa at 12 feet tall would dwarf even the tallest humans.

(Colossal Biosciences via AP)

Paul Scofield, a project advisor and senior curator of natural history at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand, said he first met the “Lord of the Rings” director when he went to his house to help him identity which of the nine known species of moa the various bones represented.

“He doesn’t just collect some moa bones; he has a comprehensive collection,” Scofield said.

Larson writes for the Associated Press. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Court reverses lower court ruling that said large staff cuts would effectively hamstring the Education Department.

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the administration of President Donald Trump can proceed with plans to slash funding and resources for the federal Department of Education.

The conservative-majority court ruled on Monday that the government could move forward with plans to lay off nearly 1,400 employees as part of Trump’s push to effectively dismantle the department.

“While today’s ruling is a significant win for students and families, it is a shame that the highest court in the land had to step in to allow President Trump to advance the reforms Americans elected him to deliver using the authorities granted to him by the US Constitution,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement celebrating the decision.

Monday’s ruling cancels a previous order on the administration’s efforts to fire about 1,400 workers at the Education Department, which US District Judge Myong Joun had ruled against in May, stating that it would “likely cripple the department”.

A US Court of Appeals agreed in a ruling on June 4 that the cuts would make it “effectively impossible for the Department to carry out its statutory functions”, which include overseeing student loans and enforcing civil rights law in US education, the site of previous political battles over issues such as federal efforts to combat racial segregation.

Critics have accused the Trump administration of working to effectively abolish federal agencies, established and funded by Congress, through a maximalist interpretation of executive power.

Trump and his Republican allies have depicted federal agencies as being at odds with their political agenda, and as hotbeds of leftist ideology and bureaucratic excess.

The Trump administration has also sought to impose greater control over US universities, seeking a larger role in shaping curricula and threatening to withdraw federal funds if universities do not comply with government demands concerning issues such as cracking down on pro-Palestine student activism.

In response to the court’s decision on Monday, a liberal legal group that helped bring the challenge to Trump’s efforts lamented that the ruling “dealt a devastating blow to this nation’s promise of public education for all children”.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. My name is Eric Sondheimer. Let’s take a sneak peek at running backs to watch this fall.

The ground gainers

As much as everyone likes to pass these days in football, the running backs are the ones that can lead to victory or defeat. If you can’t run, you probably won’t win on a night the line can’t protect the quarterback.

The City Section has two running backs coming off fantastic sophomore seasons in Edward Rivera of South East and Ceasar Reyes of Garfield. Both have been working hard this summer to improve their speed and strength. Reyes could benefit from a new all-weather field opening at Garfield.

Journee Tonga of Leuzinger is the little engine that could. He rushed for more than 2,000 yards and 29 touchdowns as a 5-foot-8 junior. Brian Bonner of Valencia and Deshonne Redeaux of Oaks Christian are speedsters committed to Washington and USC, respectively, and capable of breaking away for touchdowns if defenses give them any kind of openings.

AJ McBean of Mira Costa is a 205-pound bruising junior running back with improving speed and power.

Maliq Allen of St. John Bosco showed moments of brilliance as a sophomore and gained 1,003 yards rushing.

Jaxsen Stokes of Sierra Canyon showed he was a big-play weapon in the making as a sophomore. Justin Lewis has taken his talents from Thousand Oaks to Mater Dei, so let’s see how the transition goes. Sean Morris, a Northwestern commit, has left Loyola for Orange Lutheran.

Noah Penunuri of Rio Hondo Prep had 1,965 yards rushing. Zander Lewis has moved from Ontario Christian to Corona Centennial, joining leading rusher Braylin Drake and super sophomore Malaki Davis. Jorden Wells moves from the freshman team to varsity at Servite. His speed could make immediate impact. Kevika Martinez of La Habra is coming off a sophomore season in which he gained 1,021 yards and scored 16 touchdowns.

There are other transfers that must fill out paperwork to decide whether they will be eligible immediately or have to sit out the first part of the season.

Summer success

Ohio State commit Luke Fahey of Mission Viejo launches pass on Saturday at Edison’s passing tournament.

(Craig Weston)

The summer passing season ended Saturday with Mission Viejo once again being best behind quarterback Luke Fahey. The Diablos went 7-0 in the Edison seven-on-seven tournament. Here’s a report.

First-year Santa Margarita head coach Carson Palmer.

(Craig Weston)

Santa Margarita, under first-year coach Carson Palmer, made its first appearance and there’s lots to like about what the Eagles will have available this fall, from an all-star coaching staff, to the Mosley brothers, Trent and Grant, to new quarterback Trace Johnson.

The season opener matching Mission Viejo against Santa Margarita on Aug. 22 is shaping up as the best opening football game this fall.

Freshman quarterback Thaddeus Breaux is Hamilton High’s newest standout player.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Hamilton is planning for big improvement after a 2-9 rookie season for coach Elijah Asante and has a freshman quarterback, Thaddeus Breaux, who Asante is calling “The Franchise.” Here’s the report.

Missing trophy

The City Section perpetual football trophy is missing again. In 2021, it was found in a dumpster and ended up at the Southern Section, where commissioner Rob Wigod presented it to City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos.

(Southern Section)

The City Section wants its perpetual football trophy back from Narbonne, which has to vacate its 2024 title for rules violations. Unfortunately, the trophy is apparently missing again.

This is a repeat from when Narbonne had the trophy in 2018 and it went missing until being found in a dumpster in 2021.

Here’s the report.

Santa Margarita flag football quarterback Madi Lam.

(Steve Galluzzo)

Several of Southern California’s best girls’ flag football players will be competing this weekend at the NFL Flag Championships beginning Thursday in Canton, Ohio.

They’re playing for an all-star club team representing the Chargers from Southern California, the Conquer Chargers.

Madi Lam, who will be a senior at Santa Margarita, is the team’s talented quarterback. Also on the team is Hayli McIlroy from Crean Lutheran, a receiver and defensive back, and center Shelby Nguyen from Marina.

Two recent graduates are key players — Sophie Guitron from Mira Costa and Aaya McLyn from Long Beach Poly.

MLB draft

Corona shortstop Billy Carlson (3) is pumped with teammate Seth Hernandez. Both were first-round draft picks on Sunday.

(Nick Koza)

It was a big Sunday for Corona High baseball, becoming the first high school to have three first-round draft picks. Pitcher Seth Hernandez was taken No. 6 by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Shortstop Billy Carlson was selected No. 10 by the Chicago White Sox. Third baseman Brady Ebel went No. 32 to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Here’s a report.

Notes . . .

Kevin Smith, the former baseball coach at South Hills and Mt. San Antonio College, is the new head coach at Los Altos. …

Mike Voelkel has stepped down as baseball coach after 18 seasons at Palisades. He no longer has a field after the school put temporary bungalows on the field for the next five years to help the campus recover from damage of the Palisades fire. …

Running back Brian Bonner of Valencia committed to Washington. …

Harvard-Westlake baseball coach Jared Halpert and athletic director Matt LaCour will be in Atlanta on Tuesday to watch former Wolverines Max Fried and Pete Crow-Armstrong in the MLB All-Star Game. Here’s a report. . . .

A double first base will be required beginning in 2027 for all high school baseball games. Here’s the latest rules changes. …

Electronic communication by softball players have been clarified in new rules for the sport. Here’s the report. …

Gary Meek, who was a Hall of Fame football coach at Esperanza, died on Thursday. He was 76. He was head coach for 17 years, won two section titles and was inducted into the Southern Section Hall of Fame in 2023. …

St. Bernard guard Joshua Palmer has committed to UC Irvine. His father is UCLA assistant Rod Palmer. …

Sierra Canyon’s basketball program has added 6-foot-7 Brannon Martinsen from JSerra and 6-2 DeLan Grant from St. Francis. …

Jason Crowe Jr., the standout basketball player at Inglewood, is scheduled to announce his college choice on Friday. …

Jason Edgmond has resigned as girls basketball coach at Beckman. …

Eddie Arnett is the new athletic director at Ontario Christian. …

Redondo Union has an opening for softball coach. …

Mathis Dritz, one of the top girls basketball players in Ventura County last season at Westlake, has transferred to Fairmont Prep. …

Receiver Jonah Smith of Santa Margarita, a UCLA commit, will miss his senior season because of a knee injury. …

Cameron Chinn is the new baseball coach at Los Alamitos. He’s a former Edison coach. …

It appears that Palisades’ football team won’t be able to use its home stadium this season. The team has scheduled three home games at Santa Monica College.

From the archives: Troy Williams

Former Narbonne quarterback Troy Williams (right) while playing for Utah in 2017.

(Utah)

Troy Williams, a two-time City Section player of the year from Narbonne in 2011 and 2012, is helping coach at El Camino College this summer with his former offensive coordinator, Tim Kaub. Williams plays quarterback for the Memphis Showboats of the United Football League.

Here’s a story from 2011 about Williams’ potential.

Here’s a story from 2012 about Williams’ continuing progress.

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From the New York Times, a story on how youth sports is a $40-billion business.

From ouresquina.com, a story on former St. John Bosco quarterback Caleb Sanchez at Columbia.

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on Corona graduate Brady Ebel.

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Until next time…

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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China has agreed to sign a Southeast Asian treaty banning nuclear weapons, Malaysia’s and China’s foreign ministers confirmed, in a move that seeks to shield the area from rising global security tensions amid the threat of imminent United States tariffs.

The pledge from Beijing was welcomed as diplomats gathered for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers’ meeting, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also due to meet regional counterparts and Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

Malaysia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamad Hasan told reporters on Thursday that China had confirmed its willingness to sign the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) treaty – an agreement in force since 1997 that restricts nuclear activity in the region to peaceful purposes such as energy generation.

“China made a commitment to ensure that they will sign the treaty without reservation,” Hasan said, adding that the formal signing will take place once all relevant documentation is completed.

ASEAN has long pushed for the world’s five recognised nuclear powers – China, the United States, Russia, France and the United Kingdom – to sign the pact and respect the region’s non-nuclear status, including within its exclusive economic zones and continental shelves.

Last week, Beijing signalled its readiness to support the treaty and lead by example among nuclear-armed states.

Rubio, who is on his first visit to Asia as secretary of state, arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday amid a cloud of uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy, which includes new levies on six ASEAN nations as well as key traditional allies Japan and South Korea.

The tariffs, set to take effect on August 1, include a 25 percent duty on Malaysia, 32 percent on Indonesia, 36 percent on Cambodia and Thailand, and 40 percent on Laos and Myanmar.

Japan and South Korea have each been hit with 25 percent tariffs, while Australia – another significant Asia Pacific ally – has reacted angrily to threats of a 200 percent duty on pharmaceutical exports to the US.

Vietnam, an ASEAN nation, along with the UK, are the only two countries to have signed separate trade deals with the US, whose administration had boasted they would have 90 deals in 90 days.

The US will place a lower-than-promised 20 percent tariff on many Vietnamese exports, Trump has said, cooling tensions with its 10th-biggest trading partner days before he could raise levies on most imports. Any transshipments from third countries through Vietnam will face a 40 percent levy, Trump said, announcing the trade deal on Wednesday. Vietnam would accept US products with a zero percent tariff, he added.

Reporting from Kuala Lumpur, Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride says Southeast Asian nations are finding themselves at the centre of intensifying diplomatic competition, as global powers look to strengthen their influence in the region.

“The ASEAN countries are facing some of the highest tariffs from the Trump administration,” McBride said. “They were also among the first to receive new letters announcing yet another delay in the imposition of these tariffs, now pushed to 1 August.”

The uncertainty has pushed ASEAN states to seek alternative trade partners, most notably China. “These tariffs have provided an impetus for all of these ASEAN nations to seek out closer trade links with other parts of the world,” McBride added.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has been in Kuala Lumpur for meetings with ASEAN counterparts, underscoring Beijing’s growing engagement.

Meanwhile, Russia’s top diplomat, Sergey Lavrov, has also been holding talks in Malaysia, advancing Moscow’s vision of a “multipolar world order” – a concept backed by China that challenges what they see as a Western-led global system dominated by the US.

“Lavrov might be shunned in other parts of the world,” McBride noted, “but he is here in Malaysia, meeting with ASEAN members and promoting this alternative global structure.”

At the same time, Rubio is aiming to counter that narrative and ease tensions. “Many ASEAN members are traditional allies of the United States,” McBride said. “But they are somewhat nervous about the tariffs and recent US foreign policy moves. Rubio is here to reassure them that all is well in trans-Pacific relations.”

As geopolitical rivalry intensifies, ASEAN finds itself courted from all directions, with the power to influence the future shape of international alliances.

US seeks to rebuild confidence in ASEAN

Rubio’s presence in Kuala Lumpur signals Washington, DC’s intention to revive its Asia Pacific focus following years of prioritising conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.

The last meeting between Rubio and Russia’s top diplomats took place in Saudi Arabia in February as part of the Trump administration’s effort to re-establish bilateral relations and help negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.

Analysts say Rubio faces a difficult task of rebuilding confidence with Southeast Asian countries unnerved by the US’s trade policies. Despite the economic fallout, he is expected to try and promote the US as a more dependable alternative to China in terms of both security and long-term investment.

According to a draft communique obtained by Reuters, ASEAN foreign ministers will express “concern over rising global trade tensions and growing uncertainties in the international economic landscape, particularly the unilateral actions relating to tariffs”.

Separately, a meeting involving top diplomats from Southeast Asia, China, Russia and the United States will condemn violence against civilians in war-torn Myanmar, according to a draft statement seen Thursday by AFP.

ASEAN has led diplomatic efforts to end Myanmar’s many-sided civil war sparked by a military coup in 2021.

In a swap of former All-Pro defensive backs on Monday, the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith from the Miami Dolphins for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a draft pick swap.

Ramsey posted about the trade, which includes the Steelers’ 2027 fifth-round pick to the Dolphins in exchange for a seventh-round pick, on social media. “Breaking my own news!” he wrote alongside a celebratory announcement video on Instagram.

The deal ended persistent speculation that Ramsey might be traded to the Rams, for whom he played from 2019-22. At the Rams’ mini-camp in Maui two weeks ago, coach Sean McVay downplayed the chance of acquiring the three-time All-Pro, who is due to earn $26.6 million this season. Ramsey’s salary-cap number will increase substantially in the next few seasons, according to Overthecap.com.

“Usually, those are scenarios and situations that you have to have plans in place prior to executing some of the decisions that have occurred,” McVay said, perhaps referencing the contract adjustment that quarterback Matthew Stafford received and the signing of free-agent receiver Davante Adams. “Definitely don’t want to rule anything out … but there would be some obstacles that are real that are in the place of maybe preventing that from occurring.”

Rams cornerbacks include returning starters Darious Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon, with Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Josh Wallace and Derion Kendrick competing for playing time.

Smith — who enjoyed a career year in 2024 with 88 catches and eight touchdowns for the Dolphins — will receive a one-year contract extension worth $12 million. He joins returning starter Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington at tight end in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers have prioritized improving at cornerback this offseason, signing free agent Darius Slay Jr. in addition to trading for Ramsey, who has 24 career interceptions. Incumbent starter Joey Porter Jr. also returns.

The Steelers had grown disenchanted with Fitzpatrick, who was named All-Pro in 2019, 2020 and 2022 but had only one interception in the last two seasons after moving from free safety to strong safety.

Fitzpatrick was drafted 11th overall in 2018. The Dolphins traded him to the Steelers two games into the 2019 season along with fourth- and seventh-round picks for first-, fifth- and sixth-round picks.

WASHINGTON — Democratic efforts in the Senate to prevent President Trump from escalating his military confrontation with Iran fell short Friday, with Republicans blocking a resolution that marked Congress’ first attempt to reassert its war powers after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

The resolution, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, aimed to affirm that Trump should seek authorization from Congress before launching more military action against Iran. Asked Friday whether he would bomb Iranian nuclear sites again if he deemed necessary, Trump said, “Sure, without question.”

The measure was defeated in a 53-47 vote in the Republican-held Senate. One Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, joined Republicans in opposition, while Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican to vote in favor.

Most Republicans have said Iran posed an imminent threat that required decisive action from Trump, and they backed his decision to bomb three Iranian nuclear sites last weekend without seeking congressional approval.

“Of course, we can debate the scope and strategy of our military engagements,” said Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.). “But we must not shackle our president in the middle of a crisis when lives are on the line.”

Democrats cast doubt on that justification, arguing that the president should have come to Congress first. They also said the president did not update them adequately, with Congress’ first briefings taking place Thursday.

“The idea is this: We shouldn’t send our sons and daughters into war unless there’s a political consensus that this is a good idea, this is a national interest,” Kaine said in a Thursday interview with the Associated Press. The resolution, Kaine said, wasn’t aimed at restricting the president’s ability to defend against a threat, but that “if it’s offense, let’s really make sure we’re making the right decision.”

In a statement after Friday’s vote, Kaine said he was “disappointed that many of my colleagues are not willing to stand up and say Congress” should be a part of a decision to go to war.

Democrats’ argument for backing the resolution centered on the War Powers Resolution, passed in the early 1970s, which requires the president “in every possible instance” to “consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces.”

Speaking on the Senate floor ahead of Friday’s vote, Paul said he would back the resolution, saying that “despite the tactical success of our strikes, they may end up proving to be a strategic failure.”

“It is unclear if this intervention will fully curtail Iran’s nuclear aspirations,” said Paul.

Trump is just the latest in a line of presidents to test the limits of the resolution — though he’s done so at a time when he’s often bristling at the nation’s checks and balances.

Trump on Monday sent a letter to Congress — as required by the War Powers Resolution — that said strikes on Iran over the weekend were “limited in scope and purpose” and “designed to minimize casualties, deter future attacks and limit the risk of escalation.”

But after classified briefings with top White House officials this week, some lawmakers remain skeptical about how imminent the threat was.

“There was no imminent threat to the United States,” said Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, after Friday’s classified briefing.

“There’s always an Iranian threat to the world. But, I have not seen anything to suggest that the threat from the Iranians was radically different last Saturday than it was two Saturdays ago,” Himes said.

Meanwhile, nearly all Republicans applauded Trump’s decision to strike Iran. And for GOP senators, supporting the resolution would have meant rebuking the president at the same time they’re working to pass his major legislative package.

Kaine proposed a similar resolution in 2020 aimed at limiting Trump’s authority to launch military operations against Iran. Among the eight Republicans who joined Democrats in approving that resolution was Indiana Sen. Todd Young.

After Thursday’s classified briefing for the Senate, Young said he was “confident that Iran was prepared to pose a significant threat” and that, given Trump’s stated goal of no further escalation, “I do not believe this resolution is necessary at this time.”

“Should the Administration’s posture change or events dictate the consideration of additional American military action, Congress should be consulted so we can best support those efforts and weigh in on behalf of our constituents,” Young said in a statement.

Trump has said that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran is now in place. But he and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have verbally sparred in recent days, with the Iranian leader warning the U.S. not to launch future strikes on Iran.

White House officials have said they expect to restart talks soon with Iran, though nothing has been scheduled.

Cappelletti writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Leah Askarinam contributed to this report.

Republican-led states have sought to deprive abortion providers of public funds by restricting access to Medicaid.

The United States Supreme Court has cleared the way for South Carolina to strip the nonprofit healthcare provider Planned Parenthood of funding under Medicaid, a government insurance programme.

Thursday’s ruling was split along ideological lines, with the three liberal justices on the nine-member court dissenting.

The ruling overturned a lower court’s decision barring Republican-governed South Carolina from preventing Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, a regional branch, from participating in the state’s Medicaid programme.

Republican leaders in South Carolina have objected to Planned Parenthood because it provides abortions.

The Supreme Court’s decision bolsters efforts by Republican-led states to deprive the reproductive healthcare provider of public money.

The case centred on whether recipients of Medicaid may sue to enforce a requirement under US law that they may obtain medical assistance from any qualified and willing provider. Medicaid is administered jointly by the federal and state governments, and it is designed to provide healthcare coverage for low-income people.

Since the Supreme Court in 2022 overturned its landmark Roe v Wade ruling that legalised abortion nationwide, a number of Republican-led states have implemented near-total bans on the procedure. Some, like South Carolina, prohibit abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic operates clinics in the South Carolina cities of Charleston and Columbia, where it serves hundreds of Medicaid patients each year, providing physical examinations, screenings for cancer and diabetes, pregnancy testing, contraception and other services.

The Planned Parenthood affiliate and a Medicaid patient named Julie Edwards sued the state in 2018. A year earlier, in 2017, Republican Governor Henry McMaster had ordered officials to end Planned Parenthood’s participation in the state Medicaid programme by deeming any abortion provider unqualified to provide family planning services.

The plaintiffs sued South Carolina under an 1871 law that helps people challenge illegal acts by state officials. They said the Medicaid law protects what they called a “deeply personal right” to choose one’s doctor.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom conservative legal group and backed by President Donald Trump’s administration, said the disputed Medicaid provision in this case does not meet the “high bar for recognising private rights”.

A federal judge previously ruled in Planned Parenthood’s favour, finding that Medicaid recipients may sue under the 1871 law and that the state’s move to defund the organisation violated Edwards’s right to freely choose a qualified medical provider.

In 2024, the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Richmond, Virginia, also sided with the plaintiffs.

The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case on April 2.

The dispute has reached the Supreme Court three times. The court in 2020 rejected South Carolina’s appeal at an earlier stage of the case. In 2023, it ordered a lower court to reconsider South Carolina’s arguments in light of a ruling the justices issued involving the rights of nursing home residents.

That decision explained that laws like Medicaid must unambiguously give individuals the right to sue.

“Athletes across all sports have been discussing this for a long time, but it hasn’t really changed. Hopefully something can get done soon.”

Asked for his view – as both an ex-player and father-of-four – about what could be done to eradicate toxic abuse, Murray said: “If I’m being honest I don’t know. Me and my wife are trying to keep our children off social media until they are much older, because I think it can be pretty damaging.”

Murray’s eldest child is nine, while his youngest is four. Many social media apps have a minimum age of 13 for users.

Technology firms will have to do more to protect young people from harmful content under the Government’s Online Safety Act. It is being introduced in phases and social media platforms are now obliged to protect users from illegal or harmful content, while more child safety measures are being introduced next month.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told the BBC the government will also explore whether further protective measures can be put in place on social media platforms.

Figures provided by data science firm Signify, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) show that in 2024, about 8,000 abusive, violent or threatening messages were sent publicly to 458 tennis players through their social media accounts.

Following Boulter’s comments, fellow tennis players demanded more action, including calls for the introduction of identity verification.

Several of the England women’s football team also plan to give up social media for their forthcoming European Championship defence in Switzerland.

Murray said: “I don’t know whose responsibility it is, I don’t know if the government needs to do more to tackle it, or [X owner] Elon Musk and people like that can do more to stop these messages getting through to individuals.

“I don’t mean just athletes, but then you get into the whole debate around free speech and it’s a difficult one.”

Murray also said athletes could help themselves “by trying to avoid looking at the comments and going on our phones immediately after matches”, but the onus was not on them to solve the problem.

Former British tennis player Naomi Broady, 35, told BBC Radio 5 Live about her experiences of abuse on social media, saying: “I’ve seen the worst of trolling and after I had children, I don’t show their faces any more.”

June 17 (UPI) — Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has thrown support to a pair of progressive candidates running in Democratic primaries against more established candidates.

Sanders is expected to officially endorse Zohran Mamdani in the party’s mayoral primary in New York City on Tuesday.

A Brooklyn native, Sanders joins Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. in support of Mamdani, a left-wing Democrat who must compete against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary. Current mayor Eric Adams is running for reelection as an independent.

“Our nation faces a fundamental choice: Will we continue with a corporate-dominated politics driven by billionaires or will we build a grass-roots movement fueled by everyday people, committed to fighting oligarchy, authoritarianism and kleptocracy?” Mr. Sanders has said about Mamdani.

“The New York City Democratic primary presents a clear choice as to the path forward,” he added.

Sanders has also announced his support for Michigan state Rep. Donavan McKinney, who seeks to unseat current Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich.

“As a Member of Congress, Donavan will fight to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, fully fund our public schools, invest in public housing and support Medicare for all,” said Sanders of McKinney. “A former union leader, he has dedicated his life to standing with working people, and is ready to lead the struggle against Donald Trump, the oligarchy, and the corporate interests who prioritize profits over people.”

McKinney, who also has the support of Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., said in a statement that “Senator Sanders has long been a progressive champion for working class Americans, and I am honored to receive his endorsement.”

Sanders had also announced in May he had partnered with the Run for Something young candidate recruitment organization, which posted to X in May that “His message is clear-run for office-and we’re here to make sure new leaders have the tools to win.”

EU affirms its unwavering support for the ICC, denouncing US sanctions as a threat to judicial independence and justice.

The European Union “deeply regrets” the United States sanctions placed on four judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC), European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday announced sanctions on four judges whom the US accuses of taking “illegitimate and baseless actions” against the US and its allies.

Responding to the announcement on Friday, von der Leyen said the Hague-based court had the “full support” of the EU.

“The ICC holds perpetrators of the world’s gravest crimes to account & gives victims a voice,” von der Leyen said on X on Friday. “It must be free to act without pressure.”

United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said he was “profoundly disturbed” by the US decision.

“Attacks against judges for performance of their judicial functions, at national or international levels, run directly counter to respect for the rule of law and the equal protection of the law – values for which the US has long stood,” Turk said.

“Such attacks are deeply corrosive of good governance and the due administration of justice,” he added, calling for the sanctions to be withdrawn.

Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, which represents national governments of the 27 EU member states, also called the court “a cornerstone of international justice” and said its independence and integrity must be protected.

The Commission fully supports the @IntlCrimCourt & its officials.

The ICC holds perpetrators of the world’s gravest crimes to account & gives victims a voice.

It must be free to act without pressure.

We will always stand for global justice & the respect of international law.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) June 6, 2025

The US State Department said the sanctions were issued after the court made decisions to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a separate decision in 2020 to open an investigation into alleged war crimes by US troops in Afghanistan.

The four sanctioned judges include Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.

EU member Slovenia said it “rejects pressure on judicial institutions” and urged the EU to use its blocking statute.

“Due to the inclusion of a citizen of an EU member state on the sanctions list, Slovenia will propose the immediate activation of the blocking act,” Slovenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a post on X.

The mechanism lets the EU ban European companies from complying with US sanctions that Brussels deems unlawful. The power has been used in the past to prevent Washington from banning European trade with Cuba and Iran.

Slovenia regrets the announced sanctions by the US🇺🇸 government against 4 judges of the @IntlCrimCourt , including a judge from #Slovenia. SI🇸🇮 rejects pressure on judicial institutions and influence on judicial operations, and courts must act in the interests of law and justice.… pic.twitter.com/xhwBj8XeMz

— MFEA Slovenia (@MZEZ_RS) June 5, 2025

The US sanctions mean the judges are added to a list of specially designated sanctioned individuals. Any US assets they have will be blocked and they are put on an automated screening service used not only by US banks but by many banks worldwide, making it very difficult for sanctioned people to hold or open bank accounts or transfer money.

This is not the first time the US has issued restrictions against an ICC official since Trump returned to office for a second term on January 20.

Shortly after taking office, Trump issued a broad executive order threatening anyone who participates in ICC investigations with sanctions. Critics warned that such sweeping language could pervert the course of justice, for example, by dissuading witnesses from coming forward with evidence.

But Trump argued that the 2024 arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant necessitated such measures.

He also claimed that the US and Israel were “thriving democracies” that “strictly adhere to the laws of war” and that the ICC’s investigations threatened military members with “harassment, abuse and possible arrest”.

The Netherlands is still supporting the supply chain of Israel’s version of the F-35 fighter jet, more than a year after a court banned direct Dutch exports of F-35 parts to Israel, a report claims.

Research by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) shared with Al Jazeera shows that the port of Rotterdam is frequented by ships carrying F-35 parts for maintenance and assembly. The ships belong to the Danish shipping giant Maersk.

By examining import data and shipping receipts of Maersk and Lockheed Martin – the United States weapons manufacturer that designed the F-35 – the group found that more than a dozen shipments from Israel travelled through the port of Rotterdam on their way to the US from April 2023 until early 2025.

The F-35 fighter jet has been used by Israel to bomb Gaza from the air with devastating effect. Much of the Strip, where more than 50,000 people have been killed since October 2023, is in ruins.

“Maersk now operates a recurring shipping cycle between Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility in Texas and Israel Aerospace Industries in Israel, routed through Rotterdam,” the report stated. “In this cycle, Maersk transports pairs of empty F-35 wing containers from Houston to Ashdod, Israel, where they are loaded with completed F-35 wings. The filled containers are then shipped back to the US for final assembly or repair.”

The researchers noted that Rotterdam is a “key stopover point in this process, and shipments for this cycle have occurred beyond February of 2024”.

Then, a judge at a Dutch appeals court ordered the Netherlands to stop exporting and transiting F-35 parts to Israel, saying there was a “clear risk” they were being used in “serious violations of international humanitarian law”.

The Dutch state immediately lodged an appeal at the Supreme Court, but until a decision is made, it is still bound by the lower court’s ruling.

“The findings in the report show that the port of Rotterdam plays an important role in sustaining the operational capacities of Israel’s F-35 fighter jets. This way, the port of Rotterdam is complicit to international law violations in Gaza,” Gerard Jonkman, director of a Dutch NGO, The Rights Forum, told Al Jazeera.

The Dutch Foreign Ministry told Al Jazeera that the court had subsequently confirmed that the judgement in February 2024 applied only to the export or transit of F-35 parts from the Netherlands to Israel and that the Dutch state had implemented the judgement accordingly.

A spokesperson for the port of Rotterdam told Al Jazeera that the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs was responsible for issuing permits for the transhipment of military goods. Port officials check vessel compliance with environmental and safety regulations for shipping on behalf of the government and municipality of Rotterdam, they said.

“The harbour master receives only limited information regarding vessel cargo. The information received mainly pertains to whether the vessel is carrying hazardous substances. Other aspects of vessel cargo are monitored by various other public authorities, such as customs.”

They said they were “aware” of the February 2024 court ruling.

“All activities in the port must comply with international laws and regulations and the permits issued by the government. If we see any indication that this is not the case, the Port of Rotterdam Authority alerts the competent authority.”

‘The Netherlands is still part of the supply chain’

The Rights Forum was one of three parties, together with the Dutch affiliate of Oxfam and PAX for Peace, the largest peace organisation in the Netherlands, that sued the Dutch state over its export of F-35 parts to Israel.

“In this case, there is no direct export from the Netherlands to Israel, but the Netherlands is still part of the supply chain for the Israeli F-35 programme,” Gerard Jonkman, head of the Rights Forum, said of the Palestinian Youth Movement’s findings. “This way the Netherlands facilitates the Israeli F-35 programme and might breach its obligations under international law.”

PAX for Peace project leader Frank Slijper told Al Jazeera: “This indeed shows that the Netherlands is part of the F-35 supply chain.”

A grassroots organisation, the Palestinian Youth Movement believes that targeting Maersk directly disrupts the flow of weapons in the “supply chain of death used to genocide Palestinians”.

According to the group, Maersk has shipped the wings for every Israeli F-35 since March 2022.

In November 2024, following a decision by Spain to deny docking permission to two ships carrying weapons bound for Israel, Maersk adjusted its routes. The company’s fleet now avoids Spain in favour of Rotterdam and the port of Tangier in Morocco

“Maersk has, for years, knowingly supplied the Israeli military with key weapons components used to carry out genocide in Gaza,” Aisha Nizar of the Palestinian Youth Movement told Al Jazeera. “The company has done so without hesitation, potentially violating multiple arms embargo policies across Europe.”

The F-35 is considered a top-of-the-line fighter jet. The aircraft designed by Lockheed Martin costs at least $80m in its most basic configuration.

Currently, 12 countries operate the jet. F-35 parts are made in the United States and several participating partner countries, giving the project the moniker Joint Strike Fighter.

“It is very sad to see that Maersk is not distancing itself from Israel’s crimes against humanity in Gaza and more broadly continues lending itself to the crucial replenishment of Israel’s armed forces,” Slijper said. “Shipping military supplies for the benefit of Israel’s arms industry and the [Israeli army] risks Maersk being complicit in Israel’s crimes.”

The use of the jet by Israel, the only country with its unique version of the F-35, has been scrutinised since the start of the onslaught in Gaza.

Recently, campaign groups took the United Kingdom government to court in a bid to halt the exports of British-made F-35 parts to Israel.

In a statement to Al Jazeera, Lockheed Martin said: “Foreign military sales are government-to-government transactions, and we closely adhere to US government policy with regard to conducting business with international partners.”

Regarding F-35 shipments, Maersk told Al Jazeera that it upholds a strict policy of not shipping weapons or ammunition to active conflict zones and that it conducted due diligence, particularly in regions affected by active conflicts, including Israel and Gaza, and adapts this due diligence to the changing context. It confirmed, however, that its US subsidiary Maersk Line Limited was one of “many companies supporting the global F-35 supply chain” with transport services.

The F-35 programme includes several coalition countries, including Israel.

“As part of the coalition-building of the F-35, Maersk Line Limited regularly transports parts between participating countries, including Israel, where F-35 wings are manufactured,” it said.

SIR Sadiq Khan has backed calls to decriminalise possessing small amounts of cannabis.

London’s mayor said a report published today gave “a compelling case”.

The London Drugs Commission says current cannabis laws are “disproportionate” and policing continues to focus on ethnic communities, hurting relations with cops.

The LDC, set up by Mr Khan in 2022, is calling for small quantities of natural cannabis to be decriminalised.

Importing, manufacturing or distributing the drug would still be illegal.

Labour’s Mr Khan said: “The report makes a compelling case for the decriminalisation of small quantities of natural cannabis which the Government should consider.”

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “Cannabis is illegal for a reason. I oppose these plans.”

Responding to the report, Sir Sadiq said: “I’ve long been clear that we need fresh thinking on how to reduce the substantial harms associated with drug-related crime in our communities.

“The London Drugs Commission report makes a compelling, evidenced-based case for the decriminalisation of possession of small quantities of natural cannabis which the Government should consider.

“It says that the current sentencing for those caught in possession of natural cannabis cannot be justified given its relative harm and people’s experience of the justice system.

“We must recognise that better education, improved healthcare and more effective, equitable policing of cannabis use are long overdue.”

1

SEOUL, May 26 (UPI) — Conservative South Korean presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo would ”proactively support” a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un if elected, a key policy adviser said Monday.

Kim Hyung-suk, co-chair of the Unification and Foreign Affairs Committee of the candidate’s People Power Party, made the remark during a briefing with foreign media in downtown Seoul. South Korea’s presidential election will be held on June 3, with Kim trailing liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party in polls.

“If Mr. Trump seeks to re-engage with Kim Jong Un on talks of denuclearization [and] addressing peace and prosperity issues on the Korean Peninsula … [Kim Moon-soo] will proactively support the communication between the two,” Kim said.

“We [would] respect and highly approve of their communications,” he added.

The White House has not prioritized North Korea in its foreign policy agenda since Trump returned to office, but there has been speculation that the president may look to revive nuclear negotiations with Kim Jong Un.

During Trump’s first term, the two leaders held a pair of high-profile summits and met briefly a third time at the DMZ. The diplomatic outreach failed to result in a nuclear deal, however, and Pyongyang has accelerated the development of its weapons programs in the intervening years.

At the beginning of April, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that there has been communication with North Korea and that the two sides would “probably do something at some point.”

“I have a very good relationship with [Kim],” Trump said. “I think it’s very important. He’s a big nuclear nation and he’s a very smart guy.”

Relations between the two Koreas have deteriorated dramatically in recent years, with Pyongyang officially designating the South a “hostile state” in a 2024 constitutional revision.

On Monday, Kim Hyung-suk said that a Kim Moon-soo administration would aim to “normalize inter-Korean relations” while maintaining Washington and Seoul’s longtime stance calling for North Korea to dismantle its nuclear arsenal.

“The Kim Moon-soo administration will consistently strive for a phased and actionable solution for the complete denuclearization of North Korea in close cooperation with the Trump administration,” he said.

The policy adviser added that Kim is eager to engage with North Korea and is making outreach plans with or without involvement from the Trump administration.

“As we know, President Trump is very busy these days due to a long list of different engagements internationally,” Kim said. “I don’t think we can wait years and years for the two to meet. In order to bring North Korea to the table, we are going to actively pursue communication, whether it be three-party or two-party.”

Kim’s opponent in the election, Lee Jae-myung, also voiced his support for engaging with North Korea while on the campaign trail Monday, but called the prospect of his own summit with Kim Jong Un “very difficult.”

Lee announced a campaign pledge on Monday to improve inter-Korean communications, including restoring a military hotline that North Korea has not responded to since 2023, but said that a face-to-face meeting with Kim would pose a challenge.

“It is something that should obviously be done, but I am not sure if it would be possible,” he told reporters at Ajou University in Suwon, south of Seoul. “It would be very difficult in the current situation.”