Outer Banks officially came to an end with a heartwarming final scene, but one thing was missing.
Outer Banks season 5 was an emotional rollercoaster for fans(Image: NETFLIX)
Outer Banks fans struggled to make it through the final season following a devastating death.
Outer Banks is back with a fifth and final season on Netflix and fans have already binged their way through all 10 episodes.
The final outing saw the Pogues cope with a tragic loss and seek revenge, while racing around the world to claim back the Blue Crown. Fans were quick to point out the notable absence of JJ Maybank (played by Rudy Pankow), a beloved Pogue who died in the season four finale.
*Warning: this story contains spoilers for Outer Banks*
He was fatally stabbed by his biological father, Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane), and fans were devastated at the tragic loss. While watching the season five episodes, they admitted the series “didn’t feel the same” without JJ.
They flocked to X to share their thoughts, with one saying: “I hoped so much that JJ would come back to life thanks to the Blue Crown, but it was no use. I mean, why is it always my favourite characters?”
Another shared: “It’s really hard watching this show with JJ gone, it just doesn’t feel the same, he should be there with them [crying emojis].”
The finale included a group shot of the gang, but JJ was missing, and one fan pointed out: “The last frame being just the Pogues. But JJ should be there, man.”
Another viewer commented: “JJ was genuinely one of the best characters in Outer Banks. Season 5 didn’t hit the same without him…” Someone else shared: “20mins into Episode 1 of @obxnetflix and it already feels weird without JJ.”
Fans were also emotional over a heartbreaking flashback scene, which depicted the first time JJ and his best friend-turned-love interest, Kiara Carrera (Madison Bailey), met as young children.
“That JJ & Kiara flashback of when they were young and they first met [crying emoji],” one fan said, while a second echoed: “The first time Kiara and JJ met. Aww, my babies [crying and heartbreak emojis].”
Just before the final season dropped, it was announced that a prequel series had been given the green light and would detail the origin story of the feud between the Pogues and the Kooks.
Set 20 years before the events of Outer Banks, creator Josh Pate explained the premise to Deadline: “It really is the story of how the island split — and it’s particularly relevant in our country right now — how it split into the haves and have-nots, how the Kooks and the Pogues started. How did this rift start?”
Creator Shannon Burke added: “And seen through the stories of some of the characters you know and some new characters. But they’re 20 years before, so it’s the parents’ generation.”
Outer Banks featured John B (Chase Stokes) and JJ’s dads, as well as Sarah (Madelyn Cline) and Rafe Cameron’s (Drew Starkey) dad, Pope’s (Jonathan Daviss) and Kiara’s parents and Topper’s (Austin North) mother and grandfather.
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.
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Nico Hansen finished with one save and had his third consecutive shutout to help the Colorado Rapids beat LAFC 1-0 Wednesday night.
The Rapids (9-10-1) have won three consecutive games, all by shutout, and four of five since the World Cup break.
LAFC (10-7-4) is winless in three straight for the first time this season.
The Rapids took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute on an own goal by Jeremy Ebobisse. Youssef Maziz played a free kick from the right side into the area that was redirected by Ebobisse off the back post and into the net.
Cabral Carter made his first start in MLS and finished with three saves.
LAFC and the Rapids played to a 0-0 tie in Los Angeles on April 22.
WASHINGTON — Sonia Citron scored 21 points, Shakira Austin had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and the Washington Mystics rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Sparks 80-70 on Saturday night.
Former USC star Kiki Iriafen added 19 points and eight rebounds for Washington (20-14), which was coming off two straight losses at Las Vegas. Citron had eight assists and six rebounds.
Austin’s layup with six minutes left in the fourth quarter gave Washington a 65-64 lead, its first advantage since it was 41-39 at halftime. With three minutes left, Citron hit a three-pointer for a 74-69 lead and the Mystics closed it out with a 9-1 run.
Washington outscored the Sparks 25-12 in the fourth quarter.
The Sparks led 26-24 one minute into the second quarter before Washington went on an 11-2 run in the next three minutes to lead 35-28. Two three-pointers from Burrell and one from Erica Wheeler got the Sparks within 41-39 at halftime.
Wheeler and Burrell opened the second half with back-to-back threes and the Sparks led 52-43 three minutes into the third quarter. The Mystics scored the next eight points and the Sparks held a 58-55 lead heading to the fourth.
The Mystics had won seven straight before their back-to-back losses to the Aces.
The Sparks have lost four straight and 11 of 13. Cameron Brink (ribs) did not play, two days after she took a shoulder to the midsection from New York’s Breanna Stewart.
The school year is beginning in the Los Angeles area, with LAUSD back this week and Pasadena Unified School District starting Monday. My 10-year-old daughter just got her new backpack and shoes and is aflutter about her return for her final year of elementary school. But she’s sad about one thing in particular: Last year her school had to choose to keep PE or art. It voted for art. She loved both, and didn’t think the choice was fair. I asked her to write about it and said I’d share her thoughts with readers.
For context, late last school year PUSD laid off more than 150 full-time-equivalent certificated positions. According to United Teachers of Pasadena President Jonathan Gardner, that number included almost 25 art, music, dance, orchestra and choir teachers. It also included librarians, coordinators for special education and counselors, and, of course, plenty of irreplaceable regular teachers. It’s a bitter pill for educators and parents to swallow, especially when the country is spending billions on an ill-advised war in Iran that was never approved by Congress and many people in the city are struggling to afford groceries and healthcare.
My daughter, Henri Boo Biller, gets into that a bit in her essay:
“Because the district couldn’t pay for certain activities and classes anymore, subjects like art, music and PE have ended. Some people have protested about these layoffs and budget cuts, but the children are especially sad.
Kids love and adore some of these teachers that have been teaching them how to draw or play a sport or musical instrument. Taking away these activities is ending certain opportunities for kids. For example, kids love to run and play just as much as they love to draw and sculpt. Taking away one of the two wouldn’t mean that the kid doesn’t still want to do it!
One of the subjects they’ve been taking away in some schools is music. This is a problem because some kids can’t afford instruments or lessons from an expensive instructor. That’s why music is so important, to let kids learn an instrument without having to pay big bucks for it. Taking away that is taking away a giant opportunity. The instruments the kids are learning, such as trumpet, trombone, flute, guitar, saxophone, cello and violin are expensive instruments that are hard to find, or at least hard to find in good condition.”
I’ll interject here. This is true. My family benefits from a school-loaned saxophone for my daughter.
In her essay, my kiddo interviewed her neighbor and best friend who lives across the street, asking her what she thought should be done about these budget cuts. Her answer broke my heart.
Q. What do you think we can do about these changes? A. Have more fundraising events throughout the year. As well as school sales, bake sales and lemonade stands.
My daughter continues, “As [my friend] mentioned, we could hold more school sales like bake sales and lemonade stands. But we could also think about why this is happening. The money that is usually going to schools across the country is instead being used by the government to buy more weapons for the war in Iran [editor’s note: we have discussed that one thing being funded doesn’t necessarily take away from another, and that it is really a matter of what we prioritize as a society] … and because of this PUSD and other districts are having to take away certain programs. Some of these programs are even their main selling point! Programs like art, music and PE are being shut down, ending certain opportunities for children. We can try to get some of that money back, like the interview stated, or protest to show the world we mean business. Thank you for your time. Next week I will come back with an equally intriguing topic. Have a nice rest of your week! I’m Henri B. Biller, signing out.”
As her mother, I vote for protest! We do mean business, right?
I’m arts editor Jessica Gelt sending my love to the teachers of the city. This is your arts and culture news for the week.
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The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
Battleship Potemkin Sergei Eisenstein’s epic 1925 silent film screens with the world premiere of a live music score for string quartet and vocal quintet composed and conducted by George Sarah. Sarah also performs on synths/electronics, joined by soprano Jenna Hansen, mezzo soprano Anna Caplan, tenors George Sterne and Sean McDermott, Kaija Hansen on violin/viola, Katie Kim on violin and cellists Carolyn Regula and Paul Hyun. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. sierramadreplayhouse.org
SUNDAY
Jas Ahluwalia and Kamaljeet Ahluwalia of Absolute Focus.
(Sierra Madre Playhouse; courtesy of the artist)
Absolute Focus + Chris Votek The husband-and-wife duo of Santoor virtuoso Kamaljeet Ahluwalia and tabla master Jas Ahluwalia are joined by cellist Votek for an afternoon of traditional Hindustani raga. 4 p.m. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. sierramadreplayhouse.org
Pacific Chorale’s Choral Festival The annual event brings hundreds of community members together with the voices of the Chorale for Maurice Duruflé’s “Requiem.” Robert Istad conducts the Pacific Chorale’s Festival Chorus. 5 p.m. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. pacificchorale.org
TUESDAY
Gershwin, Bernstein & More Gianandrea Noseda and the National Symphony Orchestra make their Bowl debut with music from “West Side Story,” “An American in Paris” and Dvořák’s “From the New World.” 8 p.m. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N Highland Ave., Hollywood. hollywoodbowl.com
WEDNESDAY
An Enemy of the People Director Bart DeLorenzo has reimagined Henrik Ibsen’s classic play to highlight its contemporary resonance in a society in decline. The cast includes Lauren Campedelli, DeJuan Christopher, Dennis Dun, Clay Hollander, Jason McBeth, Cara Mitsuko and Jay Paulson. Previews, 8 p.m. Wednesday-Aug. 21; opening night, 8 p.m. Aug. 22; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and Wed. Sept. 16; 3 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 27. Odyssey Ensemble Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. odysseytheatre.com
Herbie Hancock performs at the 2026 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
(Amy Harris / Invision / AP)
Herbie Hancock Celebrates Miles Davis The Grammy-winning keyboardist has recruited a stellar lineup including two of Miles Davis’ former bassists — Ron Carter and Marcus Miller — trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard, former Davis saxophonist Kenny Garrett, bassist Christian McBride and conductor-arranger Vince Mendoza, to honor Davis through his music. 8 p.m. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com
THURSDAY
Presented in VistaVision A tribute to the cinematography technique created by Paramount Pictures in 1954. Its popularity waned in the 1960s but contemporary filmmakers such as Brady Corbet, Yorgos Lanthimos and Paul Thomas Anderson have embraced the format. The series begins with John Ford’s “The Searchers” (1956) in 70mm on Thursday, and includes “North by Northwest” (1959), also in 70mm, and “One Battle After Another” (2025), the first film shot in VistaVision to win the Academy Award for best picture. 7:30 p.m. Thursday; the series continues through Aug. 31. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org
Gustavo Dudamel conducts his final concert in Disney Hall as L.A. Phil music director on June 7.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Celebrating Gustavo at the Bowl As Gustavo Dudamel departs L.A. for New York, he goes out with a bang of four nights with four different programs: Beethoven Ninth with the L.A. Phil and YOLA on Thursday; Gustavo’s Fiesta, with Los Tigres del Norte, singer-songwriter Lila Downs, Mariachi Reyna de Los Ángeles, singer Sílvia Pérez Cruz, La Sonora Dinamita and Los Panchos, joining with the L.A. Phil for a night of Latin music on Aug. 21; Foo Fighters with the L.A. Phil and YOLA on Aug. 22; and last, but not least, “A Concert for Venezuela: A Benefit to Support Earthquake Relief” on Aug. 23. 8 p.m. Thursday-Aug. 22; 7 p.m. Aug. 23. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com
— Kevin Crust
Retrospective
L.A. Times arts coverage from the past …
Lynda Benglis. “MI,” 1984. Glass, sandcast, powdered; ceramic oxides, metal inclusions 13 1/2 x 17 x 16 in. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of Daniel Greenberg and Susan Steinhauser.
(Museum Associates / LACMA; Lynda Benglis / VAGA, New York)
Shattering expectations
Aug. 6, 2006
It was 1986 and Daniel Greenberg and Susan Steinhauser were 10 years into their passion for collecting glass art. Their home was lined with the kinds of works they loved.
That was when Stephanie Barron, a curator at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, called to suggest that they look at an unusual piece at Margo Leavin Gallery in West Hollywood. Titled “MI,” it was a thick twist of sand-cast glass with a roughened texture reminiscent of glass unearthed from ancient sites. Even more unusual, the artist was Lynda Benglis, better known for avant-garde sculpture and performance and video work.
It was as if glass, as an artistic medium, had reached a critical juncture. “A whole group of artists who were not part of the glass movement but who worked in glass suddenly appeared,” Greenberg says.
He and Steinhauser viewed “MI” with puzzlement at first, then respect and finally appreciation. “This was part of our learning experience,” he said. “It expanded our horizons.” The couple helped LACMA purchase the piece. READ MORE
— Scarlett Cheng
Culture news and the SoCal scene
Anthony Hopkins at Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles on Aug. 1.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Anthony Hopkins’ first love was music, and, at 88, he’s returned to it. Later this month, the two-time Academy Award-winning actor will release his debut album, “Life Is a Dream,” on Decca Classics, featuring London’s Philharmonia Orchestra and conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.
Dudamel will play his final show at the Hollywood Bowl later this month as the music and artistic director of the L.A. Phil, and although the city has had years to get used to the idea of losing him, it still stings. In a tender, thoughtful column filled with insider information, Times classical music critic Mark Swed looks back at Dudamel’s arrival in L.A. more than 20 years ago to track how the Venezuelan wunderkind went from “rising star to star to savior.”
Swed also broke the news that German composer and conductor Matthias Pintscher will be Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s new music director, replacing Jaime Martín beginning in the 2027-28 season. “Pintscher, who is 55, says he is not ready to make any grand statements about LACO other than being eager to explore West Coast music and that he loves combining old with everything else,” Swed wrote.
Michael Shaeffer as King Aerys II Targaryen in the “Game of Thrones: The Mad King,” which opened Saturday at Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
(Johan Persson)
The wildly popular “Game of Thrones” franchise, which began in book form and spawned one of HBO’s most successful series of all time, is branching out to the stage. A 3.5-hour play, “Game of Thrones: The Mad King,” opened last weekend at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Author George R. R. Martin was in attendance to celebrate, and audiences seemed delighted by the expansion of the fantasy world-building effort, with many fan questions answered.
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art this week announced its flagship restaurant: Skywalker Grill, inspired by founder George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch in Marin County. The restaurant is located on the top floor of the museum with sweeping views of the city. It will be open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch with hours that last long after the museum closes. Think American cuisine with California-sourced ingredients, including a signature Skywalker Ranch Wagyu burger.
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Self Help Graphics & Art announced the launch of a $6-million capital campaign for the completion of its permanent home at 1300 E. 1st St. in Boyle Heights. The fund is intended for the final phase of a major renovation that will turn the space into a destination arts and culture center. The goal is to complete the project by the end of the year.
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.
The second pitch Edwin Díaz threw Thursday night sailed above the strike zone, at about eye-height on Milwaukee’s William Contreras. It was an early indicator that the Dodgers closer was about to have a brutal ninth inning.
By the end of his third blown save in four appearances, even Díaz wasn’t sure what his role would be going forward.
“Now I’ve just got to see what they want to do,” he said after the Dodgers’ 5-4 loss to the Brewers. “I want to do the best thing for the team. At the end of the day, if they give me the ball in the ninth I will try to do my job. If they give me the ball in another inning, I will try to do my job. Got to get better, be consistent.”
Manager Dave Roberts, however, as he looked at the state of his bullpen, wasn’t ready to take the closer title from Díaz.
“Give me another option,” Roberts said. “To be quite honest, none of those guys really are throwing the baseball great. So that’s just kind of the way it is.”
The series opener between the Dodgers and Brewers, two of the top teams in the National League, saw Roki Sasaki give up just two runs over six innings despite battling command issues. It included a record-setting go-ahead home run from Max Muncy, his 131st at Dodger Stadium, breaking a tie with Eric Karros for the most all-time at Chavez Ravine.
Then Díaz, who has been working through an evolving set of issues since returning from the injured list (arthroscopic elbow surgery) a couple of weeks ago, took over with a two-run lead. And the game went sideways.
The Dodgers (73-49) fell two games back of the Brewers (75-47) and half a game behind the Braves (73-48).
“A loss is a loss, but there’s certain losses that are more costly,” Roberts said. “And when you use five relievers and you lose a game, that’s costly.”
Dodgers pitcher Edwin Díaz reacts after giving up the tying run in the ninth inning against the Brewers on Thursday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Though Díaz’s command issues flared early, he struck out Contreras to begin the inning. Then he gave up four consecutive singles.
“I think my fastball command today — I was throwing strikes, but right in the middle,” Díaz said. “Every big league hitter can hit it right in the middle, [even if you] throw 200 miles an hour. I’ve got to get better at that.”
Milwaukee’s Joey Ortiz and David Hamilton both hit center-cut fastballs to put runners on the corners for the top of the order.
Then Jackson Chourio’s and Garrett Mitchell’s RBI singles — to cut the Dodgers lead to one run and to tie the score, respectively — came on sliders. That was the pitch Díaz struggled to get a feel for in Arizona last weekend.
“I think it was better today,” he said. “I think I made good ones. When you miss your fastball in the middle, they see better pitches.”
Díaz then struck out right-handed hitting Gary Sánchez on three pitches, but Roberts had seen enough. He turned to left-hander Alex Vesia.
With two outs and runners on first and second, Vesia got Jake Bauers to hit a ground ball to the right side of the field, but it found a hole to drive in the go-ahead run. And the Dodgers offense didn’t counter in the bottom of the ninth.
“It’s frustrating because I know my ability,” said Díaz, who has an 11.57 ERA since joining the Dodgers last offseason on a three-year, $69-million deal. “I know what I can do on the mound. To not be able to do it sucks. I’ve just got to come tomorrow and try to keep getting better.”
The Dodgers’ bullpen situation has flipped dramatically since his return from injury. Less than three weeks ago, Roberts said his high-leverage relievers made up “as big a trust tree as we’ve had in quite some time.”
When pressed Thursday on why he planned to stick with Díaz in save situations, Roberts’ tone had changed.
“Who’s the other option?” Roberts said. “You look back at the last week, and guys have struggled. … Everyone’s got a role, they all have jobs to do, and they all have to do their job. That’s it.”
One factor has been health. Brock Stewart (right shoulder discomfort) and Will Klein (right elbow loose bodies) have been placed on the IL since Roberts’ “trust tree” comments.
Then there’s the issue of performance.
Scott (2.25 ERA, 16 saves), who served as the closer in Díaz’ three-month absence, has been dealing with inconsistent velocity. But he has three straight holds. On Thursday, he faced only Christian Yelich, who hit a long fly ball into the left-field corner, but Kiké Hernández made the catch before running into the wall.
Vesia surrendered two runs in ⅔ of an inning against the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 4, but he had held opponents hitless with three walks over three appearances before facing Milwaukee.
Evan Phillips seemed to have righted the ship after a rocky return from the IL, but he gave up two earned runs in ⅓ of an inning Tuesday.
What about taking a closer-by-committee approach?
“We’ve got to get other guys on track to even have that be even a valid conversation, to be honest with you,” Roberts said.
So, Díaz will continue working to regain his effectiveness on the mound, without changing roles.
“He’s got to find his way,” Roberts said. “And he’s got to have a runway to find his way. But then it gets to a point where — I’m not there yet, but … I’m betting on the fact that the stuff will kind of right, and he’ll figure it out.”
Aug. 12 (UPI) — MyPillow founder Mike Lindell is refusing to concede defeat in the Minnesota governor’s Republican primary election, saying there were irregularities in the vote tallies.
A reporter on his own network, LindellTV, asked him if he would concede if The Associated Press called it for Demuth, he answered: “Why would I listen to the AP?”
“There’s 265,000 votes left to count. I’m down by 18,000 now,” he said. “I’m not going to give up this race until the votes are counted. That’s nonsense.”
His own site shows Demuth as the winner by 11% with 99% of the votes counted as of 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Lindell, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump in his run for governor and has previously supported Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was stolen.
Lindell was sued by Dominion Voting Systems for defamation against a former employee of the company, which makes voting machines. Lindell claimed that the employee, Eric Coomer, had helped rig the 2020 election. In 2025, Lindell was ordered to pay Coomer $2.3 million.
Lindell stepped down from MyPillow leadership on Aug. 5 to focus on his campaign for governor.
“Minnesota deserves my full attention, and that’s exactly what I’m giving it,” He said in a statement on X at the time. “I’m all in, and I can’t wait to earn your vote.”
Demuth said her win is a “major milestone,” but said there was still the November election to win.
“Tonight, Minnesotans made it clear they are ready for real change — at the top. It’s time to end the fraud, restore common sense to our state government and return Minnesota to a place that works for families, seniors, businesses and our next generation,” the post said.
“Let’s go win in November!”
Demuth will face Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., in November’s election.
The Trump administration again on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene — and fast — to save President Trump’s plan for the U.S. Postal Service to place new nationwide limits on mail voting ahead of the November midterms.
It did so after a lower court judge blocked the Postal Service plan from moving forward for a second time on Tuesday.
Solicitor Gen. D. John Sauer wrote to the high court that if it does not act quickly to lift both of the lower court’s “erroneous” rulings blocking the plan, those orders “will effectively run out the clock on the government’s ability to implement” the changes in time for the November election, “thereby causing irreparable harm to the federal government, the public, and election integrity.”
Sauer’s latest argument was filed in an emergency case already before the Supreme Court, in which the Trump administration is challenging a June decision blocking the Postal Service’s rule changes by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani.
Talwani, an appointee of President Obama, ruled in favor of California and 22 other states that had challenged the new rules as coming far too late in the election year to be implemented without causing significant disruptions and harming voters. That decision, which was upheld by an appellate court in July, had barred the new measures from being implemented in the states that sued, but not elsewhere.
However, Sauer filed his latest argument in response to a second ruling by Talwani in a separate case Tuesday, in which she sided with the League of Women Voters and other voting rights groups to block the Postal Service plans from moving forward nationwide.
“That it is now less than 90 days before the November 3, 2026 midterm elections underscores the critical need for an injunction to prevent Defendants from changing election rules on the eve of the election,” Talwani wrote.
The court battle follows an executive order Trump issued in March, in which he called on the Postal Service and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure “citizenship verification and integrity in federal elections” by compiling their own state-by-state lists of citizens who are eligible to vote and then using those lists to restrict who may vote by mail in each state.
The order said the Postal Service “shall not transmit mail-in or absentee ballots from any individual unless those individuals have been enrolled on a State-specific list.”
The order was immediately slammed by Democratic attorneys general and independent voting rights groups as a ploy by the Trump administration to get its hands on state voter rolls, which it has failed to secure in separate legal challenges, and severely limit mail voting, which Trump has without evidence alleged is a major source of voter fraud.
California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta helped lead the states’ lawsuit challenging Trump’s order, and has praised Talwani’s orders blocking it from taking effect. Bonta has said the law is clear that states control elections, not the federal government, and that Trump’s order is an illegal and dangerous power grab ahead of a pivotal election in which the president’s party is poised to lose power.
A spokesperson for Bonta’s office said it was aware of Sauer’s filing and considering “next steps” Wednesday.
The Trump administration’s appeal to the Supreme Court is limited in scope, in that it hinges on a technical argument that the challenges to the new rules are premature — and that the Postal Service should be allowed to continue preparing for the new rules to be implemented while the legal battle over their legality continues.
Sauer reiterated that argument in his filing Wednesday, asking the high court to not only issue its order soon, but to make clear in it that not one but both of Talwani’s orders are premature.
He wrote that courts cannot block the implementation of an executive order “that merely instructs agencies to pursue a proposed policy in a manner that is consistent with law,” particularly before those agencies “actually take concrete actions that injure” the groups suing to block the order.
Therefore, Sauer wrote, it would be “prudent” for the high court to make clear that it was halting Talwani’s first order “based on the uncertainty concerning the government’s future actions, not anything specific to the individual plaintiffs” — or, in other words, on grounds that would apply to her second order, too.
He wrote that it was “critical” that the court “act promptly.”
The states have asked the high court to block Trump’s order, which they said would deny mail ballots to “many of the millions of voters who rely on mail voting — especially voters with disabilities and those in rural areas.”
The League of Women Voters hailed Talwani’s order Tuesday as a win for voters and for the U.S. Constitution, which it said makes clear the president does not have the authority to rewrite election rules.
“Millions of Americans, including seniors, military voters, voters with disabilities, rural voters, and citizens living overseas, rely on voting by mail to participate in our democracy,” said Marcia Johnson, the group’s chief of activation and justice. “Today’s decision reaffirms that the rules governing our democracy must be set by the Constitution and the law, not by executive overreach.”
When the high court will rule is unclear, though the emergency nature of the appeal calls for a prompt response.
It seemed no lead was safe during the Sparks’ matchup against the Mercury on Tuesday night before Phoenix rallied for a 94-87 win at the Galen Center, snapping its three-game losing streak.
The Sparks have lost nine of their past 11 games, but both teams are still fighting for a playoff spot with fewer than a dozen games remaining. Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said pregame that the players know what is at stake during the final stretch of the season.
The Sparks (12-20) sit in 10th place, one spot ahead of the Mercury (13-22) and outside of the eight-team playoff cut line, with 12 games remaining.
Kelsey Plum, who was recently traded from the Sparks to the Mercury, did not play during the first matchup against her former team because of a lower left leg injury.
“There are no gimme games in this league for anybody, whether you are in first or last — every game is hard,” Roberts said.
Dearica Hamby and Rae Burrell led the Sparks with 19 each and Nneka Ogwumike added 18 points and nine rebounds. Cameron Brink finished with seven points and five rebounds off the bench.
After a slow start during a loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday, the Sparks splashed 23 points in the first quarter.
The Sparks claimed a 47-44 halftime lead after a steal by Burrell, which she followed with a crafty reverse layup in the final seconds.
The teams traded the lead throughout the third quarter.
The Sparks pulled ahead in the fourth, but Phoenix tied it 81-81 with 3:33 remaining after a bucket from the Mercury’s top scorer Noémie Brochant.
Brochant led the team with 24 points and five steals, making it difficult for the Sparks to rally.
Ariel Atkins cut the deficit to 90-87 after banking in a three-pointer with 22 seconds remaining, but the Mercury made their free throws and pressured the Sparks’ offense.
The Sparks had difficulty solving problems caused by the Mercury’s zone defense. And dominating the paint for stretches of the game, Hamby had four turnovers, including two in the fourth.
“It was kind of those one-on-one on the inside before they went zone,” Hamby said. “I feel like the second half was every time I went to my move, they were right there and on time with the turnovers.”
Roberts said that she expects to see the same zone defense on Thursday when the Sparks travel to New York to face the Liberty (20-14).
“The ball did not move. We were trying to throw dimes when you need to make the easy play,” Roberts said. “But that’s what zone does, you know? If we had shot better, they probably would have gotten out of it.”
KATIE Price has revealed just how much weight she’s really lost after sharing a picture of her five years ago along with a recent snap.
The former glamour model, 48, has been open about her drastic weight loss and said she was undergoing tests to get to the bottom of it.
Katie Price shared a before and after snap of her weight lossCredit: Katie Price/Splash/BackgridThe former glamour model has been open about her shrinking frameCredit: Alamy
Katie’s family has shared concerns over her slim frameCredit: AlamyThe media personality said she has undergone tests by doctors to get to the bottom of itCredit: PA
She posted a picture of her much slimmer frame now as she showed off her thin legs and small waist.
In the recent snaps, Katie is seen wearing black leggings and a skintight gym top.
The star shared the comparison on her Facebook page amid growing concerns from her family.
In June, the former pin-up showed off her outfit, which was a tight grey t-shirt and leggings.
“I am so stressed at the minute. Look, I’m just losing weight,” Katie said.
She then likened her slim body to an 80s cartoon character: “I actually look like a Skeletor. Look, look at that gap.”
The star then added: “Life in general is stress but I’m good.
“What I mean is I’m good and everything but obviously it takes a toll on your body.
“Because my adrenaline is like… That’s what it is, it’s the adrenaline pumping.”
The 19-year-old influencer opened up about trolls in season two of herITVshowPrincess Diaries.
Opening up about the topic, Princess told Kerry Katona’s daughter and good pal Heidi: “I feel bad for mum as she is not the most happy with herself, people all slate her for how she looks.
“I posted a vid of her out shopping the other day and the comments made me feel sick. I’ve never seen anything like it.
“We’ve all told her she looks skinny but why do other people have a right to comment on it. The amount of hate she got was awful.”
Princess – daughter of Katie and Peter Andre, who split when she was two – then opened up about her views on plastic surgery – following her mum’s well-documented history of going under the knife.
The teen said: “I’m not against surgery but not now, I don’t want it. You have to let your body develop at this stage.”
Last year, Katie’s sister Sophie went on to reveal that their mum Amy called the star to say she was worried about her weight loss.
Sophie revealed: “Mum called me the other day and said I’m going to have a word with Kate because she’s too thin. I think mum saw a picture on Instagram and she wasn’t happy.”
Katie responded: “My legs do look thin, but I like it.”
TheI’m A Celebritystar’s rapid weight loss has been a topic of discussion for a while now, with even her fans being worried about her.
Brandon Nimmo singled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and the Texas Rangers beat the Angels 4-1 on Monday night to snap a five-game road losing streak.
Texas (60-59) has won five of its last six overall and is a half-game behind AL West-leading Houston.
Nimmo and Elias Díaz each finished with two hits and an RBI.
Peyton Gray (6-0) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn the win. Jacob Latz worked a scoreless 10th for his 23rd save.
Luke Murphy (0-1) came on to start the 10th for the Angels. Wyatt Langford drew a leadoff walk and Corey Seager singled to load the bases. Ezequiel Duran popped out, Blake Weiman replaced Murphy and Nimmo’s line drive to right field drove in automatic runner Nicky Lopez before Jake Burger’s two-run single capped the scoring.
Mike Trout hit a 418-foot shot for the Angels (45-74), his 20th home run this season, in the first inning. The three-time AL MVP was one for two and walked three times, one intentional.
Angels right fielder Wade Meckler robbed Seager of a home run to end the seventh and preserve a 1-1 tie.
Díaz singled to drive in Duran and make it 1-1 in the fourth.
Texas starter MacKenzie Gore struck out nine in 5⅓ innings. He allowed four hits and walked two. The 27-year-old left-hander was reinstated from paternity leave Saturday after his fiancée, Alex, gave birth to their first child.
Angels starter Reid Detmers gave up one run and had six strikeouts in six innings. He allowed three hits and walked four.
Up next: Angels RHP Ryan Johnson (2-6, 7.11 ERA) starts Tuesday opposite LHP Cody Bradford (0-0, 0.00) as the series continues.
Bob Mortimer has spoken about the appeal of his BBC show as Paul Whitehouse opened up about his late mother during an episode of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing
17:14, 10 Aug 2026Updated 17:14, 10 Aug 2026
Gone Fishing has a very big appeal amongst viewers(Image: BBC)
The comedian, who stars alongside Paul Whitehouse in the much-loved programme, said he hopes the show encourages people to spend more time with their friends, whatever their age.
Speaking during an appearance on Saturday Kitchen, Mortimer explained that much of what viewers see comes from the pair simply talking while spending long hours together by the water.
“We’re on the riverbank for eight hours, Matt. So, you know, we just talk most of the time when we’re not fishing,” he said. According to Mortimer, the production team then searches through those lengthy conversations for moments that work on screen.
“They try and find 30 seconds here or a minute there that’s worth putting on the telly,” he explained, adding that he could not imagine the programme working in quite the same way if it were scripted.
Mortimer also suggested that part of the show’s success comes from its relatability, with viewers perhaps recognising their own friendships in the relationship between the two presenters.
“I think a lot of people watch it. Certainly a lot of fellas watch it and think, ‘Oh, that’s me and my mate. That’s what we’re like,'” he said.
The relaxed conversations between Mortimer and Whitehouse have become one of the defining features of Gone Fishing, with the pair regularly discussing subjects far beyond fishing. Over the years, they have spoken openly about their health, personal experiences and events that have had a lasting impact on their lives.
One particularly emotional conversation saw Whitehouse discuss the devastating effect Alzheimer’s had on his mother, Anita May Whitehouse.
In a repeat episode of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing airing tonight (Monday, August 10), Whitehouse, 68, reflected on his mother’s illness while speaking candidly with his friend and co-host.
Whitehouse’s mother died in January 2022, and he later described the heartbreaking reality of seeing her suffer with the condition. Introducing the subject, Mortimer asked: “Alzheimer’s is the big for you though, isn’t it?”
Whitehouse replied: “Well, it is, you know. My poor mum, there was no existence. It’s become one of the biggest killers now.”
The pair have never shied away from difficult conversations on Gone Fishing, with their friendship providing a backdrop for discussions about everything from serious health problems to major moments in their personal and professional lives.
Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing airs tonight at 10pm on BBC Two
MIAMI — Kyle Stowers tripled, singled and drove in two runs before exiting because of left hamstring discomfort in the fifth inning, and the Miami Marlins beat the Angels 12-3 on Sunday.
Griffin Conine homered twice and Javier Sanoja had two singles and three RBIs for the Marlins. Miami’s Otto López had two infield singles, giving him 46 multi-hit games.
Stowers grimaced as he rounded first after his two-run single capped a six-run fifth that put the Marlins ahead 10-2. He was immediately replaced by pinch-runner Leo Jimenez.
Sanoja hit a two-run single and Conine added a two-run drive against Angels reliever Shaun Anderson before Stowers’ single.
Conine went deep again with a shot over the wall in right against position player Tyler Heineman to lead off the eighth.
Michael Petersen (2-2) threw a scoreless fifth for the win. Marlins starter Ryan Gusto was pulled after four innings of two-run ball and 60 pitches. Gusto gave up three hits and struck out four.
The Marlins (60-59) erased a 1-0 deficit with a three-run first against Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez (3-5).
Stowers tripled and scored on a wild pitch. An errant throw to third by Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel attempting to get Xavier Edwards out allowed him to score for a 2-1 lead. Owen Caissie capped the scoring with an RBI single.
The Angels (45-73) narrowed the gap on José Siri’s solo blast in the third. Siri hit a fastball from Gusto over the wall in center for his seventh homer.
Sanoja’s RBI single in the fourth made it 4-2.
Zach Neto put the Angels on the board with a run-scoring double in the first.
Rodriguez completed four innings. The right-hander gave up four runs and four hits. He walked four and struck out eight.
PHOENIX — It’s no secret that the Dodgers haven’t played their best baseball over the last nine days. But during their 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, they exacerbated the trend.
Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski remained in a rut, giving up four runs (three earned) in 3⅓ innings. The two-run homer he surrendered to Diamondbacks switch hitter Ketel Marte in the first inning was the ninth home run he has given up in three starts.
Before his recent struggles, Wrobleski hadn’t surrendered more than three homers in a three-game span this season.
He left a fastball belt-high to Marte, who entered Sunday with a .913 OPS against left-handed pitchers. Marte lined it into the Diamondbacks’ bullpen in the left-field corner.
After Wrobleski’s last start, manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers (70-48) would look into whether the left-hander might be tipping pitches, but he said before the game Sunday that those suspicions seemed “unfounded.”
“I’m just not good enough right now,” Wrobleski said. “It’s kind of what it comes down to. It’s really frustrating. Execution just hasn’t been as good. I feel like [Sunday] just wasn’t good enough. And, again, I’ve got to be better. … I’m not the type to give up. So I’m ready to bear down. This is kind of where you can go two ways, and I’m excited to keep working, and I’m excited for my next one.”
While Wrobleski clearly wasn’t at his best, giving up six hits and three walks, mistakes on defense didn’t help his cause.
Wrobleski could have gotten out of the first before giving up a home run, but baserunner Geraldo Perdomo successfully broke up a potential double play, crossing in front of shortstop Mookie Betts’ sight line as he tried to throw around him.
Kiké Hernández reacts after striking out in the first inning Sunday against the Diamondbacks.
(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)
“Very weird play, but it’s not obstruction,” Roberts said. “But next time, I think we’ve just got to throw through because it wasn’t impeding, but it sort of was intentional.”
The next inning, Wrobleski fielded a sacrifice bunt from Ryan Waldschmidt, but his throw to first was high and wide, allowing a run to score and putting Waldschmidt into scoring position.
“That’s a play that he’s got to make,” Roberts said.
Later in the inning, though the run would have likely scored anyway, the usually strong relay combination of center fielder Andy Pages and Betts ended with Betts throwing over catcher Ben Rortvedt.
The Dodgers’ offense, in the meantime, went down in order in the first two innings. Betts made the best contact, but his opposite-field fly to the warning track found leather.
The rest of the way, the Dodgers tightened up their defense, and their bullpen shut down the Diamondbacks (63-56). The Dodgers’ lineup strung together hits to score on Pages’ third-inning double and Kyle Tucker‘s sixth-inning triple. But they still lost for the eighth time in nine games.
“This series it was very clear that we weren’t hitting the fastball and we were exposing ourselves to the changeup with the secondary, specifically,” Roberts said before the Dodgers left for L.A., where they’ll open a seven-game homestand against the Kansas City Royals. “Are the Royals going to exploit the fastball that we’re not hitting and the changeup below? I don’t know. But we have to make adjustments. I think for me that’s sort of what I see as a group — we’re just not making adjustments.”
Here are three other takeaways from the Dodgers’ 1-5 road trip:
Hitting into double plays
The Dodgers have grounded into an MLB-leading 99 double plays, including one in the eighth inning Sunday.
Part of that has to do with how often the Dodgers get on base. Entering Sunday, they led the majors in on-base percentage (.339). But hitting into double plays has been a major culprit behind the Dodgers’ recent offensive struggles.
“It’s not age,” Roberts said. “It’s not about putting guys in motion, because you start doing things just to do things. And when a guy swings and misses and gets thrown out by 10 feet, that’s a bad process.
“You have to layer it on who the hitter is, the contact ability; who the pitcher is, the swing-and-miss rate; who the runner is. So there’s a lot of people that can look at the rate that we hit into double plays and have thoughts, but they’re not thought through.”
Roberts pointed instead to the batter’s approach at the plate.
“My thought is our guys need to do a better job at understanding what the pitcher is trying to do,” Roberts said.
Back end of the bullpen
Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz delivers in the ninth inning against the Diamondbacks on Saturday.
(Mike Christy / Getty Images)
Setup man Tanner Scott and closer Edwin Díaz were not available out of the bullpen after pitching Friday and Saturday.
Scott’s velocity has fluctuated over the past week, but Roberts said the Dodgers haven’t yet found an explanation for the trend.
Díaz recorded blown saves in each game. Still, Roberts noted his intensity Saturday, after Díaz gave up the lead with back-to-back triples.
“I don’t know if it’s just, you want to be perfect, you’re trying to get your feet under you, you’ve been in rehab mode a lot,” Roberts said. “But this is something I think can be a springboard for outings to come.”
For the Dodgers’ bullpen to function effectively, they need Díaz to turn around his injury-disrupted season (10.80 ERA in 12 appearances).
Home sweet home
Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal delivers against the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 4.
(Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
For the first time, the Dodgers are set to roll out their new one-two punch of two-time Cy Young winners. Tarik Skubal is scheduled to make his home debut at Dodger Stadium on Monday against the Royals, followed by Blake Snell’s return from the injured list Tuesday.
“On one side of it, you feel it as the home team because you feel the confidence of who you’re running out there,” Roberts said. “But on the other side, it seems daunting when you look at the probables and you see these Cy Young guys back to back. It’s a lot to take in as an offense. So it feels really good to have those two guys on our side.”
Along with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto at the top of the rotation, the trio has the potential to be even more impactful in the postseason.
“I think you have to win with starting pitching,” Roberts said of the playoffs. “You really do. I know in ‘24 we did it a different way, but starting pitching is kind of your backbone.”
Coming off their best win of the season in Minnesota on Thursday, the Sparks didn’t have much of that same energy to start their first home game since the trade deadline.
The fourth quarter, though, looked a lot like the best basketball they’ve played all season.
The Sparks came out flat and gave up 29 first-quarter points from the Golden State Valkyries in an 84-78 loss Sunday, their eighth in the last 10 games. They made it a game in the fourth with a 16-5 run but were too far back and it took just a couple of Valkyries shots to put the game out of reach.
An Ariel Atkins three-pointer with 2:18 left got the Sparks within one point, then after it was matched by Golden State, a three from Erica Wheeler made it a one-point contest again with 1:38 to go.
Nneka Ogwumike missed what would have been a tying shot with 52 seconds left before the Valkyries made it a two-possession score to close it out.
Wheeler missed two three-point attempts with less than 30 seconds left. She finished with 15 points while Ogwumike finished with a team-high 16 points.
There are 13 games left in the season and the Sparks are six games back of Dallas for the eighth and final WNBA playoff seed, giving them an uphill climb to get back in the postseason conversation.
On Sunday, the Sparks (12-19) committed five early turnovers and struggled to defend the perimeter against the shot-happy Valkyries, trailing 29-15 after one quarter.
After getting back within nine, the Sparks were down 45-32 at halftime following three consecutive buckets from Golden State guard Tiffany Hayes.
Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, right, reacts after being fouled by Golden State center Kiah Stokes in the first half Sunday.
(Harry How / Getty Images)
Cameron Brink hit a three-pointer to get back within 12 with 7:27 left in the fourth. The Sparks outscored Golden State 31-20 overall in the fourth to get back within four with less than four minutes to play.
Brink, who had seven points, seven rebounds and two steals, got into foul trouble in the third quarter, going into the fourth with four. Rae Burrell, who had scored in double figures in every game since July 22, didn’t score until the fourth quarter and finished with nine points.
The Valkyries capitalized with 18 points off the Sparks’ 11 turnovers.
Kiana Williams scored 10 points, her most since she joined the team from Phoenix in June off of a developmental deal.
The Sparks have not beaten Golden State (23-9) since a 84-67 victory on May 16, 2025, the first game in Valkyries franchise history.
On Sunday, the Valkyries were led by 15 points from Cecilia Zandalasini, who shot five for five from three-point range.
After she scored seven points against Minnesota, newly acquired guard Monique Akoa Makani missed Sunday’s game with a right ankle injury she sustained in the final minute against the Lynx.
The Sparks will host Phoenix (12-22) in Kelsey Plum’s return to L.A. on Tuesday at USC’s Galen Center.
Ulster second row Fiona Tuite said her side “need to execute more” after their narrow 15-10 defeat against Connacht in the first round of their Interprovincial Championship.
The two sides were level after a tight first half, but a dominant second period from the Westerners helped them to victory.
Despite the home defeat, Tuite believes there were positives to take for her side.
“That was one of the feistiest Ulster performances we’ve had, particularly in opening games. Usually we leave it until the final, but that was incredible,” she told BBC Sport NI.
“Connacht were brilliant. Their backs throw the ball so well and then Anna McGann just glides through to score tries.
“The girls put in a serious shift and I’m really proud of everything they did today. I’m looking forward to building again for next week.”
Next up for Ulster is a trip to Musgrave Park to take on Munster on Saturday, 15 August and Tuite wants her side to be better in a number of areas as they hunt a first victory.
“We need to execute a bit more, particularly our lineout. When we get opportunities down towards the 22, we need to be more clinical,” she added.
“Our defence today was incredible. We need to continue that. It’s our new standard.
“If we focus on those areas and execute them, keep the defence where it is and play in the right areas, we’ll be flying.
“We have wins in us. I think they’re coming. We’re on the brink of it. We have even more young girls coming through and hopefully our internationals will get a few more minutes next week.”
PEREZ Hilton is still in a serious condition and needs surgery after “significant blood loss” following a disturbing TikTok video, his family has said.
In a statement published on Hilton’s website, his family confirmed he “remains hospitalised under Florida’s Baker Act” and has a long road to recovery ahead.
The family of Perez Hilton have issued an update on the celebrity bloggerCredit: AlamyHilton remains in a serious condition and may require surgeryCredit: Getty – Contributor
The family said: “His communication has been extremely limited and confined to immediate family, medical providers, and others directly involved in his care.
“Perez’s condition remains serious but stable.
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“He experienced significant blood loss and sustained additional injuries that will require surgery in the coming days. His treatment and recovery will be a long process.”
They added that his mother and sister went to the hospital on Friday to check up on the celebrity blogger.
Cops were called to his Miami mansion after several 911 reportsCredit: GettyParamedics say they discovered the scene of ‘suicide attempt’Credit: Getty
“As our family remains focused on Perez’s treatment and recovery, we also need the space and privacy to care for everyone affected by this situation,” the statement added.
The update comes after Hilton was rushed to hospital following what paramedics described as a “suicide attempt” at his Miami home.
Police received multiple 911 calls from concerned viewers who reported that the TV star was in severe distress during a livestream.
A family insider told the Daily Mail: “He’s a man in a lot of pain. I think right now he’s focused on the physical, but it’s all tied together.
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“No one deserves the torment he’s going through.”
The gossip columnist is said to be “stable and alert” and was reportedly able to speak with his mother, Teresita Lavandeira, in the hospital.
They added: “But I don’t think he’s quite self-aware enough yet [to realise what happened].
Hilton rose to fame in the 2000sCredit: AlamyHis family have asked for privacy at this difficult timeCredit: Nick Obank – The Sun
“He’s still in a dark place as I understand it. Just very, very sad.”
Hilton, whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., sparked alarm after experiencing a mental health crisis in front of thousands of viewers.
Emergency dispatch audio has since revealed the tense hours leading up to his rescue, as police attempted to make contact with him.
In one dispatch recording, two men can be heard discussing a “man down call” involving a “live streamer” who was broadcasting himself while in severe distress, leaving viewers “upset”.
A second dispatch recording, obtained by The U.S. Sun and timestamped at around 10.41pm, shows operators later classifying the incident as a reported “suicide attempt” while requesting additional assistance.
At around 11pm, officers said they were entering the home.
Hilton was transported to hospital minutes later.
Earlier this year, Hilton spent three weeks in hospital after battling sepsis, amid a series of health problems including an ulcer and blood clot.
The illnesses were reportedly linked to taking flu medication on an empty stomach.
Hilton shot to fame in the early 2000s with his celebrity gossip blog, where he offered his often controversial take on the biggest stars’ stories of the day.
He quickly became known for his outspoken opinions on the celebrities dominating the headlines.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on988lifeline.org, or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
Mental health helplines
MENTAL health issues don’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
Over in the UK, the following organisations provide support:
MIAMI — Sandy Alcantara struck out eight in seven innings, becoming the Miami Marlins’ career leader in innings pitched, and Xavier Edwards had three RBIs in a 7-0 victory over the Angels on Saturday.
Alcantara (13-6) broke the record in the third, working his 1,226th inning and passing Ricky Nolasco, who pitched 1,225⅔ innings for the Marlins (59-59) from 2006-13. He gave up three hits and walked one. Reliever Pete Fairbanks struck out all three batters in the ninth to end the game.
Edwards hit an RBI double as Miami took a 2-0 lead in the third, followed by Otto Lopez’s two-run single to double the Marlins’ lead. Jakob Marsee tripled to lead off the fifth, and Edwards singled to send him home.
Griffin Conine singled and Heriberto Hernández doubled in the fifth to make it 7-0.
Angels starter Walbert Ureña (7-8) pitched the first 2⅓ innings. He gave up four hits and four earned runs. He walked three and struck out two. Brett Kerry pitched the final 5⅔ innings, striking out seven and walking one. He gave up six hits.
Up next: RHP Grayson Rodriguez (3-4, 7.24 ERA) will start on the mound for the Angels (45-72) in the series finale on Sunday. RHP Ryan Gusto (0-3, 4.80) will start for the Marlins.
During a signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump called that decision by the high court “very unfair” and said the new orders were an attempt to end birthright citizenship by other means.
“Our country suffers because of it, and we’re ending it a different way,” he said.
Trump promised “big crackdowns” on birth tourism, or the practice of pregnant foreign mothers coming to the United States, or foreign fathers using surrogates already in the U.S., specifically to ensure their children receive U.S. citizenship.
Trump said an entire industry has been built up around the practice, turning birthright citizenship into “a joke.”
“Wealthy people are building businesses around birthright citizenship. That’s not the way it’s supposed to work. It’s a disgrace,” he said. “They’re buying their way in, and we’re not going to let it happen.”
The orders were immediately criticized by proponents of birthright citizenship as an indefensible attempt by the president and his administration to make an end run around the Supreme Court’s clear finding that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution cannot be undone by the president.
The amendment reads in part, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
In an apparent response to the president’s new orders, California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted that exact language to the social media platform X. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) also responded on the platform, writing, “Trump doesn’t understand the Constitution — but the 14th Amendment’s promise of birthright citizenship and equality speaks for itself.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement that Trump’s “continued crusade to end birthright citizenship is blatantly illegal,” that Democrats would challenge the orders, and that the president had “set himself up for yet another loss in the courts.”
“If you are born in America, you are American — period. The Constitution says it and the Supreme Court has affirmed it,” Schumer said.
A spokesperson for California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta’s office, which successfully sued alongside other Democrat-led states to block Trump’s first order purporting to end birthright citizenship, said attorneys there were reviewing the latest orders late Thursday.
The American Civil Liberties Union, which also sued to block the first order, denounced the new orders — and predicted they, too, would fall.
“The Supreme Court already decided this issue: Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the Constitution. No additional executive order can change the meaning of the Constitution,” Cody Wofsy, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said in a statement. “Any executive order that tries to rewrite birthright citizenship will meet the same fate as the last one.”
Trump’s order on birth tourism defines the practice as “the entry of any foreign national into the United States via a nonimmigrant visa for the purpose of giving birth on American soil,” or “any effort by any foreign national to facilitate” such entry.
It orders the Homeland Security and State departments to ramp up controls to block such entries, including through the denial or revocation of visas and other travel authorizations for individuals suspecting of participating in such efforts.
“Foreign nationals seeking temporary admission into the United States must adhere to the purposes for which the Congress has authorized their temporary admission, and cannot be permitted to circumvent the immigration laws in an attempt to vest themselves and their children with lasting benefits that are irreconcilable with their nonimmigrant status,” the order reads.
The order purporting to limit which children born in the U.S. are eligible for birthright citizenship describes “certain categories of children” who it says “do not fall within the rule of birthright citizenship as announced by the Supreme Court.”
It orders U.S. agencies not to provide citizenship documents to any child whose parents are not citizens if either of their parents is a foreign government employee, ambassador or a member of a foreign terrorist organization; was “engaged in a commercial transaction to purchase or access birthright citizenship” for them or to ensure their mother was in the U.S. when she gave birth to them; or had paid for a surrogate in the U.S. to give birth to them.
Echoing arguments made before the Supreme Court in defense of Trump’s first order purporting to end birthright citizenship, Trump and other White House officials claimed on Thursday that birthright citizenship was only ever intended for the children of slaves.
“This was done right after the Civil War. This was for the babies of slaves,” Trump said.
Others have said that argument “disregards the historical record” — which clearly shows lawmakers understood that the amendment’s language was much broader than that.
White House officials said the orders would prevent a large number of children from receiving birthright citizenship, hailing it as momentous.
“It ends what has been one of the gravest and most egregious abuses of the American system, and it keeps American citizenship safe,” said Stephen Miller, one of Trump’s top advisors on immigration.
Asked if the new orders would withstand judicial scrutiny, Trump predicted they would, before directing the question to White House staff secretary Will Scharf.
“What we’re doing is taking legally validated means that are clearly within our disposal and targeting them square on to this birth tourism industry,” Scharf said. “There’s absolutely nothing in here that runs afoul of any of the Supreme Court’s opinions on the subject.”
“Our immigration system has been exploited by those who treat citizenship as a commercial transaction, not a sacred bond. President Trump is taking bold steps to combat birth tourism and restore our sovereignty. A serious nation owes its citizens nothing less,” he wrote on X.
In its 6-3 decision in June, the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s first order purporting to end birthright citizenship outright, finding that the 14th Amendment — with very few exceptions — provided a right to children born in the U.S. that could not be undone by the president.
“Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights — to freely participate in our political community,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts wrote for the court. “The Framers of the 14th Amendment extended that promise to ‘every free-born person in this land.’ We keep that promise today.”
Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson joined Roberts in full, with Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh concurring with the outcome based on separate federal law. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito and Neil M. Gorsuch dissented.
The ruling was a major defeat for Trump, and was cheered by immigrant rights advocates, including many in California, as the final say on the matter — though Trump signaled almost immediately that the fight wasn’t over.
“I’m just locking in and staying focused on being able to manage the variables of a season,” she said ahead of the team’s loss to Sky in Chicago on Wednesday. “I’ve been doing this a long time, so nothing that’s happened has really surprised me per se. Maybe in the context of this season, yeah, a few things have. But being professionals, coming out, understanding as we did last game, that no matter what, like a game has to be played, so you might as well win.”
The Sparks ownership group fired general manager Raegan Pebley in mid-July, seemingly changing direction near the deadline. Shortly after, Plum informed the team she wouldn’t return after her contract expires this season.
“It’s also different when someone feels like they maybe want to fit somewhere else,” Ogwumike said. “I’ve been in situations where it was unexpected for everyone. It wasn’t so unexpected for us. We want her to be happy. We want her to be healthy, so I think that there’s a bit of comfort for everyone knowing that, and also being able to get it done in a way where I feel like everybody’s OK with it. It breathes a little bit of life into the situation.”
Head coach Lynne Roberts noted that since the Sparks have been without Plum since June 24 with a lower left leg injury, they had already adjusted to what life would be like without her on the court for the rest of the season.
“It would have been more of an adjustment to add her back,” she said. “So we are just building on what we’ve been doing the last month.”
The Sparks got good value for Plum in guard Monique Akoa Makani and a first-round pick in this year’s draft that, like their own, is likely to be a lottery pick.
“She can play the one and the two,” Roberts said of Akoa Makani. “She’s comfortable with both of those. What I like is that it’ll take some pressure off of Ariel and (Wheeler). They’re playing too many minutes, but Makani’s a tremendous defender, and (she brings) her on-ball ball screen defenses, her analytics, it’s elite. So that would be a huge boon for us. She was a starting point guard for a team in the WNBA Finals last year as a rookie. She’s a talent, so she’s going to fit in quickly and easily.”
The Sparks Nneka Ogwumike claps hands with Rae Burrell against the New York Liberty on July 28.
(Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images)
If the Sparks don’t make the playoffs, they will likely pick sixth overall, since the WNBA weighs results of two combined seasons to come up with the odds. They would have an outside shot at the first overall pick, where USC star Juju Watkins is expected to be the top pick should she choose not to return to school for another college season.
Ogwumike didn’t seem ready to declare the season lost, even while acknowledging that things have gone wrong.
“We’ve been playing better,” she said. “We want to be able to turn that into some kind of streak.”
