Israel has breached the Gaza ceasefire with Hamas, killing dozens of Palestinians.
Israel says it’s returned to the Gaza ceasefire – after launching a wave of air strikes on Sunday, killing more than 40 Palestinians.
It blamed Hamas for the breach, saying its fighters were responsible for an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers.
Hamas denies breaking the ceasefire.
The violence was a reminder for Palestinians that Israel is willing to suspend peace, and unleash its firepower, whenever it sees fit.
The United States insists the truce will hold – and has sent Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Presidential Advisor Jared Kushner to Israel.
But the renewed assault has cast doubt on whether the ceasefire will advance to the second phase – which is meant to see Hamas disarm and Israel withdraw from Gaza.
Presenter: Bernard Smith
Guests: Alon Pinkas – Former Israeli ambassador and former consul general in New York
Hussein Haridy – Former Egyptian assistant foreign minister
Frank Lowenstein – Former US special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations
The National Labor Relations Board has sued California to block a law that empowers a state agency to oversee some private-sector labor disputes and union elections.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 288 into law last month in response to the Trump administration’s hampering of federal regulators. It gives the state’s Public Employment Relations Board the ability to step in and oversee union elections, charges of workplace retaliation and other issues in the event the federal labor board is unable, or declines, to decide cases.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, argues the law usurps the NLRB’s authority “by attempting to regulate areas explicitly reserved for federal oversight.”
The lawsuit echos the NLRB’s challenge to a recent New York law that similarly seeks to expand the powers of its state labor board.
NLRB attorneys contend in the lawsuits that the laws create parallel regulatory systems that conflict with federal labor law.
The NLRB is tasked with safeguarding the right of private employees to unionize or organize in other ways to improve their working conditions.
Lawmakers in New York and California said they passed their bills to fill a gap, because the NLRB has been functionally paralyzed since January, when President Trump fired one of its Democratic board members. The unprecedented firing of that member, Gwynne Wilcox, left the board without the three-member quorum it needs to rule on cases.
Wilcox has challenged her firing in court, arguing that appointed board members can only be fired for “malfeasance or neglect of duty.” But her removal was upheld by the Supreme Court for now, until her case can make its way through lower courts.
Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions, last month called AB 288 “the most significant labor law reform in nearly a century.”
The California Public Employment Relations Board typically has authority only over public sector employees. But when the new law goes into effect on Jan. 1, workers in the private sector who are unable to get a timely response at the federal level can also petition the state board to take up their cases and enforce their rights.
The state’s labor board can choose to take on a case when the NLRB “has expressly or impliedly ceded jurisdiction,” according to language in the law. That includes when charges filed with the agency or an election certification have languished with a regional director for more than six months — or when the federal board doesn’t have a quorum of members or is otherwise hampered.
The NLRB’s paralysis has put hundreds of cases in limbo, with the agency currently lacking the ability to compel employers to bargain with their workers’ unions, or to stop unfair treatment on the job.
However, the agency’s acting general counsel — Trump appointee William Cowen — has said that only a fraction of cases require decisions from the typically five-member board and that the agency’s work has been largely unaffected, with regional offices continuing to process union elections and unfair labor practice charges.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. Basketball season is a month away, and the big question is did everyone learn something from the football scandals this fall?
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The Southern Section has made more than 40 fall athletes ineligible for two years for violating CIF bylaw 202, which involves providing false information on transfer paperwork. The majority are football players. Players have left California to play elsewhere. Bishop Montgomery, which had 24 transfers declared ineligible, has seen students move to Arizona and Florida. A Long Beach Millikan player also left for Arizona.
Athletic directors will soon start submitting transfer paperwork for numerous basketball players. How many will try to gain immediate eligibility with a valid change of residence? How many will seek sit-out period eligibility? How many will be declared ineligible because of undue influence, otherwise known as illegal recruiting?
Southern Section commissioner Mike West has received support from some football coaches for having his assistant commissioners enforce and uncover rule violations among transfers. But there’s lots of skepticism whether basketball will face the same scrutiny since powerful programs have been relying on transfers for years and one of the continuing public perception issues, right or wrong, has been “unequal” enforcement of rules.
West has insisted the Southern Section is committed to using its new investigative tools to determine the accuracy of transfer paperwork submitted by schools as filled out by parents, so athletic directors and principals have been put on notice to investigate before making a decision to send in the paperwork.
If there are lots of sit-out period athletes, it will mean teams won’t be at full strength until Dec. 26, the day the sit-out period ends for boys and girls basketball. And, as shown during football season, just because the Southern Section initially approves or denies a transfer, it doesn’t mean the athlete’s status won’t change when additional facts are brought forward.
Call it Crampgate. While Sierra Canyon rolled to a 30-0 victory over Gardena Serra, a controversial decision by the Trailblazers to purposely fake cramps in retaliation for what it thought was Serra’s repeated issues with cramps caused quite a debate. Here’s the story.
There were a number of losses by top 25 teams. No. 8 Orange Lutheran lost 25-10 to No. 4 Mater Dei. No. 9 Vista Murrieta lost 28-20 to Chaparral. No. 10 Servite lost 17-7 to No. 6 Santa Margarita. No. 11 Damien lost 24-22 to Rancho Cucamonga. No. 12 San Juan Hills lost 33-10 to No. 17 Corona del Mar.
Leuzinger defeated Inglewood 43-32 for the first time since 1999 in a Bay League showdown. Next up is another great league matchup, with Palos Verdes playing Leuzinger on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. at SoFi Stadium.
Mary Star took control of the Camino Real League with a 21-12 win over St. Genevieve. Sophomore running back Johnny Rivera, with nearly 800 yards rushing, has provided a big boost this season.
Corona Centennial coach Matt Logan (right) receives trophy from athletic director Tony Barile after 300th coaching win.
Crenshaw wide receiver Deance’ Lewis (11) celebrates his touchdown with tight end De’Andre Kirkpatrick (10) against Dorsey.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Crenshaw continues to make strides, knocking off rival Dorsey 12-8 in a game that featured a halftime concert by Mustard. Here’s the report.
The Western League began with the expected wins by Hamilton, Venice and Palisades. Hamilton won’t find out where it stands until facing Palisades on Oct. 24 and Venice on Oct. 30. The big matchup is on Friday when Venice hosts Palisades.
Van Nuys defeated Sylmar for the first time in more than 30 years 49-46. Coach Ken Osorio credited his offensive line that features right tackle Ernesto Gomez, right guard Jiancarlos Lopez, center Omar Hernandez, left guard Angel Avendano and left tackle Eli Taitz. Quarterback Carlos Herrera ran for four touchdowns and threw another.
Gardena began Marine League play with a 29-6 win over Banning. Quarterback Kevin Martinez had two touchdowns passing and two touchdowns running.
Eagle Rock handed Marshall its first defeat 41-7 in a Northern League opener.
Quarterback Brady Smigiel of Newbury Park, The Times’ reigning player of the year in Southern California, suffered a torn ACL knee injury on Friday night against Santa Barbara, ending his high school career, his father, Joe, said. He’s committed to Michigan and will undergo surgery.
Newbury Park quarterback Brady Smigiel suffered a torn ACL injury to his knee on Friday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
He came into this season with 11,222 career yards passing and 147 touchdowns. This season, in six games, he passed for 1,624 yards and 15 touchdowns.
From the moment I saw Brady Smigiel as a freshman in a summer passing tournament, I was convinced he had the ability to be a top quarterback. He got better every season. A leader. A fighter. To see him and his father together for four years was special at Newbury Park.
His work ethic combined with surgery should allow him to have a complete recovery. He will go down as one of the most prolific football players in Ventura County history.
JSerra quarterback Kate Meier reaches across the goal line for the winning touchdown an instant before her flag is pulled.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
The showdown between No. 1 Orange Lutheran and No. 2 JSerra turned out as fun as expected, with JSerra winning 18-7 on the strength of four interceptions. Here’s the report.
Dos Pueblos quarterback Kacey Hurley and coach Doug Caines bump fists.
It was a big week for Sierra Canyon. The Trailblazers went to five sets to win their Mission League showdown against Marymount 25-19, 24-26, 25-22, 25-27, 15-11.
Then Sierra Canyon won the Mira Costa/Redondo Union tournament championship over Archbishop Mitty, which pretty much makes the Trailblazers the top team in Southern California and perhaps the state.
Shalen Sheppard has left Brentwood for Crossroads.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Shalen Sheppard, a 6-foot-8 sophomore who was expected to be the standout basketball player at Brentwood, has transferred to rival Crossroads. Brentwood coach Ryan Bailey developed him into one of the top freshman players last season. …
Tyran Stokes from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Brandon McCoy from Sierra Canyon have signed NIL deals with Nike. …
Tajh Ariza of St. John Bosco, last season’s co-City Section basketball player of the year at Westchester, has committed to Oregon. …
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Melissa Seidemann is the new girls water polo coach at Orange Lutheran. Here’s the report. …
Adam Goldstein was named baseball coach at Agoura. …
Junior lacrosse player Brody Booen of Santa Margarita has committed to Virginia. …
Tight end Keawe Browne of Corona Centennial has committed to Boise State. …
San Pedro softball player Caroline Baker has committed to Louisiana Tech. …
Quarterback Kade Casillas of Lakewood has committed to Wayne State. …
Former Crespi and UC Riverside basketball player Kyle Owens has died after a bout with cancer. He was 24. …
Pitcher Abby Ford of JSerra has committed to Washington for softball.
From the archives: Romeo Doubs
Green Bay Packers’ Romeo Doubs.
(Morry Gash / Associated Press)
Former Jefferson High standout Romeo Doubshas become a standout receiver in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers. His is a great story to tell, having been a double-wing T quarterback at Jefferson in the City Section. He got a scholarship to Nevada and kept improving as a receiver.
From Substack, a story on former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame star Giancarlo Stanton.
From the Washington Post, a story on a high school football team with two former Super Bowl winners on the coaching staff.
From the Orange County Register, a story on former Loyola linebacker Scott Taylor contributing for UCLA as a freshman.
Tweets you might have missed
Hunter Greene is the third pitcher in MLB history to pitch 100 or more innings and average at least 10 strikeouts per nine innings in each of his first four seasons (2022-25). The others are Yu Darvish (first five seasons: 2012-17; DNP in 2015) and Mark Prior (2002-05). pic.twitter.com/FBqyrIyOB1
What can coaches do anymore. You coach, you sit down a player to get him to understand what you want, they either learn or rebel. It’s a crazy time to coach. Criticism is forbidden. Saying only good things is a must even if it’s untrue. Good luck to all.
Two great football coaches. Dick Bruich and Dave White. They had some battles in the 1980s and 1990s at Fontana and Edison, respectively. pic.twitter.com/agELy3KtWc
The Marmonte League needs to change its league name for teams in the league playing football only next season. Options: Surfer League. 101 League. We shake hands League.
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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WASHINGTON — President Trump’s administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to let it enforce a passport policy for transgender and nonbinary people that requires male or female sex designations based on birth certificates.
The Justice Department appealed a lower-court order allowing people use the gender or “X” identification marker that lines up with their gender identity.
It’s the latest in a series of emergency appeals from the Trump administration, many of which have resulted in victories amid litigation, including on banning transgender people from the military.
The government argues it can’t be required to use sex designations it considers inaccurate on official documents. The plaintiffs, meanwhile, say the policy violates the rights of transgender and nonbinary Americans.
The State Department changed its passport rules after Trump handed down an executive order in January declaring the United States would “recognize two sexes, male and female,” based on what it called “an individual’s immutable biological classification.”
Transgender actor Hunter Schafer, for example, said in February that her new passport had been issued with a male gender marker, even though she submitted the application with the female gender marker she has used for years on her driver’s license and passport.
A judge blocked the Trump administration policy in June after a lawsuit from nonbinary and transgender people, some of whom said they were afraid to submit applications. An appeals court left the judge’s order in place.
The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to put the order on hold while the lawsuit plays out.
“The Constitution does not prohibit the government from defining sex in terms of an individual’s biological classification,” Solicitor Gen. D. John Sauer wrote.
He pointed to the high court’s recent ruling upholding a ban on transition-related health care for transgender minors. The courts conservative majority found that law doesn’t discriminate on the basis of sex, and Sauer argued that finding also supports the Trump administration’s decision to change passport rules issued in 2021.
An attorney for the plaintiffs, on the other hand, said the passport rules are discriminatory.
“This administration has taken escalating steps to limit transgender people’s health care, speech, and other rights under the Constitution, and we are committed to defending those rights,” said Jon Davidson, senior counsel for the LGBTQ & HIV Project at the American Civil Liberties Union.
Aug. 26 (UPI) — California, Washington, and New Mexico will lose federal funding unless they adopt and enforce English language proficiency requirements for commercial motor vehicle drivers, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced Tuesday.
The three states have 30 days to comply before the department will withhold up to 100% of funding from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, a press release from the Transportation Department said.
“We have wonderful tools that will make it very difficult for states to do business if they don’t comply,” Duffy said at the press conference.
In May, Duffy signed new guidance for commercial motor vehicle drivers who don’t follow the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s English-language proficiency requirements and will be placed out of service.
“States don’t get to pick and choose which federal safety rules to follow,” Duffy said in the statement. “As we saw with the horrific Florida crash that killed three, when states fail to enforce the law, they put the driving public in danger. Under President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, we are taking aggressive action to close these safety gaps, hold states accountable, and make sure every commercial driver on the road is qualified to operate a 40-ton vehicle.”
Duffy spoke at a press conference where he referenced the Aug. 18 truck crash on the Florida Turnpike in St. Lucie, Fla. The crash killed three people, and it was determined that the driver of the truck didn’t understand English road signs, Duffy said. The driver, Harjinder Singh, 28, is from California. He was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and is being held on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer.
California has not adopted or enforced the law to ensure drivers can speak and understand English, the press release said. Washington and New Mexico have adopted the ELP regulation but are not enforcing it, Duffy said.
Aug. 14 (UPI) — A federal judge in Illinois has rejected Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton‘s request to enforce arrest warrants for Democrats who fled the Lone Star State earlier this month to block Republican redistricting plans.
Paxton has filed a slew of lawsuits in the nearly two weeks since state Democrats left Texas early this month to deny Republicans quorum to pass controversial redistricting maps that will give the GOP five extra seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Democrats went to Democratic strongholds, including Illinois, and Texas state House Speaker Dustin Burrows issued civil arrest warrants to force their return to Texas. On Aug. 7, Paxton and Burrows filed a lawsuit seeking Illinois to enforce the return of the Democratic lawmakers.
In his ruling Wednesday, Illinois Judge Scott Larson rejected the Texans’ request, stating it is outside his court’s jurisdiction to compel the Democrats’ return.
“This Illinois circuit court, under a petition to show cause, does not have the inherent power to direct Illinois law enforcement officers, or to allow the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Representatives of the State of Texas, or any officers appointed by her, to execute Texas civil Quorum Warrants upon nonresidents temporarily located in the State of Illinois,” Larson said in his ruling, which was obtained by Democracy Docket and a portion of which was published on BluSky.
The warrants issued by the Texas House of Representatives are “geographically limited,” Larson said.
Paxton and Burrows have yet to comment on the ruling, which marks a blow in their efforts to compel Democrats to return to the state.
Congressional redistricting generally occurs every decade following the publication of U.S. Census Bureau data. Texas has taken the unusual step to redraw its maps at the urging of President Donald Trump ahead of midterm elections next year The maps are expected to produce an additional five GOP districts in the U.S. House of Representatives where the Republicans hold a narrow 219 to 212 majority.
Critics and Democrats accuse the Republicans of conducting a power grab in an attempt to rig control over the ongressional branch, and have backed their Texas colleagues who have left their home state to prevent the passing of the maps during the special session.
Democrats in other states have also come to their support, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vowed to respond by redistricting his state to produce an additional five Democratic seats to neutralize those GOP seats being created in Texas.
WASHINGTON — Citing the explosion of online porn, the Supreme Court ruled Friday that states may enforce age verification laws in hopes of screening out children and young teens.
“The power to require age verification is within a State’s authority to prevent children from accessing sexually explicit content,” said Justice Clarence Thomas for the court.
The free-speech advocates who challenged the law said it would infringe the rights of adults because they could be forced to disclose their identity.
But the court disagreed.
The Texas law “advances the State’s important interest in shielding children from sexually explicit content. And, it is appropriately tailored because it permits users to verify their ages through the established methods of providing government-issued identification and sharing transactional data,” Thomas said.
The court’s three liberals dissented.
Under the Texas law, a website must use “reasonable age verification methods” to confirm visitors are at least 18 years old if more than one-third of its content is “sexual material harmful to minors.” . More than 21 other Republican-led states have adopted similar laws in recent years.
In defense of the Texas law, Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton said that prior to the internet, the court had upheld laws that required bookstores or magazine stands to “check the age of their customers before selling them pornography.”
He argued that moving their business online should not give pornographers a 1st Amendment right “to provide access to nearly inexhaustible amounts of obscenity to any child with a smartphone.”
State officials also said porn online is increasingly violent and degrading.
“The average child is exposed to internet pornography while still in elementary school,” wrote state attorneys for Ohio and Indiana. “Pornography websites receive more traffic in the U.S. than social media platforms Instagram, TikTok, Netflix, and Pinterest combined.”
