Case fatality rate climbs to nearly 48 percent in the DRC, meaning almost one in two people infected with Ebola are dying.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reached 5,515 confirmed cases of infection and killed 2,642 people, with 51 new cases detected in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, according to the latest government figures.
The update on Sunday came as Pope Leo called for international action to help contain the epidemic, which is now the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the DRC’s history.
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Declared in mid-May, it is the DRC’s 17th Ebola epidemic and was designated a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization (WHO), its highest alert level, also covering neighbouring Uganda.
The outbreak is now on track to surpass the deadliest Ebola epidemic on record, which was the 2014–2016 outbreak in West Africa that killed more than 11,000 people.
According to government figures, the case fatality rate in the DRC has climbed from about 20 percent in early June to nearly 48 percent now, meaning almost one in two people infected are dying.
Contact tracing, however, has improved sharply, from 30 percent in June to more than 85 percent.
The disease has also proved deadly for those fighting it. About 160 health workers have been infected, and about 45 have died, according to the WHO.
Efforts to contain the outbreak, however, have been hampered by armed conflict in the affected provinces, displacement, attacks on medical personnel and facilities, a mobile working population and a lack of critical infrastructure.
Vaccines arrive in DRC
There is no approved vaccine or treatment for this particular strain of Ebola, known as Bundibugyo, which is rarer than the virus type behind most past outbreaks.
The WHO has pledged 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, which is licensed for Ebola and has been effective in past outbreaks. According to the global body, early data from animal trials suggest it may offer some protection against Bundibugyo.
Some 16,250 doses of the vaccine arrived in the DRC on Friday.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other officials said the response in the DRC needs to be scaled up two to threefold to contain the outbreak and reach every affected area.
They also called for more support and protection for front-line health workers, including protective equipment, timely payment, and access to rapid diagnosis and high-quality supportive care if they fall ill.
Abdulsalami Nasidi, a public health consultant who helped establish the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, told Al Jazeera that the outbreak was “getting out of hand”.
He blamed weak infection control measures and a lack of trust between authorities and affected communities for the continued transmission.
“This is no longer just a national or regional issue; it is a global issue. If it spreads to neighbouring places with lower immunity, it will be a disaster,” Nasidi added.
The WHO currently rates the risk to the global public as low, but warns that the danger inside the DRC remains very high.
Despite the surging cases, Uganda and several health zones in DRC’s Ituri and South Kivu have interrupted transmission, which the WHO said is evidence that rapid detection, decisive leadership, and community cooperation can break the chain of transmission.
At the Vatican on Sunday, Pope Leo offered prayers for the DRC, “in light of the spread of the Ebola epidemic, which is sadly claiming many lives”.
The pontiff also called for global action to help save lives.
“I urge the international community to respond in a way that also involves local communities in prevention efforts to save as many lives as possible,” he said.
Aug. 23 (UPI) — Thailand’s southern region has been hit by dozens of coordinated arson attacks and bombs “aimed at creating unrest,” officials said Sunday.
The Thai Military said there were more than 50 incendiary attacks overnight on Saturday, injuring at least two people, the BBC reported.
Alek Thomas is used to playing center field at Dodger Stadium.
Over parts of five seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the 26-year-old grew accustomed to being booed in L.A., all while watching baseball’s latest dynasty take shape.
“It’s funny, because they always hated me whenever I came out there in center field,” Thomas said before Saturday’s 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. “I was, like, ‘Come on, guys, I’m Mexican too. You don’t have to yell at me; like, we’re on the same side here.’
“But, obviously … it doesn’t matter where you’re from. ‘If you’re not a Dodgers guy, you’re not my guy.’”
Thomas, whom Arizona designated for assignment 28 games into the season before trading him to the Dodgers in May, is, well, a Dodgers guy now.
He was called up from triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday after center fielder Andy Pages sustained a hand fracture after being hit by a pitch Friday.
“Great buy-in [and] great teammate,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Thomas before the game. “Really good defender. Had a good chat with him earlier. … he’s happy to be back in the big leagues.”
One could imagine how nice it felt for Thomas to hit an RBI single in the fourth inning, in his first game with the Dodgers and the team’s 12th sellout of the season.
“It’s been a little while,” said Thomas, who has spent 55 games in Oklahoma City this year. “So, I’m super glad to be back, and happy to help the team in any way, shape or form.”
Thomas looked solid in his primary role as a defender.
Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal delivers against the Pirates at Dodger Stadium on Saturday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
He also showed some hustle, turning a should-be groundout into a two-bagger in the eighth after an error by Pirates first baseman Rafael Flores Jr.
“Andy’s a great player, and speedy recovery for him,” Thomas said. “But I’m gonna try and play my brand of baseball; that’s why the Dodgers got me. So, yeah, I’m just gonna go out there and be myself.”
Tarik Skubal and the Dodgers were themselves, too, after a rough start.
The left-hander gave up three runs and three hits in the first. But Skubal recovered to earn his first win with the Dodgers (79-51), giving up five hits and striking out 11 over seven innings to earn a standing ovation upon his exit.
Teoscar Hernández, who entered with two RBIs over his past 16 games, put the Dodgers on the board with a run-scoring single in the fourth. Six pitches later, Thomas earned his RBI, shrinking the Pirates’ lead to 3-2.
Starter Jared Jones, a Whittier native, lasted four innings for the Pirates (63-68). He gave up two runs on three hits with five strikeouts. Pirates reliever Yohan Ramirez struggled in his place.
Kyle Tucker ended his 0-for-26 drought at home with a go-ahead, two-run single off Ramirez in the fifth.
Relievers Evan Phillips, Jack Dreyer and Tanner Scott combined for two shutout innings. Dreyer struck out Oneil Cruz looking to end the top of the eighth with a runner on third, fighting off the Pirates’ final gasp.
The Dodgers have now taken the three-game series against Pittsburgh and are victors of five straight games for the first time since late May.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced retaliatory tariffs on the United States after Washington imposed a 50 percent levy on $20bn worth of Canadian goods.
Carney, speaking in Ottawa on Saturday, said the new Canadian tariffs would target US steel, dairy and electronics industries among others and take effect on September 8.
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“Canada will match Washington’s new tariffs dollar for dollar in order to protect Canadian workers, farmers, families, and businesses,” Carney told reporters.
The announcement came after days of intense negotiations broke down late on Friday, worsening a delicate relationship between the longtime trade partners and allies.
US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs hit sectors including wine, furniture, dairy products, cement, clothing, fishing rods and hockey equipment, and cover some $20bn worth of goods, or 5.5 percent of Canadian exports to the US.
Carney said Trump set conditions that were ultimately unacceptable even though earlier talks had been positive.
“In recent days, the United States proposed new terms that were uneconomic, unfair and undermined the net benefits for Canada, and called into question the reliability of any deal,” Carney said, adding these demands included curtailing Canada’s ability to forge new trade deals.
“We cannot accept what they’ve offered, and we will not give what they’ve asked.”
He added that US negotiators also made unacceptable “threats” to the French language and “Quebec culture”, referring to the French-speaking province in eastern Canada.
No new talks planned
Carney is one of the few global leaders to retaliate against US tariffs and has pledged to forge new trade and military alliances, despite Canada’s dependence on the US for nearly 70 percent of its exports.
Canada will impose tariffs on US steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics, along with some products the US previously targeted in Canada, Carney said from Ottawa’s Parliament building. The government will release details on its response in the coming days, he said.
Carney said Canada would announce support measures next week for industries hit by the new US duties, adding these measures could last years.
There was no immediate comment from the White House.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Fox News on Saturday that no new talks are planned with Canada.
“We’re moving forward with measures that respond to Canadian retaliation,” Greer said. “They’ve always had the best deal, and they still would have an even better deal, but they didn’t want that.”
The new US tariffs are expected to have a major impact on Canada’s economy.
“Costs are going to go up, prices are going to go up, unemployment is going to go up as well,” said Al Jazeera’s David Mercer, reporting from the Canadian city of Calgary. “And it’s been warned that business owners – small [and] medium-sized businesses – some of those will have to declare bankruptcy,” he said.
At the same time, Mercer said, Carney is selling the trade war as an opportunity for Canada to strengthen its trade relations with other countries.
“He’s been around the world, he’s been talking to countries in Asia, in Europe, shoring up new trade relationships, wanting to diversify Canada’s economy and Canada’s trade relationships with other countries around the world just to get away from that dependency that Canada has traditionally had on the United States,” he said.
Public opinion surveys in Canada show most Canadians back a “tougher approach” to the US in the trade talks. A poll by Leger last week said 56 percent of Canadians favoured a hard line and making no more concessions.
‘Bad deal’
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, one of the most vocal opponents of US tariffs, supported Carney’s decision to retaliate.
“I’m glad he didn’t sign that deal because it was a bad deal. It was a bad deal for Ontario. It was a bad deal for the auto sector, the steel sector, and manufacturing sector,” Ford told reporters on Saturday.
In Port Colborne, Ontario, resident Stuart Edwards said the trade war was going to “hurt everybody” and “it’s just sad”.
“We have a bully in Washington, and he’s just hitting us all with the big stick all the time,” he said. “And we’re not going to put up with it; Canada isn’t. We’ll fight back.”
But Pamela Coulis, from Fort Erie in Canada, was worried about rising prices.
“I think probably the gas will go up even more, and all products, from food to, I don’t know, wood, everything else,” she said.
Diamond Isinger, who served as a special adviser to former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said both countries will suffer from the trade war.
“It’s going to cause pain and challenge for Canadians and Americans alike, in terms of the actions that, unfortunately, the US has taken as well as Canada’s retaliation. But ultimately this was the way forward; this was the only realistic next step,” she said.
“Because the US administration responds best, of all the responses that they could have, to all the actions that a government like Canada could take, to strength,” Isinger added.
“So, we could not simply accept 50 percent tariffs going forward. We had to move forward with our own retaliatory package.”
In the US, the escalating trade war was met with anger by Democratic lawmakers and governors from border states including Minnesota, New York and Washington, who blamed Trump for triggering chaos that would raise costs for US businesses and families.
“Needlessly picking fights with our allies and raising prices here at home. That’s Trump’s economic policy in a nutshell,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul posted on X.
The Business Roundtable, a group of 200 chief executives of leading US corporations, also warned the new tariffs “risk raising costs for American businesses and families”, and urged both governments to resume negotiations.
Those who were at Dodger Stadium on a gorgeous Friday night seemed to be in for an all-nighter.
They have Tommy Edman to thank for getting home a bit earlier.
With two outs in the 10th, Kiké Hernández on third and Kyle Tucker on first, the second baseman hit a walk-off single against Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Gregory Soto, earning the Dodgers a 5-4 win.
“Yeah, it feels great,” Edman said. “We’ve kind of been struggling a little bit in those clutch situations, myself included, so it felt really good to come through.”
Edman entered the at-bat 0 for 3 and was seemingly on the verge of keeping the 200-minute game alive in an unfavorable way.
Soto, however, threw the same low-middle sweeper that Edman fouled off one pitch earlier, and the second baseman jumped on it the second time around, propelling the Dodgers (78-51) to four consecutive wins for the first time since late July.
“That’s something I really try to take pride in — leaving past at-bats behind me — and I think I’ve done a good job of that this year,” Edman said. “I think that’s something we do really well overall as a group, and that leads to coming through in big situations like that, putting past at-bats behind you.
“One of the best feelings after grinding for 10 innings,” he added. “We had a bunch of pitchers do a really good job today.”
However, the victory was tempered by the loss of center fielder Andy Pages, who was struck in the left hand with a Bubba Chandler pitch in the third inning. Manager Dave Roberts said X-rays showed a fracture and Pages is expected to be out at least four weeks.
The right-hander brought the urgency to the mound that the Dodgers were missing during an abysmal 5-11 stretch that ended with a sweep against the Colorado Rockies this week.
“I personally felt like today’s game is very important,” Yamamoto said. “We’re gonna have [Tarik] Skubal starting [Saturday], and I just wanted to maintain the momentum, which started in Colorado.”
Yamamoto surrendered two runs — both via singles from Pirates designated hitter Nick Gonzales — on five hits over 6⅓ innings, striking out nine and walking one.
“My stuff was pretty good today,” Yamamoto said. “I was feeling pretty good out there. So even after letting runners on the bases, I just tried to focus and then take it one hitter at a time.”
Chandler, meanwhile, exited after four innings. Max Muncy hit a two-run homer in the first, and Mookie Betts contributed a two-run single in the third.
The Dodgers, with a 4-2 lead, cruised into the eighth. But Kyle Hurt gave up a tying two-run homer to Oneil Cruz.
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second inning Friday night.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Matters looked grim for the Dodgers in the 10th when Evan Phillips found himself in a one-out, bases-loaded jam.
All was well, though, once Phillips got Henry Davis to ground into an inning-ending, 6-4-3 double play.
“That was great,” Roberts said of Phillips. “I know that he’s trying to kind of build as we’re going through this, and [it] hasn’t been smooth sailing for him and the success that he’s used to. But this is a big one. Big confidence builder for him … to strand those two runners was a big outing for him.”
Edman took care of the rest.
And for maybe the first time in weeks, the Dodgers appear to be inching back to their champion ways.
“I think our guys are kind of reinterested, you know, collectively,” Roberts said before the game. “So, that’s a good thing.”
Andy Pages sustains hand fracture
Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages gets hit by a pitch during the third inning against the Pirates on Friday night.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Roberts said Pages sustained a fracture on the back of his left hand when he was hit by the 100-mph pitch It’s unclear if he will need surgery.
“Well, it’s just really unfortunate, obviously,” Roberts said. “It’s not season-ending. … So, I would expect him back, knowing him, on the earlier side. … I feel for him because he’s having such a good year.”
Roberts said Edman is an option to fill in for Pages in center field.
In a more positive development, Will Smith faced live pitching for the first time since June, and Roberts said that the plan is to activate the catcher during the first week of September.
“Today was a good day for Will,” Roberts said. “Taking at-bats. He’ll catch a couple bullpens today. He’ll do a couple more lives. … He still needs to get his legs back under him before we feel confident that he can take down a major league game and feel good coming out of it.”
Roberts added that Smith is “gonna play in the postseason” and that there is enough time for him to reach 100% strength.
Tyler Glasnow will likely be activated during the Dodgers’ upcoming trip to Atlanta.
“I just saw him. He had a great outing — his last rehab outing,” Roberts said. “I’m not sure which day we’re gonna pencil him in against the Braves, but if all of the things check out, it’ll be that [series].”
Ohtani will return to the mound at some point this season.
“It’s gonna happen,” Roberts said. “[Ohtani] threw another bullpen. … I think that there’s going to be a live or two, and then he’ll be on the mound. I just don’t know when we’re going to do that with the scheduling.”
Dalton Rushing is “pain-free” and close to facing live pitching, according to Roberts, but the catcher is “unlikely” to return to catching this season.
“I hope I’m wrong,” Roberts said. “But he’s determined to go through the process, the progression, the build-up and get back. And we’ll see where we’re at.”
Roberts didn’t rule out the possibility of Rushing being activated as a designated hitter down the line.
The Dodgers just can’t have some peace and calm, can they? Now, an owner is getting in on the fun with some controversy.
Early Motown songwriter Janie Bradford Hobbs, who helped pen hits including “Money (That’s What I Want)” and “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby,” has died following an extended illness at a Los Angeles hospital, her family said Saturday. She was 87.
Bradford Hobbs was born in Charleston, Mo., and later moved to Detroit.
She was introduced in the late 1950s to Motown founder Berry Gordy by neighbor and singer Jackie Wilson. She joined Motown as a receptionist in 1958 and like many of the company’s employees took part in the creative process that helped make Motown a music industry powerhouse.
She and Gordy co-wrote “Money (That’s What I Want).” The song was recorded in 1959 by Barrett Strong and became an early hit. It was covered by the Beatles, which also become a hit.
“Too Busy Thinking About My Baby” first was recorded by The Temptations and later became a hit for Marvin Gaye. Bradford Hobbs also wrote songs for Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, Martha & The Vandellas and others.
“Janie was there with me from the very beginning, before there was even a Motown, and she will always hold a very special place in my heart and in the Motown family,” Gordy said in a statement.
“Janie was one of a special group I have always thought of as the original Motown family — the unsung heroes who believed in the dream before anyone knew what Motown would become,” Gordy continued. “She was one of the people who helped make Motown what it became.”
Bradford Hobbs later became head of writer relations for Jobete, Motown’s publishing company. After leaving Motown, she founded the annual Heroes and Legends Awards. The event spanned about 30 years, honoring music stars and awarding scholarships, according to her family.
She is survived by her husband, Wardean Hobbs; daughter, Nicole Hobbs; son, Lance Finney; and two grandsons.
A NINETIES rocker with curly pink hair and specs looks almost unrecognisable, 29 years after her iconic smash hit song.
The performer, 68, appears world’s away from her previous on-stage persona, rocking a very different look these days.
A nineties rocker is looking unrecognisable these days with curly pink hairCredit: INSTAGRAMShe’s sporting specs in one recent snap on InstagramCredit: Instagram/ @meredithbrooksreal
Meredith Brooks was all the rage back in the late nineties following the release of her debut album in 1997.
In recent pictures posted on her Instagram, Meredith today sports big curly red locks, which is a far cry from her trademark jet black hair and rock chic ware from her stage heyday.
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In one snap, she shows off her rouge hair in it’s natural curly state as she poses for the picture.
She captioned it: “I don’t think many of you have ever seen what my hair looks like before styling…
She’s looking world’s away from her rocker daysCredit: YouTube/ MeredithBrooksMusicHer first song Bitch was a huge hitCredit: YouTube/ MeredithBrooksMusic
“I’ve always been a curly girl. What do you think?”
One fan commented: “Raw, authentic, true nature, beauty.”
Another follower gushed: “Wow!!!! I wish I had known this in 1997, when I was a young 20-something musician obsessing over your straight hair on the cover of Blurring the Edges. You’re as gorgeous as ever!!”
While a third added: “Your hair looks terrific. You are gorgeous Meredith!!!”
In another picture uploaded to her feed, she’s seen smiling while wearing a pair of specs and a black baseball cap.
Meredith landed a record deal with Capitol Records back in 1995 and went on to release her album ‘Blurring the Edges’ two years later.
It went to number 22 in the US charts and became a top 10 album in various territories including the UK, Switzerland, Austria and New Zealand.
Her first song from the album, ‘B****’ landed in the number 2 spot and became a huge hit.
Meredith bagged two Grammy award nominations in 1998 for Best Rock Song and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.
She went on to release five more albums as well as many other singles but they failed to create the same impact as her first album and first track.
These days Meredith is managing and operating her production company, Kissing Booth Music.
She’s also producing, writing and coaching emerging artists and musicians.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. There are only 34 games left in the regular season for the Dodgers. How is that possible?
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Well, nothing cures a team’s woes more than playing Colorado. But was it a cure or a placebo?
At which positions are the Dodgers excelling or struggling compared with the rest of MLB this season? One way we can tell is by looking at Wins Above Average at each position. WAA measures how many wins a player gives their team compared with an average major league player. A score of zero means the player is average, a positive score means they are better than average, and a negative score means they are below average.
Let’s look at the top five teams at each position, where the Dodgers rank if not in the top five, and at the last-place team. The number includes all players who played at that position this season.
Left field 1. Seattle, 1.9 2. NY Yankees, 0.9 3. Pittsburgh, 0.8 4. Miami, 0.7 5. Milwaukee, 0.6 20. Dodgers, -0.7 30. Arizona, -1.7
This is mostly Teoscar Hernández, with contributions from Alex Call, Tommy Edman and Ryan Ward.
Center field 1. Chicago Cubs, 5.9 2. Dodgers, 3.8 3. Boston, 3.7 4. Atlanta, 2.1 5. Angels, 1.4 30. Detroit, -1.8
If someone had told you after his miserable 2025 postseason that Andy Pages would be the second-best center fielder in baseball this year, would you have believed them? And the Angels make their only appearance here thanks to Mike Trout.
Right field 1. Boston, 3.6 2. Arizona, 2.7 3. St. Louis, 1.7 3. Chicago Cubs, 1.7 5. Washington, 1.3 22. Dodgers, -1.5 30. Cincinnati, -3.1
The corner outfielders are killing the Dodgers.
DH 1. Houston, 3.1 2. Dodgers, 2.2 3. Tampa Bay, 1.2 4. Philadelphia, 1.1 5. Chicago Cubs, 0.6 30. NY Mets, -1.9
Houston’s (no relation) designated hitter is Yordan Alvarez, traded by the Dodgers as a prospect in 2016 for reliever Josh Fields in probably the worst trade of the Andrew Friedman era.
Relief pitchers 1. San Diego, 3.9 2. NY Yankees, 2.6 3. Philadelphia, 1.9 4. Chicago White Sox, 1.6 5. Atlanta, 1.0 5. Toronto, 1.0 23. Dodgers, -2.5 30. Kansas City, -7.9
So, relief pitching and the corner outfielders are the gaping hole in the equation. But keep in mind, because I fall prey to this also: Every team has problems. We tend to focus on the Dodgers and don’t think about it this way. Every team has holes they are trying to solve before the postseason (or next season) begins. Some teams, like the Angels and Rockies, have holes almost everywhere. But even the best team isn’t perfect. And, yes, I will repeat it again, anything can happen in the postseason.
Remember last season? The Dodgers were 29th in relief pitching at -6.4. They were 29th in left field at -2.4. But they pulled it together and won. No reason they can’t do it again this year. And there’s no reason they can’t get swept in the first round.
Dodgers’ record at this point the last three seasons:
“When you start to struggle and you internalize … you find yourself going dark, and that’s a lonely place,” Roberts said Tuesday, before the Dodgers’ 7-6 win against the Rockies. “So I think that for me, trying to proactively pull conversations out of him, talk about life, talk about baseball, it just kind of opens things up, and I think that it’s freeing.
“He’s a cerebral guy by nature, internalizes a lot. But still, for me, he’s with a new ballclub, he’s scuffling, so I want to get that out of him.”
Tucker dropped a relatively easy fly ball during that game, and Roberts said:
“There’s indecision, and catching a baseball at your ankles kind of speaks to where his head is at right now. It’s not from lack of effort, or care. It’s just right now, I think he’s kind of fighting. So we’ve got to keep supporting him.”
Forgotten Dodger: Zack Wheat
Dodgers manager Wilbert Robinson, first baseman Jack Fournier and outfielder Zack Wheat in the dugout in 1921.
(Associated Press)
One of the things the Dodgers don’t do very well is celebrate their rich and diverse history, especially if something happened before 1947. With that in mind, this is the first in an occasional series of items looking at Dodgers that often get overlooked.
Zack Wheat played for the Dodgers from 1909 to 1926 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1959. He is still the all-time Dodgers leader in games played (2,322), hits (2,804), doubles (464), triples (171) and total bases (4,003).
He has yet to make the Dodgers Dugout Dodgers Hall of Fame. Of course, there aren’t a lot of people alive who saw Wheat play, probably hurting him in the voting. Many voters tell me that they can’t judge someone they never saw, but I don’t need to have seen Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tris Speaker or Al Simmons to know they were all-time greats.
Wheat’s best season might have been 1918, when he led the league with a .335 batting average. Or it might have been 1916, when he hit 32 doubles and 13 triples and led the league in slugging. Or it might have been 1922, when he hit .335 with 29 doubles, 12 triples, 16 homers and 112 RBIs. Or it might have been any number of other seasons. He finished with a .317 career batting average.
And don’t think he was only a hitting machine. He was a great defensive outfielder.
Baseball Magazine in 1918: “What Napoloen Lajoie was to infielders, Zack Wheat is to outfielders, the finest mechanical craftsman of them all. He is the easiest, most graceful of outfielders with no close rivals.”
Wheat got married during the 1912 season and his new wife, Daisy, became his agent. In the same Baseball Magazine story, she said, “I made him hold out each year for seven years and each time he got a raise.”
Other things of note about Wheat:
—He has an OPS+ of 130. Among Dodgers with 5,000 plate appearances (Wheat had almost 10,000), that is third all time, behind Duke Snider and Jackie Robinson.
—He is fourth in career WAR among batters, behind Snider, Robinson and Pee Wee Reese.
—To make money during the offseason, Wheat raised mules and sold them to the Army, which used them as pack animals during World War I. It was because of the money he made doing this that he was able to hold out for a better contract each offseason. The most money he earned in one season as a player was $16,000.
—Wheat recommended the Dodgers sign his longtime friend, Casey Stengel. It’s unlikely any other team would have signed him, so Wheat is basically responsible for Stengel’s career.
—Wheat and manager Wilbert Robinson never got along. Longtime Dodgers owner and team president Charles Ebbets died in 1925 and was replaced as team president by Ed McKeever, who named Wheat the manager of the team, making Robinson a front-office executive. McKeever died two weeks later, and, with no team president, the Dodgers’ board of directors named Robinson manager again.
—No longer needing Wheat and thinking he was getting too old, the Dodgers released him before the 1927 season so he could negotiate with any club he wanted to, instead of trading him to a team he didn’t wish to play for. Wheat signed with the Philadelphia A’s and hit .324 in 88 games.
—Wheat was listed as 5-10, 170 pounds, but many thought he was smaller than that. He wore a size 5 shoe and suffered from ankle problems throughout his career. A bruised heel brought an end to his career.
—Wheat didn’t stay in baseball when he retired. When asked why years later, he said, “Nobody asked me to.”
—Wheat was 10th all-time in hits when he retired, with 2,884.
—Wheat became a farmer after retiring, then became a police officer in Kansas City after the Depression caused him to sell his farm.
—While on a police call in 1936, Wheat crashed his car and suffered a fractured skull, broken wrist and 15 broken ribs. He spent five months in the hospital and retired as a police officer. He moved with his family to a lakeside house in Sunrise Beach, Mo., and opened a 46-acre hunting and fishing resort.
—Wheat was voted into the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1957. Unfortunately, he wasn’t eligible to be voted in by the Veterans Committee because he hadn’t been retired long enough. So they elected him again in 1959.
—When told he was finally elected for real, Wheat, 70, said, “That makes me feel mighty proud. I feel a little younger, too.”
—In 1971, Wheat was asked if he had any advice for boys who wanted to become major leaguers. “Yes,” he said. “Tell them to learn to chew tobacco.”
—Wheat was once asked his secret for playing so well for so long. He said: “I smoke as much as I want and chew tobacco a good deal of the time. I don’t pay any attention to the rules for keeping in physical condition. I think they are a lot of bunk. The less you worry about the effect of tea and coffee on the lining of your stomach, the longer you will live and the happier you will be.”
—Wheat died of a heart attack in Missouri on March 11, 1972. He was 83 years old.
Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
HOUSTON — Zach Neto was five for six with his 21st homer and a career-high seven RBIs and the Angels scored their most runs in three years to rout the Houston Astros 18-3 on Thursday night.
The Angels (51-77) had a season-high 18 hits and scored their most runs since a 25-1 victory over Colorado on June 24, 2023.
Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez (4-5) gave up just two unearned runs across seven innings while striking out six.
Peter Lambert (8-7) entered as Houston’s most consistent starter but had his worst outing of the season, giving up eight hits and nine runs in 3⅔ innings.
Houston slipped to 64-64 and saw its two-game lead in the AL West drop to one as Texas beat Washington.
In a scary moment in the fifth, Angels left fielder Wade Meckler was hit in the head by a 90-mph sinker from reliever Bryan King. The pitch appeared to hit Meckler on the helmet over his right ear. He was on the ground near home plate for a few minutes and was attended by medical staff before walking to the dugout and exiting the game.
Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel left in the sixth with right side soreness.
Up next: Angels LHP Reid Detmers (4-8, 3.78 ERA) was set to start against Rangers LHP MacKenzie Gore (7-9, 4.45) in Texas on Friday night. Astros RHP Hayden Wesneski (2-1, 5.16) was set to open a home series against Athletics RHP J.T. Ginn (8-7, 3.53).
The mayor of Como has banned riding bicycles in certain areas of the historic Italian city after he was hit by an electric one.
Alessandro Rapinese said the ban was necessary to improve public safety. It means from September, cyclists will have to dismount through an area of around 30 streets.
He told Italian news agency Ansa: “People act based on their own experiences and I know what it’s like to be hit by one of these beasts.”
Several other local authorities around Europe, including in the UK, have restricted where and how e-bikes and other single-person vehicles can be used.
The measure put forward by Rapinese is part of a package of new traffic regulations, establishing a Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL) to manage tourist growth, and which impose stricter rules on cars and vans in the city centre.
Many of the roads covered by the ban are the widest in the old town and are popular with delivery drivers.
The measure applies to both electric and push bikes, as the Italian highway code does not distinguish between models.
Rapinese explained his decision in a video as part of a series of online videos he produces himself, known as RapiNews24.
He recounted an incident in which he had been leaving city hall in July and collided with an e-bike shortly after his administration had discussed traffic restrictions in the city centre.
The cyclist involved in the collision has not been identified.
“In this case, I didn’t even end up in the hospital,” Rapinese said. “I was hit by a bike. I gathered information, and that’s where the measure came from.”
Authorities were warned about dangers of hitting Mohammad Ghamira, who suffered from the rare medical condition haemophilia.
A Syrian police officer has been arrested and may be criminally prosecuted after an investigation found that he hit a detainee with a medical condition who died shortly after being released from custody.
Syria’s Interior Ministry said on Thursday that Mohammad Ghamira, 29, died after being slapped by police investigator Ahmad Jawad, who has since been detained and referred to the public prosecutor.
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Ghamira, who died on Sunday, suffered from haemophilia, a rare condition that prevents blood from clotting properly, making sufferers bleed more easily and for longer periods.
The father of two was a member of the White Helmets, the civil defence organisation made up of volunteers that operated in rebel-held areas in Syria. They went on search and rescue operations and provided medical care following government attacks.
The investigation found that Ghamira had told internal security personnel about his condition, while his wife twice informed authorities about the potential danger.
Ahmad Latouf, head of the investigation committee and assistant interior minister for police affairs, confirmed that Ghamira died after suffering a brain haemorrhage believed to have been caused by the slap.
Two other police officers are also being investigated but are not currently due to be prosecuted.
Ghamira’s death has provoked widespread anger among Syrians, reminding many of the gross human rights abuses that were systematic under former President Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown by rebels in December 2024.
New leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has promised to usher in a new era, prioritising human rights and overseeing an inclusive government. However, human rights organisations have documented widespread abuses by government forces, particularly against minority groups.
Commenting on Ghamira’s death on Thursday, the Interior Ministry accused Jawad of violating ministerial instructions and the code of conduct, which strictly prohibit any form of humiliating or abusive treatment of detainees.
Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab said in a statement that the investigation results showed the ministry’s “commitment to reaching the truth and holding accountable those proven to have overstepped”.
“We rose up against the former tyrant’s regime in rejection of injustice and impunity, and therefore, building a state of law begins with our ability to hold the wrongdoer accountable, to give restitution to the victim, and not to do injustice to anyone who has not been proven responsible” for wrongdoing, he said.
Reporting from Syria’s northwestern port city of Latakia, Al Jazeera’s Heidi Pett said the Syrian government has vowed to take further action.
“There will be surveillance put into police stations and better training provided to officers but they say all of this will take time,” Pett said.
“Part of the reason it has resonated so widely is because of who Mohammad was. He was a young man, 29 years old, and he had two children and was a volunteer with the White Helmets. They were basically seen as heroes. His father joined the revolution and so he’s a figure who many people here in his community and nationally respected,” she added.
“That’s part of why there’s been so much sadness and anger and it’s also [because of] the fact that Mohammad is not the first to be mistreated in detention by the new authorities. Syrian rights organisations have documented other cases of deaths in detention.”
Ghamira was arrested last week accused of theft. He was later released and died at a hospital in Latakia on Sunday.
During a forensic examination, medical experts found no visible signs of violence or severe force, as well as no skull fractures or traumatic wounds.
Four workers in Japan have died after being struck by a train at Shin-Kanuma Station, north of Tokyo, authorities say.
The collision happened around 10:46 local time (01:46 GMT) while the workers were spraying herbicide, said the Tobu Railway, the operator of the line.
When emergency services arrived at the scene three workers were trapped under the train, while one was on the platform, police said.
Train service has been suspended on the Tobu Nikko Line due to the accident, according to Tobu Railway.
A passenger on the train told Japanese public broadcaster NHK that they heard a “strange noise” before the train made an emergency stop.
He said passengers were stuck on the train for a while as staff announced that they were investigating the noise.
Fatal train accidents are rare in Japan, which relies on a sprawling railway network.
The train involved in Thursday’s incident was a limited express train, according to NHK. These are the second-fastest trains in Japan, after the Shinkansen or bullet train.
Usually, there would be an employee stationed nearby to warn workers on the tracks of approaching trains – but it was unclear what the situation was like on Thursday morning when the accident happened, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported.
“The usual lookout system was operating as normal – when a train approaches, a lookout waves a flag and, once the driver acknowledges it, sounds the horn,” a representative from Tobu Railway told the BBC.
“We are currently investigating why the accident occurred despite this.”
HOUSTON — Ethan Pecko struck out four in his major-league debut, five Houston relievers pitched shutout ball for five-plus innings and Christian Vázquez homered as the Astros beat the Angels 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Pecko, a 2023 sixth-round selection by Houston, was ranked ninth in the Astros’ system by MLB Pipeline. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up three hits, two runs and two walks in 3 2/3 innings. He was the 17th starter used by the Astros this season, tying a franchise record set in 1965.
Vázquez’s solo homer, his seventh of the year, put the Astros ahead in the third inning.
Nick Allen pinch-hit for Jeremy Peña after Peña was hit by a 100-mph sinker on his hand in the first. The Astros said he had a bruised right hand.
In the same inning, manager Joe Espada was ejected after arguing a hit-by-pitch call.
Denzer Guzman put the Angels ahead in the fourth with what initially appeared to be a three-run homer. But, the call was changed to a two-run double due to fan interference.
Houston’s Jose Altuve tied the score with an RBI double in the bottom half of the inning, and Cam Smith put the Astros ahead with a sacrifice fly that scored Isaac Paredes.
Bennett Sousa (1-1) earned the win in relief and Josh Hader earned his 18th save.
Walbert Ureña (8-9) worked five innings for the Angels, giving up three runs and three hits with seven strikeouts.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. New ranking of the summer movies I’ve seen this year: 1. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”; 2. “The Odyssey”; 3. “Supergirl”; 4. “Young Washington”; 5. “Disclosure Day”; 6. “Masters of the Universe”; 7. “The Devil Wears Prada 2.” I keep including these just to annoy the one guy who calls me names for not having “Disclosure Day” last. I have to get thrills where I can get them.
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So, the Dodgers lost three of four to the Brewers, who now have clinched the tiebreaker over the Dodgers. They always have to do things the hard way. Some random thoughts about the Dodgers
—It’s time for Edwin Díaz to drop the Timmy Trumpet entrance and just come out like any other pitcher. When you have a 10.66 ERA and it’s August, perhaps it’s time to sneak into the game quietly.
—Dave Roberts had this answer when asked Thursday night, after Díaz blew a save, as to why he is still closer: “Give me another option. I have to have other options. And to be quite honest, none of those [other] guys really are throwing the baseball great. So that’s just kind of the way it is.”
—It is surprising to see Roberts throw the whole bullpen under the bus. But since he asked, here’s an option: Tanner Scott, who since the All-Star break has an 0.87 ERA in 12 games and 10.1 innings. He has three saves and has given up nine hits, six walks and has struck out 12. Not exactly Mariano Rivera, but better than the current guy.
—But here’s the other thing to keep in mind: The Dodgers seem to do this every year. They are going to give Díaz every chance to right the ship before the postseason, because having him in the bullpen would be great if he was pitching well. But, if he’s pitching like this when the postseason begins, he won’t get a lot of innings. Remember last season? Scott was terrible. He last pitched Sept. 26. He didn’t pitch at all in the postseason. Instead, they put Roki Sasaki in the bullpen and he was solid, though not the second coming of Éric Gagné as some seem to think.
—The Dodgers will figure out whom they trust near the end of September, and that will be the bullpen for the postseason. It will include starters and a guy who is just there to eat innings during big losses (think Will Klein last season. Yes, he saved the season in Game 3, but there was a reason he was the last guy out of the bullpen). And it will include the five to six relievers they trust the most. This happens every season, so this should not come as a surprise.
—Yes, it can be frustrating during the regular season. We in the media say “Greatest team ever!” “They could win 120 games!” But that’s never going to happen. The Dodgers are interested in one thing only: Winning the World Series. They have a plan as to how to approach it, and while it annoys some fans, they aren’t going to deviate from that plan. And why should they? They won three World Series, and almost another one in *2017.
*-The Astros cheated in that series.
—A look at some numbers:
Kyle Tucker at Dodger Stadium this year: .189/.286/.272 Tucker everywhere except Dodger Stadium this year: .275/.361/.469
That’s pretty incredible. In 239 career at-bats at Dodger Stadium (206 from this season), he is hitting .205/.307/.318.
The road Tucker is whom they signed, the home Tucker hits like a pitcher. Why? Could be any number of things.
The Dodgers are 14-15 since the All-Star break. Let’s see how the main people are hitting and pitching (through Sunday):
Freddie Freeman, .327/.367/.366 (109 plate appearances) Shohei Ohtani, .278/.336/.509 (119) Alex Call, .278/.350/.389 (20) Hunter Feduccia, .273/.304/.455 (23) Andy Pages, .270/.336/.398 (111) Teoscar Hernández, .267/.298/.422 (94) Miguel Rojas, .258/.314/.355 (35) Dalton Rushing, .250/.325/.472 (40) Mookie Betts, .238/.287/.386 (108) Max Muncy, .214/.298/.512 (94) Tommy Edman, .211/.272/.347 (103) Kyle Tucker, .188/.286/.353 (98) Ben Rortvedt, .182/.182/.182 (11) Kiké Hernández, .087/.125/.087 (24)
Team after the break: .248/.306/.403 Before the break: .262/.343/.434
Runs per game before the break: 5.22 Runs per game after the break: 3.93
They have lost their patience at the plate and their power. Not a good combination for winning games. These numbers will go up slightly though because of Monday’s 11-5 win over the Rockies.
Wrobleski, Stewart and Klein are on the IL, as is Blake Treinen.
Dodgers ERA after the break: 4.12 Before: 3.55
For those who think Roberts doesn’t notice these things, here’s what he had to say after Sunday’s loss:
“This has been cumulative. It’s been a long time since we’ve been consistent offensively. … I just don’t see the consistent plan of attack, one through nine. The results are hard, hitting’s hard, but I do think that fighting and winning pitches, spoiling pitches — that’s care, hunger. And that’s a reason why [when] you look at four and a half months of the season, the Brewers have outscored us. … A team that’s young and hungry. It’s certainly not talent.
“We just haven’t played clean baseball for quite some time, and that speaks to the defense and not converting an out … it’s just not winning baseball. Our pedigree [and] what we typically do is control the zone, grind it, grind at-bats [and] create stress. We’re not doing that.”
Tommy John dies
Former Dodger Tommy John, who had an arm surgery named after him, died Sunday at 83. He took part in this newsletter’s “Ask….” series last year and here are a couple of highlights:
Bud Layne of Parkersburg, W.V., asked: First, I would just like to join the crowd and say that Tommy John belongs in Cooperstown. Hope it is soon, as my time on this earth is growing short at 82 years old, and I am hopeful that the event takes place in my lifetime. My question: Do you think falling short of 300 career victories is the main hindrance of you not being able to join the immortals in Cooperstown? And, if not, what do you think is the reason?
John: I too will be 82 in May of this year. There is no rhyme or reason why I’m not in the Hall of Fame. I have no idea. I had 288 wins. I lost a season and a half which would’ve brought me to more than likely the 300 mark. I had 188 no decisions. I don’t know if it’s because my name is mentioned almost every day or that it is their jealousy that I have a surgery named after me. I have no idea. All I know is I am very proud of my career and the teams that I played for.
Drew Taylor of Huntington Beach asked: What was going through your mind after having your surgery and being told the odds were 100-1 against you returning to pitch, what drove you to defy those odds?
John: All my life starting as a child all I wanted to do was pitch. When I was given the odds, I figured 1% was better than nothing and I had just become a new dad for the first time. I told Dr. [Frank] Jobe if you do your job I will do more than mine. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time with the right doctor and team.
Tony Smith of Los Angeles asked: You played for two of the most emotional managers in history in Tommy Lasorda and Billy Martin. How would you compare the two and did you have a favorite manager in your career?
John: I loved playing for Tommy Lasorda. He loved all the players. Tommy just made the game fun. Billy was a good manager, but he was very high strung. Tommy just enjoyed the game, his team and all the celebrities who came out to celebrate the Dodgers.
—OK, back to your humble host here. Let’s face it: John should be in the Hall of Fame. He won 288 games, pitched in 26 seasons. That alone would be enough. But if you add in the fact that he underwent what was basically experimental surgery, a surgery that saved his career and went on to save the careers of hundreds of pitchers, then he should be in.
Imagine you were in the hospital for something and the surgeon can fix it, but he says, “I have to try a surgery that has never been done before.” I mean, what thoughts went through John’s head? Maybe he’d lose the use of his arm altogether. It couldn’t have been an easy decision. And sure, someone later would have said yes if he said no. But being the first counts for something. We remember Neil Armstrong more than the other brave men who landed on the moon for a reason. He (and Buzz Aldrin) were the first.
John was pitching on July 17, 1974, when he hurt his arm. “Right at the point where my arm is back and bent, something happened,” he told The Times. “It was as if I had left my arm someplace else. It was as if my left arm had just flown off my body, away from the rest of me.” He said he felt no pain, but after blooping two pitches up to the mound, he signaled for Dodgers manager Walter Alston to take him out. He eventually saw Dr. Jobe , and the rest is history. Jobe took a tendon from John’s right arm, threaded it through holes he had drilled in John’s left elbow and hoped it all would work. And it did, with John returning to the mound on April 16, 1976.
John before the surgery: 124-106, 2.97 ERA, 116 ERA+ After the surgery: 164-125, 3.66 ERA, 107 ERA+
On a personal note, I got John’s autograph at the Carson Mall in 1977. I was a big Dodger fan and knew who he was, but was too young to understand the history. There were a bunch of kids in line, and many dads or older brothers who were interested in seeing him (autographs were for 12 and under only). As I got closer to the front of the line, I noticed that John always took an extra moment to ask the kid about himself. He made each child feel important. It’s something I never forgot. And, when I asked him to do the Q&A, he and his wife, Cheryl, could not have been more pleasant. Sincere condolences to his entire family. He will always be a Hall of Famer in my mind, and I hope he is for real at some point.
The postseason
Here’s a look at the NL. Remember, the three division winners plus the next three teams with the best record make the postseason. The two division winners with the best record get a first-round bye.
Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Government borrowing costs are surging on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Long-term bond yields across Europe’s biggest economies hit multi-year highs on Tuesday, while the yield on 30-year US Treasuries rose to its highest level in nearly two decades.
The sell-off came as hopes of a swift resolution to the Iran conflict faded, pushing oil prices higher and renewing concerns about persistent inflation. International benchmark Brent crude traded at nearly $91 a barrel on Tuesday morning amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.
“The breakdown in US-Iran peace talks has increased the risk that energy prices remain elevated for the rest of the year, which could keep inflation higher than expected and increase the chance of central banks raising rates,” Richard Carter, head of fixed interest research at Quilter Cheviot, told Euronews Business.
Investors are increasingly betting on tighter monetary policy in the eurozone, with the ECB deposit rate expected to reach 2.76% by March 2027, up from 2.25% currently.
According to Trading Economics, investors see a 90% probability of a September rate hike by the European Central Bank (ECB).
At the same time, in the US, the 30-year Treasury yield reached 5.33%, a level not seen since 2007. In the UK, the 30-year gilt traded at 5.85% — its highest level since May 2026.
As government bonds came under renewed selling pressure globally, France’s 10-year bond yield rose to 4.10% on Tuesday morning, its highest level since June 2009.
Germany’s 10-year Bund yield, the benchmark for the eurozone, climbed above 3.25%, reaching its highest level since March 2011.
France’s 30-year bond yield reached its highest level since 2008, amid a global bond sell-off and growing concern about the country’s 2027 budget negotiations and next year’s presidential election. Germany’s 30-year bond yield rose to 3.78%, its highest level in 15 years.
Rising long-dated bond yields are not driven solely by expectations of higher interest rates and inflation fears.
“Investors are concerned about the scale of borrowing in major economies including the UK, France and Japan,” Carter continued, adding that “significant volumes of AI-related bond issuance have also added to supply, creating further pressure on prices and pushing yields higher.
Higher borrowing costs put pressure on economies and raise financing costs across a range of investments.
As government debt offices constantly raise money through bond markets, the effect of the jump in yields will gradually feed into their borrowing costs as they refinance maturing debt.
Italy is expected to refinance maturing debt equivalent to 17% of GDP in 2026, according to S&P Global Ratings, compared with 12% for France and 7% each for Germany and the UK.
For now, bond markets are likely to remain sensitive to developments in both geopolitics and economic data,” Carter said.
He added that bonds remain attractive to investors because yields are historically high and comfortably exceed inflation, offering a positive return after price rises are taken into account.
Stephen A. Smith fired back at the National Assn. of Black Journalists on Monday, calling its decision to give him a “Thumbs Down” award, because of his consistent criticism of Black female politicians, a political and “personal hit job.”
In a 44-minute address on his YouTube channel, the outspoken sports commentator said that while he was “far from perfect and … will always try to do better on behalf of my community and for the journalism community and beyond, that does not negate the bulls— that the NABJ did.”
He added, “I’ve received a lot of insults in my day, but that might be the lowest.”
Smith said the award, which was given Saturday at the organization’s gala, had nothing to do with journalism, attributing the dishonor to board members unhappy with his political opinions. “They did not engage in journalism when it came to critiquing me,” he said.
“People are scared,” he added, calling himself a registered independent. “See, I talk too much and I don’t speak glowingly enough about the Democratic party.” He called out NABJ President Errin Haines, who is editor-at-large for the nonprofit news outlet the 19th, saying she and other board members did not reach out.
“What you did to me was beneath the organization,” Smith said.
He said he invited Haines to discuss the award on the air but she declined, saying she would prefer a private conversation off the air.
The NABJ pushed back on Smith‘s account of the conversation. “President Haines welcomed the opportunity to speak with Mr. Smith and proposed that they begin with a private conversation focused on listening, accountability and meaningful dialogue, with the opportunity for public engagement to follow,” it said Monday in a statement. “At no point did President Haines decline a conversation with Mr. Smith or rule out a future public conversation.”
Other recipients of the “Thumbs Down” award included Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission; DuJuan McCoy, Circle City Broadcasting president and chief executive; CBS News and the Washington Post.
The statement continued: “As President Haines emphasized in her remarks Saturday night, the purpose of the Thumbs Down Award is not permanent condemnation or criticism for criticism’s sake. Accountability should create an opportunity for reflection, dialogue and progress. NABJ remains open to meaningful engagement with any of this year’s recipients and will continue fulfilling its responsibility to advocate for Black journalists, fair and accurate coverage of Black communities, and a strong and independent press.”
In its presentation of the award, the NABJ said Smith “has established a recurring public pattern of disparaging commentary directed at prominent Black women across politics, sports and media.”
The statement continued, “Such commentary reinforces harmful narratives, undermines the fair and respectful representation of Black women in public discourse and stands in direct conflict with NABJ’s longstanding commitment to accurate, responsible and inclusive portrayals of Black communities.”
Smith then took to social media vowing he would strike back: “This is the epitome of Christmas arriving early. The NABJ wants to call folks out, fine! You had your turn, now mine is coming. And make no mistake…..,I’m coming,” he wrote.
Smith has been increasingly vocal about his politics as he hints at a possible presidential run. His statements, bombastic delivery and occasional praise for President Trump have come under fire in Black media and with celebrities. He accused Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas last September of using “street verbiage” in her frequent criticisms of Trump. He also has been critical of former First Lady Michelle Obama, former Vice President Kamala Harris, tennis star Serena Williams and others.
Smith defended those remarks Monday, saying he felt he was being fair and was supportive of the women. He declared that supporting Black women always has been a priority in his life.
“Everything I am, everything that I have achieved, everything that has lifted me up in my life has been associated with Black women. They have been my strength, my source of inspiration and so much more my entire life,” he said.
He added that he would not have been targeted by the Black media if he made the same sort of comments about conservative figures.
During his speech, he noted how the “Thumbs Down” award marked a reversal of NABJ’s previous embrace of him and his ESPN show “First Take,” when it hosted live broadcasts of the program during its 2024 and 2025 conventions. Smith also implied that instead of being hammered by the NABJ, he should be celebrated because he is about to be inducted into the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame.
The NABJ statement further outlined the history of the “Thumbs Down” award, saying it has been handed out 44 times since it was first presented in 1989. The designation holds “individuals and institutions across the media landscape accountable when their reporting, commentary or practices have conflicted with the organization’s mission and values. Recipients over the years have included Black and non-Black individuals and institutions. NABJ calls balls and strikes based on the conduct and issues before us, not the identity of the recipient.”
Despite his anger, Smith told listeners he had no ill will toward the organization. “Please continue to support the NABJ,” he said.
BBC Breakfast viewers were stunned by the quick change
BBC Breakfast was hit with a scheduling change this morning(Image: BBC)
BBC Breakfast viewers have been hit with an unexpected scheduling change this morning.
The hit breakfast show airs every morning from 6am on BBC One with a regular panel of presenters and experts on hand to deliver all the latest news stories, sports and expert insight into what’s going on across the UK.
According to the BBC, a synopsis reads: “The latest news, sport, business and weather from the BBC’s Breakfast team.”
This morning (Sunday, August 16) hosts Roger Johnson and Luxmy Gopal returned to the BBC Breakfast couch on BBC One. However, it wasn’t long before their broadcast was interrupted and they moved channels.
Just over an hour into the show, BBC Breakfast moved from BBC One to BBC Two. This is because of the European Athletics Championships which is reporting live from Birmingham, covering the “opening session on day seven.”
Before the change over, Roger said: “It’s almost time for us to say goodbye on BBC One but Breakfast continues on BBC Two and BBC News channel until 9 o’clock this morning, lots to come from the programme.”
After the quick channel change, Roger told viewers: “If you’ve followed us over from BBC One, thank you for hitting the button, we’re here on BBC Two and the BBC News Channel until 9 o’clock this morning, it’s good to have your company.”
Reacting to the channel change, one person wrote on X: “We haven’t turned over to bbc2 for ages. B***** football probably.”
Another penned: “What you mean I have to lift the remote control and press a button?? When is Newswatch back on??”
Tomorrow’s instalment is expected to continue as usual on BBC One, from 6am to 9.30am.
The programme continued seamlessly as they jumped into their next segment of the importance of pet food banks, with donations dropping off as they struggle to meet the demand of pet owners.
Appearing on the programme, one pet owner Vicky told of her story when she struggled to pay for food for her beloved pets. She said: “Husband was promised work, payments stopped for the work. We were literally living off of peanuts.
“I just remember crying, it was coming up to Christmas. But it was thanks to the pet foodbank that I was able to keep my dogs.”
BBC Breakfast airs every morning from 6am on BBC One
Reid Detmers pitched eight scoreless innings, Nolan Schanuel had an RBI single in the eighth and the Angels outlasted the Kansas City Royals 1-0 on Saturday night.
Detmers (4-8) gave up two hits, no walks and struck out 11 for his first win this season at Angel Stadium, breaking an 0-5 spell and a streak of 12 games resulting in a loss or no-decision. Ben Joyce worked a hitless ninth for his second save, as the Angels (49-75) won for the fourth time in five games.
In the eighth inning, Jose Siri came on as pinch-runner after Wade Meckler walked. Siri stole second, and Schanuel brought him home on the go-ahead RBI single. Schanuel had three of the Angels’ six hits, finishing three for three.
Nate Pearson (2-1) gave up the winning run for Kansas City (50-74). Randy Dobnak worked 5⅔ scoreless innings during his start, fanning six and giving up four hits.
Kansas City’s Jac Caglianone extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
Yemen’s Ministry of Information denounces Houthi attacks on Marib as ‘escalation’ that threatens lives and increases suffering.
Published On 15 Aug 202615 Aug 2026
Yemen’s Houthis have launched several strikes on the government-held city of Marib, also hitting residential neighbourhoods, according to local authorities.
The group hit the city with four ballistic missiles and four drones on Saturday, causing several injuries and damage to homes, vehicles and property, Marib’s provincial authority said.
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A fifth ballistic missile later in the day also injured one person, Marib governorate officials said on X.
A sixth ballistic missile was launched by the Houthis towards Marib overnight, officials added early on Sunday.
It described the strikes as part of an “ongoing assault that threatens the lives of civilians, displaced persons’ camps, and residential neighbourhoods”.
Marib hosts the largest number of internally displaced people in Yemen, with more than two million of the roughly five million Yemenis forced from their homes over the course of the war living there.
Video footage verified by Al Jazeera showed destruction in the aftermath of Saturday’s strikes.
Yemen’s Ministry of Information said on X that the continued targeting of Marib’s densely populated areas marked a dangerous “escalation” that threatens lives and increases suffering.
The attacks on Marib came alongside clashes further south, where Yemeni government forces claimed drone strikes killed three fighters from the Iran-backed Houthis on Saturday, including field commanders, and wounded others along the Maqbanah front west of Taiz.
A separate strike destroyed a Houthi military vehicle in Jabal al-Zuhayb, killing several more fighters, a military source told the Yemeni News Agency (Saba).
The attacks are part of a rapid escalation that has gripped Yemen since early August, when Houthi missile and drone strikes on military camps in Marib and Hadramout killed at least 30 government soldiers, the deadliest single episode of the conflict in years.
Days later, Houthi missiles killed at least two civilians and wounded 14 in Marib, and further strikes killed seven people in the port city of al-Makha (Mocha).
United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg warned the UN Security Council on Thursday that Yemen faces its highest risk of returning to full-scale war since the UN-brokered truce of April 2022, as fighting has intensified on multiple fronts and threatens to unravel more than four years of relative calm.
Jac Caglianone homered and drove in five runs on a three-hit night, Michael Massey also homered and had three hits and the Kansas City Royals beat the Angels 7-6 on Friday to snap a four-game losing streak.
John Schreiber, Nate Pearson and Steven Cruz threw scoreless relief innings for the Royals, with Cruz finishing for his fourth save.
Nolan Schanuel had two hits and four RBIs for the Angels (48-75). They had won three straight.
After Josh Lowe’s solo homer off Alex Lange (2-7) gave the Angels a 6-5 lead in the sixth, Kansas City (50-73) scored twice off Tayler Saucedo (0-1) in the seventh to make it 7-6.
Caglianone is batting .438 (21 for 48) with five homers and 18 RBIs during a 12-game hitting streak. In the ninth, he took second on an error and scored on Massey’s two-out RBI single to finish the scoring.
Caglianone’s two-run homer — his 22nd of the season — off left-hander Sammy Peralta gave Kansas City a 5-4 lead in the fifth.
Royals starter Seth Lugo gave up five runs and seven hits in 4⅔ innings.
Up next: Royals RHP Randy Dobnak (2-1, 2.00 ERA) was set to oppose Angels LHP Reid Detmers (3-8, 4.00 ERA) on Saturday night.
Kyiv targets Baltic oil hub and warehouse near Moscow with drones, as regional alerts prompt security measures in Latvia and Finland.
Published On 14 Aug 202614 Aug 2026
Russia says its forces have struck a railway station at the Ukrainian Danube port of Izmail and two vessels near Mykolaiv, as Ukrainian drones hit targets inside Russia, including a Baltic oil export hub and a warehouse near Moscow.
The Russian Ministry of Defence said on Friday that the railway station in Izmail was being used to load, store, and transport military cargo and fuel for Ukraine’s armed forces, according to state news agency TASS.
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The ministry added that Russian forces struck two tugboats off the coast of Mykolaiv that it claimed were escorting cargo vessels carrying weapons to Ukrainian ports.
The developments follow Russian attacks a day earlier that damaged port infrastructure and caused power cuts in Izmail, a vital export hub on the Danube River near the Romanian border.
Ukrainian drones target Ust-Luga and Tver
Meanwhile, Russian authorities said a Ukrainian drone attack triggered a fire at Ust-Luga, a major Baltic Sea oil export port in the Leningrad region.
Regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko said the fire had been brought under control and cleared with no casualties reported. He added that more than 50 drones had been shot down overnight in the region surrounding St Petersburg.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian refineries, ports, and energy infrastructure to raise the economic cost of Moscow’s war effort. More than a dozen major Russian refineries have been hit, contributing to domestic fuel shortages.
Further south, the governor of Russia’s Tver region said drone debris damaged a warehouse wall belonging to online retailer Wildberries northwest of Moscow. No injuries were reported. Wildberries facilities have been hit more than 20 times over the past month.
Due to the drone activity, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsia, temporarily restricted flights at all Moscow-area airports to ensure flight safety, according to TASS.
The overnight drone activity also prompted defensive measures elsewhere in the Baltic region.
Latvia’s armed forces said fighter jets shot down a drone that entered its airspace. Meanwhile, Finland temporarily restricted maritime movement in parts of the Baltic Sea as a precaution against potential drone incidents.
