EVER dreamt of getting a World Record? Well, you soon can have a chance at securing one in a huge new UK attraction dedicated entirely Guinness World Records.
Guinness World Records London, which is the first permanent entertainment venue from Guinness World Records, will open at The O2 in Greenwich, this winter.
Will Munford, Adjudicator at Guinness World Records, said: “Guinness World Records London will give every guest the unique chance to take on our line-up of brilliantly fun and exciting record attempts, and potentially walk away a world record breaker themselves.
“We know how competitive families can get, so we want to find out who is the most competitive of them all and get them along to our new attraction to see if they have what it takes to become our first record breakers!”
HILTON has revealed 10 new locations are set to come to the UK – and one is coming to a major capital city.
The new hotels will form part of the chain’s “value-focused” brand.
The new hotels will operate under Hilton’s budget-friendly brandCredit: Spark by HiltonThe hotels provide clean and reliable rooms at an affordable rateCredit: Spark by Hilton
Ten new hotels, operating under the Spark by Hilton brand, are set to come to major railway stations, stadiums, motorways and visitor attractions across the UK.
The locations, confirmed to open in Cardiff, Coventry, Derby, Doncaster – among others will add a total of 672 rooms to Hilton’s portfolio.
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Created with “value” in mind, the sites will provide reliable, comfortable and affordable accommodation.
Exact dates of completion and room rates are yet to be confirmed, however the company said the new locations could open as early as late 2026 through to 2028.
Paul Blackmore, vice-president of development for the UK and Ireland at Hilton, said: “With nearly 700 rooms in the pipeline, including the brand’s first hotel in Wales, Spark continues to gain momentum.”
Launched in 2023, Spark by Hilton operates more than 275 hotels worldwide, with more than 200 properties in development.
The budget conscious “premium economy” brand was designed to provide a reliable and value-driven stay at an accessible price point.
The 10 properties have been signed through an agreement between Hilton and UK hotel owner and operator AG Hotels Group.
An additional 53-room property in Dunfermline, Scotland is scheduled to launch in late 2026.
However this is set to operate separately from the 10 hotels included in the latest agreement.
All 10 new Spark by Hilton locations
Spark by Hilton Cardiff North – 51 rooms
Spark by Hilton Coventry Walsgrave – 48 rooms
Spark by Hilton Derby Station – 100 rooms
Spark by Hilton Doncaster East – 51 rooms
Spark by Hilton Hull Central – 51 rooms
Spark by Hilton Peterborough Norman Cross – 99 rooms
Spark by Hilton Runcorn – 53 rooms
Spark by Hilton Sunderland Northern Spire Bridge – 63 rooms
Spark by Hilton Wakefield South – 77 rooms
Spark by Hilton Washington Newcastle South – 79 rooms
MELBOURNE — The Rams arrived here as the star-studded favorite to win Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium.
They left star-crossed, stunned and searching for answers on their long flight back to Los Angeles.
The Rams sleep-walked through much of the season opener against the rival San Francisco 49ers, who sent them to a 27-7 defeat before a sold-out crowd of 100,021 on Friday at Melbourne Cricket Ground, in the first NFL game in Australia.
Coach Sean McVay’s strategy of arriving the day before the game backfired and resulted in a dull performance by a team that features some of the biggest stars in the NFL.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford, the reigning NFL most valuable player, completed only 15 of 25 passes for 155 yards with an interception. With the game out of reach, McVay pulled Stafford late in the fourth quarter and had backup Stetson Bennett lead the Rams’ final possession.
All-Pro receiver Puka Nacua, the NFL leader in catches last season, caught five passes for 74 yards and never broke loose. Davante Adams, who led the NFL in touchdown catches last season, caught only three passes as Raheem Morris, the Rams’ former defensive coordinator, outschemed McVay and his staff.
The additions of All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, record-setting edge rusher Myles Garrett and cornerback Jaylen Watson were supposed to supercharge the Rams’ defense.
Rams defensive end Myles Garrett sits on the bench late in the fourth quarter during a 27-7 loss to the 49ers on Friday.
(Doug Benc / Associated Press)
But 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy passed for three touchdowns, and the Rams recorded no sacks.
It made the decision by 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan to have his team spend a week in Melbourne to acclimate the correct one.
Shanahan, McVay’s friend/mentor/nemesis, had bristled at the fact that the 49ers were chosen as the Rams’ opponent because it took away the ability of 49ers fans to descend onto SoFi Stadium.
Shanahan also wasn’t happy that the Rams’ next game is Sept. 21 on “Monday Night Football,” while the 49ers are playing on Sept. 20. Add in the fact that the 49ers also must play in Mexico in November, and there was plenty of motivation beyond the game itself.
The Rams trailed, 10-7, at halftime after managing a five-yard touchdown run by Kyren Williams and not much else.
Rams wide receiver Davante Adams attempts to catch a pass in the fourth quarter against the 49ers.
(Robert Cianflone / Getty Images)
The 49ers wasted no time extending their advantage, taking the opening possession of the second half and moving down the field on Christian McCaffrey runs and a Purdy pass to Demarcus Robinson, whose 39-yard touchdown in the second quarter had given them the lead. Purdy capped the drive by lofting a two-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans for a 17-7 edge.
And the Rams’ offense finally woke up.
Stafford connected with tight end Davis Allen, Nacua and Adams and tight end Colby Parkinson as the Rams moved to the 49ers’ two-yard line. However, after a one-yard catch by Nacua, the 49ers stuffed Stafford’s sneak attempt.
The 49ers capitalized, marching 99 yards in 11 plays, with Purdy capping the drive on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Deebo Samuel for a 24-7 lead.
The Rams could not mount a comeback.
Tight end Tyler Higbee fumbled after catching a pass with 11:08 left, and the 49ers added a field goal to extend the lead to 20 points.
Tokyo: The Asian Games began in Japan on Thursday when Qatar beat Iran in the men’s basketball opening group game, the first action in the continental multi-sport showpiece that has more participants than the Olympics.
Over 17,000 athletes and officials are expected to take part in 43 sports at the Nagoya-Aichi Games — which do not officially start until the opening ceremony on September 19 and will run until October 4.
Several events such as basketball, football, cricket, hockey and modern pentathlon will get under way before the opening ceremony.
Qatar held off a comeback from Iran to win their Group B encounter 59-35 at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya in the first match of a men’s basketball competition that will hold medal finals on September 20, the day after the opening ceremony.
Los Angeles 2028 Olympics qualifying spots are up for grabs in several sports at the Asian Games, which are returning to Japan for the first time since 1994.
Organisers hope the athletes will have a “unique experience” staying in eye-catching accommodation ranging from a cruise liner and wooden containers to standard hotel rooms.
Officials are confident that the plan will not be affected by Japan’s typhoon season, which is usually in full swing in September-October.
Weather has already caused disruptions, with record rainfall on Tuesday forcing hundreds of athletes briefly to evacuate their accommodation.
Rainwater also leaked into some competition venues, with more wet weather forecast for the coming days.
Among those in action at the Games will be Philippine tennis sensation Alexandra Eala and a pair of world-class teenage talents in 15-year-old Indian cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and 13-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi.
It’s pronounced “human.” Yet writer-director Siân Heder acknowledges that the unusual spelling of the title of her new movie, “Being Heumann,” is something people might give a puzzled second look, unsure of how to say it and possibly dismissing it altogether.
Which, the more she sat with it, made it perfect as the title for a portrait of real-life disability rights activist Judy Heumann, who, while being in a wheelchair, made herself undismissable.
More specifically, the film looks at the pivotal 1977 protest in which Heumann led a group in a 26-day sit-in at a federal office building in San Francisco until the government began enforcing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 — the first federal law that recognized disability as a civil rights category.
“The fact that her last name was ‘human’ has so many beautiful layers of meaning,” says Heder, 49, during a recent interview in Los Angeles. “I think Judy was asking for the world to see disabled people as human beings who were worthy of rights and being looked at and being included.”
A world premiere and the opening-night selection of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, which begins on Thursday, “Being Heumann” will hit theaters Nov. 6 and begin streaming on Apple TV Nov. 13. It is also, crucially, Heder’s first film since 2021’s “CODA,” the bittersweet drama about a young woman in a Deaf family (the title is an acronym for “child of Deaf adults”) that won three Academy Awards including adapted screenplay for Heder and best picture.
Actor Ruth Madeley and filmmaker Siân Heder during production on “Being Heumann.”
(Apple TV)
In Heumann, a wheelchair user after contracting polio as a child, Heder found a subject who was in the process of discovering herself as a leader: learning when to hold firm and when to cede ground and empower other people. And for someone who was grappling with the aftermath of unexpected success, that felt familiar.
“I think I was making a movie about myself, honestly,” Heder says. “When you’re moving forward on a massive project or a movement or anything, there’s a necessary drive and ambition and focus that is needed. And if you look at any major change that’s happened in human history, it takes a certain kind of person to push that through. I’m not identifying myself with great leaders of the civil rights movement, but directing a movie is a similar thing.”
Heder is tucked into a quiet corner of a busy coffee shop in L.A.’s Eagle Rock neighborhood, where she has long lived. She is in the process of moving from one historic house to an even older one a few blocks away. Heder didn’t want to disrupt the schooling of her two young children, ages 10 and 12, and has become too enmeshed in the area to want to leave it.
“There’s definitely an element of: ‘She manipulated everyone with that movie. She made us all cry and that’s why she won,’” Heder says of “CODA,” her Oscar-winning best picture. “I was an indie filmmaker that was compelled to tell that story.”
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Community is a word that comes up often over the course of a conversation with Heder, who has a warm manner and a quiet self-possession. Though “CODA” may have brought her wider attention, she was far from a novice by the time she made that film. She won a Peabody Award as a writer on the series “Men of a Certain Age” and was a writer, director and producer on the acclaimed “Orange Is the New Black.” She expanded her 2006 short film “Mother” into her first feature “Tallulah,” about a young woman who takes a baby from a reckless mother and tries to pass it off as her own. It premiered at Sundance in 2016.
Winning the Oscar created changes in her life both big and small. Heder at first kept it on her desk at home, but had to move it because she began to feel the statuette’s crossed arms quietly judging her as she worked. When she drove herself to the Spirit Awards the year after “CODA’s” triumph and spontaneously gave a ride to an afterparty to Maggie Gyllenhaal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Heder suddenly realized her 10-year-old Subaru wasn’t going to cut it anymore.
“I have a nicer car now,” she says, laughing at the memory. “It’s baby steps.”
The day after the Oscars, Heder recalls that she couldn’t stop crying, all the pressure built up from months of campaigning events and Q&As finally letting itself out.
She says two things changed almost immediately after winning the Oscar. One was a sense of expectation, wanting to make the most of whatever the moment might allow.
“This was not a part of my plans,” she says. “I didn’t ever intend to have so many eyeballs turn to me and go, ’What are you doing now?’”
The second was simply the volume of material and opportunities incoming. Heder says she met with Marvel “so many times” about different projects but none of them felt right. As an independent filmmaker “you’re always pushing against the no,” she puts it, moving projects forward against all odds. But now she felt she had to be the resistance, the one to ask whether something was worthwhile.
“Suddenly there are a lot of voices chiming in too because your reps have an idea of what you should do next and the industry has an idea of what you should do next,” Heder says. “And it was really important for me to center myself back in a feeling of: I’ve always been drawn to stories because they move me. And that hasn’t changed.”
Her Oscars triumph was also the night of the notorious Will Smith-Chris Rock on-stage slap, which overshadowed coverage. Heder is online enough that she knows that some film fans would want an asterisk next to the Oscar wins for “CODA,” as if to note some sort of COVID-era exception for the first film from a streaming service to win Hollywood’s top award.
“There’s definitely an element of: ‘She manipulated everyone with that movie. She made us all cry and that’s why she won,’” Heder says with a edge of defiance. “I was an indie filmmaker that was compelled to tell that story. And then audiences embraced that story and that story took off in a way that was unexpected and surprising even for me.”
Siân Heder holds her Oscar for best adapted screenplay for “CODA” backstage during the Oscars in 2022.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Heder had been developing “Being Heumann” before “CODA” was released. A friend encouraged Heder to see the 2020 documentary “Crip Camp,” which includes Heumann as a subject, and the filmmaker was so struck by that story, she followed up by reading Heumann’s 2020 memoir.
She sent Heumann a cold email expressing interest in the book. As it turned out, Heumann was deciding that very day who should direct a movie of her life. Heumann gave the filmmaker a last-minute chance to pitch herself. After saying she’d cast authentically disabled performers as she did on “CODA,” Heder got the job.
Heder would work for two years on researching and developing the project with Heumann, interviewing dozens of people involved in the actual Carter-era protest. When Heumann died unexpectedly in 2023, Heder did not think she could continue, but it was “Crip Camp” co-director James Lebrecht who convinced her otherwise.
“I think Judy’s death, which was sudden — it made me feel like she had left her legacy in my hands,” remembers Heder.
After developing other scripts post-Oscars that never quite became her next film, Heder eventually found herself in the enviable position of having two projects greenlit at once: “Being Heumann” at Apple and an adaptation of Gabrielle Zevin’s popular novel “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” at Paramount.
As she was trying to make a decision, she went to a meeting with several other directors about the relaunching of the Village Theater in Westwood. She found herself having coffee with Guillermo del Toro and asked him how he decided between potential projects.
“And he said, ‘Make the movie that can’t get made without you,’” she recalls. “And that was very clarifying for me. When you are the element that gets that story told, it takes on an importance and urgency.”
As can often be the case, Del Toro’s advice confirmed what she already felt and she began to move forward with “Being Heumann.” (She is currently prepping “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” so there will not be another five-year gap between releasing films.)
“I was having a rare moment of power in the industry to push something forward,” Heder says, “and it felt like there was a path to go make a big paycheck and have that kind of jump up, or I could use that moment of power and success to try to push through the hardest project I could think of. It was in that moment, after ‘CODA,’ where I really realized: I could make this incredibly difficult movie that no one might make.”
Andrew Pilkington, from left, Siena Rafter, Charlie Rush-Reese, Dylan O’Brien, Roberta Colindrez, Ruth Madeley and Madeline Delp in the movie “Being Heumann.”
(Apple TV)
Following what Heder describes as “the casting Olympics,’ she arrived at BAFTA-nominated actor Ruth Madeley, a wheelchair user, to play the lead role. “Being Heumann” was shot in Toronto, largely on a soundstage built to stand in for the San Francisco federal office building where the sit-in took place.
“Hollywood might be the least accessible industry out there,” Heder notes while beginning to explain the accommodations that needed to be made for a cast that included performers with a wide range of disabilities. Custom-built trailers were created and the set had to be made accessible in ways that a filming location typically is not. An accessibility team oversaw everything, from large-scale logistics to the personal needs of individual background actors.
Rather than a more conventional biopic, Heder wanted to tell the more specific story of the 504 sit-in, building out an ensemble of characters around Heumann.
“I said, “It’s almost like ‘Bad News Bears’ and ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ together,” says Heder. “There’s an underdog-sports-team feeling and bank-heist-gone-wrong.”
But a filmmaker friend asked her: Is making movies about disability now her “thing”? It is a question Heder had already considered.
“Of course it was on my mind if it starts to feel like: Oh, is Siân Heder a social justice warrior who’s just out to try to make these movies that have some kind of message behind them,” she says preemptively. “But I think this is just a great story. Outside of disability, outside of anything else, it is a great story.”
Heder remains interested in stories about outsiders, about class and people generally ignored by or on the fringes of society. And it remains important that she herself feel a part of a larger community in her life and her work.
“My daughter said to me the other day, ‘Mom, I think you’re the right kind of famous because you are important to people who know who you are, but you can still just be in the world and be anonymous.” And I think there’s something true about that.”
Her daughter has obviously inherited Heder’s deep well of empathy, one that is more concerned with bringing new, unseen stories to the screen than with the pursuit of cool points or pure fame.
“‘Earnest’ has become a dirty word,” says Heder. “And what earnest actually means is direct and truthful.”
WET weather may be on the way, but that doesn’t mean family fun has to stop.
Across the country are plenty of new indoor soft play attractions that will keep the kids entertained – even when it’s raining outside.
Funparx in Banbury is set to open soonCredit: FunparxSprouts Play Barn is adding a new area to its already huge soft play centreCredit: Millets Farm Centre
Geo-Play, Prestatyn
Over in the Welsh town of Prestatyn, a new soft play centre for babies, toddlers and children has just opened.
Called Geo-Play, it has colourful obstacles, slides, tunnels and places to climb.
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Inside its Dragon’s Magical Sensory Cave children will be able to play amongst lots of lighting with cosy cushions, mirrors and projections on the walls.
Parts of the soft play look like a lighthouse – inspired by Prestatyn’s seaside location.
On September 6, children up to 10 years old will be able to explore a brand-new adventure play area with three slides, ball pools, climbing area, and interactive elements.
There’s a separate area for those under two; it will have a mini play frame, toddler slide, ball pool and activities for younger kids.
Parents can watch on at one of the tables surrounding the soft play and get drinks and snacks from the on-site café.
Epicland UK, Trafford
Epicland opened in July on the upper floor of Partington Shopping Centre in Trafford.
It has two soft play sections – one for twos and under and another for children aged three to nine years.
New soft play centres are opening all over the countryCredit: Getty – Contributor
Inside is a light up racing slide and a light up warp slide along with role play areas and a ball pit.
It also has sand play, craft areas, role play and little trampolines – there’s also a mini climbing wall and a racing track with little cars.
Derby Way, Bury
This soft play may not open for a while as plans have only just been submitted to transform a former car showroom in Bury.
It will transform from its vacant unit into a new children’s indoor activity park for children aged 0 to 11.
Planning documents reveal the indoor play centre would feature soft play areas, seating, party rooms, and a café.
Customers would be able to book two hour play slots, which would start in 30 minute intervals.
Geo-Play is a new soft play centre for babies, toddlers and children that has just openedCredit: Geo-PlayIt also has a ball pit and twisty slidesCredit: Unknown
Fun Parx, Banbury
This centre coming to Banbury has a bit more than soft play with Ninja obstacle courses and super slides.
Fun Parx has enormous Inflatable Monster Course where kids can race each other to the end.
Of course, for smaller kid, s here is a soft play called Critter Castle with its own ball pit, slides and turret to climb.
For gamers, there will be a retro arcade with throwback games, and the on-site cafe will serve up pizza, fries, hot dogs and soft drinks.
It was set an opening time of ‘summer 2026′, so is likely to open soon.
Sprouts Play Barn, Abingdon
Known as being a large, farm-themed indoor and outdoor soft play centre – Sprouts Play Barn has plenty to shout about.
It has a four- lane cow slide, tunnel slide, farmer’ s market role-play, a floor piano, sports court and a designated area for unde5s’s
In July work began on a new play area for even younger children.
Called ‘Crawlers & Cruisers’ it will be a soft play zone designed specifically for babies and toddlers who are not yet walking.
Universal Studios Hollywood is almost ready to properly open its new Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster. The high-speed thrill ride, which has been operating in technical rehearsals since late July, has an opening date: Sept. 16.
The coaster has essentially been in an extended testing phase. By giving the ride an official opening date, the theme park is announcing that the attraction is ready for daily operations.
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Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, which seats riders in expertly designed mini-vehicles designed to reference real automobiles, has long been circled as the most important theme park attraction of 2026, a feat of engineering nestled on a steep hill between the park’s upper and lower lots that was 10 years in the making.
The ride — designed by Universal, manufactured by Intamin — has already changed the look and feel of Universal Studios, giving the park its first major outdoor thrill ride. Once known primarily as a studio tour park, Universal has been undergoing a large-scale overhaul throughout the last decade-plus, adding immersive lands such as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World.
Now it has a coaster that feels akin to taking a joyride, complete with authentic engine and brake sounds. So if you’re thinking of taking Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift for a spin, here’s what you need to know.
The view of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift from Universal Studios Hollywood’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
Is the ride included with Universal Studios admission?
Yes. A daily ticket starts at $109.95, although prices vary by day and expect to pay in the $150 range for a weekend date. Unlike Disneyland, Universal does not require reservations, but it is recommended to buy in advance.
Are express passes available?
Universal Studios will sell front-of-the-line access as an add-on to a daily ticket — but not yet. Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will not be included in express pass offerings at launch, according to a Universal spokesperson. That means all guests will have to wait in the same line. Express access is expected to be offered at a later date.
So, how long should I expect to wait in line?
A while. During technical rehearsals, afternoon waits routinely topped two hours, with some waiting longer than three and closer to four, although the last was rare. Expect operations to run a little smoother thanks to the soft open phase, but come prepared to be patient.
Is the ride included with Halloween Horror Nights?
The short answer is no. The longer answer: Those who spring for what Universal calls the R.I.P. Tour, however, will be able to ride. A guided experience, that ticket is $479 per person. (The fine print: Earlier this summer Universal did promise Hollywood Drift access with some tickets, but has since removed that option. The park has stated it will honor the terms of those who purchased the tickets before access was removed, and those buyers should have received instructions from Universal.)
The Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster features multiple inversions.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
Tell me about the ride. How intense is it?
The ride reaches speeds of 72 mph, the fastest coaster in Universal’s global portfolio, while traversing 4,100 feet of track, two towering inverted loops and a pretzel loop. There are four individual launch points, and the coaster cars have the ability to rotate 360 degrees. It’s intense, but it’s also incredibly smooth, which helps it feel more approachable.
Wait, 360 degrees? Will I get motion sick?
Individual results will vary, of course, but for reference I am someone who can’t do extreme coasters — Magic Mountain’s Wonder Woman Flight of Courage is too much for me — and struggle on attractions that spin, such as Walt Disney World’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Yet I’ve been completely fine on multiple rides of Hollywood Drift. The spinning isn’t gratuitous, as the cars turn and drift with the flow of the track, so the movement feels aligned with direction.
Can I request a specific car?
You can! But be kind and patient with Universal staffers, who may not always be able to grant such requests due to crowding. If you have a specific concern, however, raise it with the coaster staff, and they will likely accommodate.
One of the ride vehicles of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
What’s the ‘easiest’ car for those who are nervous?
The middle cars, although not by much. All rotate, all experience the same speed and inversions. There are four vehicles, and the first provides the most striking views, including of the track’s drops, so the squeamish are advised to aim for the middle two cars, as it will provide a better sense of where the coaster train is heading. I’ve been told by some at Universal that the last row of the last car — each car seats four — can feel a little more riveting as it will heighten some of the speed and lift sensations. But I’ve sat in the front and the last car, and still don’t know if any differences were in my head or not.
Is there a height requirement/maximum?
Yes, you must be at least 51 inches tall to experience the coaster. There is no listed height or weight maximum, but guests are encouraged to sit in a test vehicle outside the attraction before getting in line. Riders must be seated completely inside the vehicle, which uses a pull-down lap bar, and be fitted against the headrest.
How accessible is it?
Modern roller coasters are not known for their accessibility, but Hollywood Drift is surprisingly accommodating for how intense it is. I am not small. I am 6-foot-2 and more than 210 pounds, and found Hollywood Drift to be one of the more comfortable coasters I have been on. There’s also plenty of leg room. I know a number of people significantly larger than me who have been able to ride successfully.
Where is the ride located in the park?
Across from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. But you can’t miss it, as you need to pass it to get to the park’s lower lot, and it’s viewable from pretty much anywhere.
Well, is it worth riding? What’s your verdict?
I think it’s a blast. I rode the coaster on its first day of technical rehearsals, and as I wrote in my review, it’s full of surprises, of wondering where and when a coaster vehicle will be spin, careen or accelerate. Every turn, twist, flip leaves you guessing. Some of the park’s Toluca Lake neighbors, however, may be less enamored with it.
Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride comes out every Tuesday, but we occasionally publish special editions (like this one!) when we have breaking theme park news. Make sure you’ve signed up to be the first to know.
NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic grinded through physical and internal ailments, made one mistake after another and could not find what it took to beat a feisty, younger opponent who was not intimidated under the lights against tennis’ most decorated player.
The 39-year-old is out of the U.S. Open after a first-round defeat to Mariano Navone on Sunday night, losing 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a five-set marathon that lasted 4 hours and 36 minutes. It was the longest opening match of a Grand Slam in Djokovic’s career and became his earliest exit in one in two decades, dating to the 2006 Australian Open. He had never lost in the first round at the U.S. Open.
With this defeat, 21 years to the day of his U.S. Open debut, the question now lingers as to whether this was Djokovic’s final match at this or any Grand Slam.
Djokovic made 70 unforced errors in a painful performance that ended mere minutes before midnight.
The record holder with 24 major titles threw up at least once and later appeared to be cramping when he grabbed at his left foot. Djokovic swallowed pills brought to him by a doctor and had his lower back massaged during a medical timeout between the fourth and fifth sets, and he grimaced after several shots.
Throughout his time on court, it was clear Djokovic was not himself, and the wear and tear of sickness and soreness took its toll. The No. 4 seed from Serbia cruised to early 3-0 and 4-1 leads before blowing them and losing the first set — the first time that happened to him in the first round of the U.S. Open since ’06.
With his wife, Jelena, watching from the stands with worried looks on her face, Djokovic had moments where he looked like one of the best to play the sport. His fist pump was reserved after winning the second set, and he put his hand to his ear and gestured to the crowd for applause on the way to taking the third.
But Navone — a 25-year-old from Argentina who earlier this year won his first ATP singles title — did not go away. After firing a shot wide in the fourth set, Djokovic landed awkwardly and dropped his racket.
Djokovic all but conceded the fourth set. But he was unable to muster enough for what would have been his 43rd five-set victory as Navone picked up his first.
Britons Harriet Dart and Fran Jones both made winning starts to their bids to reach the US Open singles main draw.
Dart, who has twice reached the US Open second round, came through 6-0 6-7 (1-7) 6-1 against Jordyn Hazelitt in the first round of qualifying in New York.
She will face another American 16-year-old, Kristina Penickova, next.
Jones, who qualified for the US Open for the first time last year, will face Germany’s Mona Barthel after winning 6-3 6-4 against Italy’s Nuria Brancaccio.
But Jodie Burrage lost to Spain’s Guiomar Maristany 7-6 (7-1) 6-4, while Henry Searle was beaten 6-1 6-2 by American 16-year-old Michael Antonius in the men’s event.
Antonius will face former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori in the second qualifying round, after the Japanese 36-year-old battled to a 6-1 2-6 6-2 win over Austrian Sebastian Ofner.
Former US Open semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov will face Kazakhstan’s Timofey Skatov in his second qualifying match after dismissing Italy’s Lorenzo Giustino 6-0 6-3.
In the women’s draw, 2019 US Open winner Bianca Andreescu progressed with a 6-1 6-2 win against Dutch player Eva Vedder.
Heather Watson resumes her qualifying campaign with a second-round match against Spain’s Angela Fita Boluda on Wednesday.
In the men’s draw, Britons Jacob Fearnley, Toby Samuel, Billy Harris, Harry Wendelken and Jack Pinnington Jones all return to action seeking to move one win away from the Flushing Meadows main draw.
Players must come through three rounds of qualifying to reach the singles main draw, which gets under way on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Britain’s Arthur Fery warmed up for the US Open with a 6-1 7-5 victory over Cruz Hewitt at the Winston-Salem Open.
Fery, playing just his third match since his stunning run to the Wimbledon semi-finals, came back from 4-1 down in the second set to advance.
The fourth seed will play either Czech Tomas Machac or Dutch qualifier Mees Rottgering next.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. The opening weekend of high school football provided some thrills and surprises. Let’s offer some observations.
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Corona Centennial’s Quentin Hale makes one-handed catch against Servite on Aug. 20, 2026.
(Craig Weston)
In Las Vegas, St. John Bosco came out against Bishop Gorman looking overwhelmed on offense. The Braves suffered sacks, an interception, a fumble, erratic blocking, no ground game. They fell behind 21-0 and most thought the game was over. Then St. John Bosco came out of the locker room playing like a different team, rallying to tie the score 28-28 before losing 38-28. Here’s the report.
A couple of concerns for the Braves. They have a veteran secondary that surprisingly had communication issues, leaving running backs going out for passes uncovered. Also veteran quarterback Koa Malau’ulu rallied the team in the second half after struggling to throw the ball on the run. The defensive line produced little pressure, requiring lots of blitzing. Coach Jason Negro said everything is “fixable” but clearly the Braves have a lot more to prove.
Corona Centennial took care of its first of three games against Trinity League opponents, beating Servite 41-21. Quarterback Jaden Jefferson and receiver Quentin Hale picked up where they left off during their previous three years at Cathedral. Here’s the report. Next up is a home game Friday against Santa Margarita that’s a rematch of last year’s Division 1 final.
The Times’ nine-part series previewing top high school football players has been completed. If you missed anything, you can fine it here. https://t.co/wP6R7eaUe5
Crenshaw showed off a lot more offense than usual in winning its opener against a Palisades team that enjoyed its first home football game since the Palisades Fire in 2025. Here’s the report.
Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer chose his son, Fletcher, to start at quarterback and he delivered in a 27-0 win over Orlando (Fla.) Jones. He threw two touchdowns. The Eagles showed off some promising freshmen, including linebacker Aydan Steen and receiver Kiyan Collins.
Sierra Canyon’s defensive line was as good as advertised in a win over JSerra.
Granada Hills Kennedy opened with a 42-14 win over Eagle Rock. That’s surprising since the Golden Cougars lost to graduation their do-everything quarterback Diego Fuentes. Matthew Quintanilla scored three touchdowns and blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown.
Chaminade blanked Oaks Christian behind four sacks by Hudson Manning. But the Eagles didn’t have standout offensive tackle Jackson Hill, who has been lost for the season after knee surgery. He’s a Notre Dame commit.
Rancho Cucamonga demonstrated it’s another Inland Empire team to watch, grinding out a 28-14 win over Murrieta Valley.
Carson picked up one of the City Section’s best nonleague wins in several years by beating San Diego power Lincoln 35-31. Chris Fields III accounted for four touchdowns.
Jazmin Gamble, the only female head football coach in California, won her debut when Hawthorne defeated Gardena 26-20.
The San Pedro vs. King/Drew game was halted in the third quarter when fans and others thought there was a gunshot, leading to a scramble out of the stadium. Here’s the report.
Former Garfield coach Lorenzo Hernandez won his debut coaching Whittier, 49-6 over Temple City.
Eric Sondheimer interviewing Donovan Dent at end of state championship in Sacramento March 2022.
(Nick Koza)
It’s my 50th year covering high school sports in Southern California, so I thought long and hard to present 50 moments in 50 years when I could have done 200.
Columnist Bill Plaschke took time out of his busy schedule and unleashed his beautiful writing skills, humbling me with a column that I never expected honoring high school sportswriters everywhere. Here’s the report.
Standout JSerra receiver Tessa Russell.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Panorama pulled off the biggest upset of the week, defeating Eagle Rock in four overtimes.
No. 1 JSerra continues to win and win. Here’s the report.
There’s still no resolution involving multiple El Camino Real coaches escorted off campus while the school conducts an investigation as to why their CPR and first-aid cards weren’t showing up in the Red Cross database.
Brad Wright, president of the school’s governing board, said, “At this time, I believe it is important to allow the investigation to proceed and respect the process and the privacy of everyone involved.”
3rd HR of the game! 13th HR in last 14 games! 27th HR of the season!
Cleveland #Guardians 21yr old (1B) prospect Ralphy Velazquez hits his 3rd HR of the game for Columbus a solo blast in the 8th inning 102.4 mph off the bat in vs St. Paul. #GuardsBallpic.twitter.com/aKraNMiXaj
Former Huntington Beach star Ralphy Velazquez had a three-home run game in the minors for the Guardians.
Standout receiver Gavin Honore has returned to Mater Dei after transferring to Bishop Gorman….
Baseball coach Michael Gonzales of South El Monte has resigned….
Brody Brooks (Loyola) and Mattias Di Maggio (Dos Pueblos) are part of a final group of 32 baseball players trying to make the USA 15U national team….
Elijah Menzies is the new girls basketball coach at Villa Park. Brad Willis has taken over the boys program….
Addison Archer, who averaged 26.6 points as a freshman at Rancho Christian, has transferred to Mater Dei. The Monarchs also have freshman Janai Turner, the daughter of former Beverly Hills boys coach Jarvis Turner. She is highly regarded….
First and foremost, all glory to God! Blessed and honored to announce my commitment to UCLA.Thank you to my fam. Grateful to Coach Alberto, Coach Simpson & @cen10 staff, & every coach, & teammate. Thank you Coach Savage, Coach Barnes & the @UCLABaseball staff for the opportunity. pic.twitter.com/VDDzowQwkK
Junior pitcher Christian De La O of Corona Centennial has committed to UCLA….
Royal football coach Adam Brubaker is no longer coaching the team after a video surfaced that showed him kicking a football into the groin area of a player during practice. Here’s the report. Royal defeated Monroe 62-0 with an interim coaching staff on Friday…
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit for a second time filed against the CIF seeking to change transfer and NIL rules. Here’s the report.
From the archives: Jeff Engilman
Former Sylmar High footbal coach Jeff Engilman in 2000.
(George Wilhelm/ Los Angeles Times)
Jeff Engilman is long retired but never forgotten. He was old school, his face turning bright red when chewing out players. He was head coach at Sylmar, Arleta, Grant and Manual Arts. He won two upper division City Section titles at Sylmar. He won two City titles at Manual Arts. Golden Valley coach Dan Kelley was his assistant for 15 years at Sylmar.
From the Los Angeles Times, an appreciation of Russell Westbrook after his retirement.
From the San Diego Union-Tribune, a look at the top 25 high school football players in San Diego.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on the demolition and plans for a new Veterans Stadium in Long Beach.
From the Los Angeles Times, a look at former NFL players taking to coaching high school football.
Tweets you might have missed
One former high school football player from the Southland is at an SEC school in his final year of college. One of his classes is golf. Matt Leinart got lots of pub for taking ballroom dancing at USC. No word if you get extra credit for a hole-in-one.
If you’re a double hold back in HS with your chest out because you’re dominating kids 2-3 years younger than you, I feel embarrassed for you. Actually let me rephrase, your parents are responsible for this. I’m embarrassed of them. Justify this toxic culture all you’d like. “I’m…
Sofia Wroblewski makes her anticipated high school debut on the Southern California cross country scene as the @YorbaLindaXc freshman wins her two-mile race at the Mountie Xpress at Mt. SAC by 59 seconds! pic.twitter.com/kkmmT45eLq
🚨RANKINGS TEASER! 🚨 Here are the official CIF-SS Preseason Rankings for Boys Division 1 and 2. More coming this weekend. All divisions for both State and for CIF-SS drop by Tuesday! pic.twitter.com/VcHLt1QvXf
Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.
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After leading Leeds to safety, Farke had threatened to quit, saying he is “not the right choice” to lead the club if they fail to match his ambition in the summer.
The club hierarchy listened and backed the German in the transfer market in the summer, investing about £80m on new arrivals.
Three of them started for Leeds in their season opener and encouragingly for Farke offered early signs of promise.
Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic not only put in a solid shift in defence but also proved he is a weapon from set-pieces as he tested Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels with a towering header at the other end.
Harry Wilson, who signed for free after 10 goals and seven assists for Fulham last season, almost marked his debut with a goal before he was denied by the offside flag.
“From the very first minute they walked into the building, they have shown their quality,” Ampadu said.
“They have shown why they have been brought in to try and help us get to the next level. They’ve shown that hunger and drive to take Leeds to a better place so that has been very good.”
Farke also echoed his captain’s sentiments, saying: “I am very happy because they have big boots to fill.
“Trafford is a good player but he hasn’t played that many Premier League games, Tarik too. So they both shined and showed why we agreed to sign them, but the whole group was excellent today.
“Wilson too was excellent. The vibe and mood is good around the place,” said Farke, who is now the third-longest-serving manager in the league after Arsenal‘s Mikel Arteta and Aston Villa‘s Unai Emery.
With new arrivals making an immediate impact and old faces such as Stach continuing to deliver the goods, Leeds have every reason to believe this season could be their best yet under Farke.
The BBC series starring David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin has returned after a hugely successful first series
21:23, 20 Aug 2026Updated 21:23, 20 Aug 2026
David Mitchell in BBC’s Ludwig(Image: BBC)
It’s the murder mystery series with a difference.
When it launched two years ago viewers were full of praise for BBC’s Ludwig. Starring David Mitchell in the title role alongside Anna Maxwell Martin as his sister-in-law, the comedy drama about the awkward puzzler turned accidental detective became the BBC ’s biggest new scripted show since 2022, with 9.5m viewers discovering it after 28 days.
It was also the BBC’s highest-rating scripted show of 2024 at that time and the biggest comedy series launch since at least 2018. So little wonder it has finally made a comeback – even if viewers had to wait two years.
No longer having to impersonate his twin brother and following his successful closure rate for the major investigation team, puzzle setter John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor returns under his new job title of crime scene consultant.
In the opening episode on Thursday, August 20, an unusual double confession at a theatre saw John taking centre stage as he had to prove who didn’t commit the crime.
And just minutes into the opening episode of series 2, fans were rushing to social media to say how much they loved it – including the opening titles.
One said on X – formerly Twitter – “Binge watched S1 of #Ludwig Absolutely loving it. S2 here we come. It’s real life Scooby Doo.”
A second posted: “There should be a BAFTA for opening credits on a TV drama. Ludwig would win hands down.” A third added: “Like the title sequence.”
Another added: “Delighted that #Ludwig is back. One of the best new shows in recent years.” While a fifth commented: “#Ludwig is back. I am so happy.”
One fan simply reacted: “Nice to have #Ludwig back.”
While making series 2, lead star David kept a diary and ahead of the first episode airing, he shared excerpts of it with the Radio Times.
The first entry last September read: “Ludwig is starting to film again, more than a year after we shot the first series. I feel daunted. I love making this show (I always dreamed of playing a character who potters around thoughtfully in a mac, realising things) but, in another way, it’s like going back to school. I’m now going to be doing this thing every weekday until Christmas.”
He continued: “Making a single episode of a drama can take two or three weeks. The last thing I filmed was Would I Lie to You, which takes two or three hours. (Although this doesn’t seem like a short time to guests who are new to panel shows. I remember when Ronnie Corbett was on my team in 2010. He was used to the timing of the 1970s; he assumed it would take about 40 minutes. As we entered the third hour, the chuckles of this 79-year-old comedy hero became less jovial by the second).”
He added: “The first week of Ludwig series two involves a lot of car scenes. In the first series, my character (John Taylor, a puzzle-setter whose twin brother is a policeman who goes missing) was depicted humorously as a bad driver. I can’t actually drive at all. In the new series, John discovers that his driving licence isn’t valid and he has to be driven everywhere, which makes life easier.”
