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In April last year, I wrote that, given the genocide it is committing in Gaza, its violent occupation of the West Bank, numerous attacks on its neighbours, and apparent disregard for international and human rights law, it was time for the international community to declare Israel a rogue state. As if we hadn’t received enough confirmation of its rogue status since then, on September 9, Israel went ahead and carried out a strike on Qatar, a key mediator in negotiations between Hamas and Israel. This, while Gaza’s devastation deepens by the day.

The last remaining high rises in Gaza City are now being flattened, and hundreds of thousands of people who had already been displaced multiple times are being pushed towards the south of the enclave. Israel claims the south is a “humanitarian zone”, but we know well that there is nowhere in Gaza where Palestinians are safe.

So, in the midst of all this, it feels futile to celebrate the United Nations General Assembly vote where 142 member states backed “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” towards a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. The same resolution, rejected by just 12 states including Israel and the United States, also called on Hamas to free all hostages, end its rule in Gaza, and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, in line with the objective of establishing a sovereign and independent Palestinian state.

Gaza is still smouldering, and Palestinian communities are being systematically erased in the occupied West Bank. So how does it make sense to talk about a Palestinian state? Who, or what, would such a state serve?

Before this vote, the vast majority of countries in the world had already recognised the State of Palestine. Those missing from this map of recognition were primarily states in the Global North.

Through the UN General Assembly vote, France, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Malta, Belgium, Canada, and Australia have now signalled their support for Palestinian statehood, aligning themselves with the global majority. But let us be clear: these countries have no claim to the moral high ground.

We should remember that they waited through two years of Israeli genocide, which has killed at least 65,000 Palestinians, before voting in favour of a Palestinian state. They were similarly oblivious to the Palestinian right to self-determination during the years of Israeli and Egyptian-imposed military siege in Gaza before October 7, 2023. They did nothing to quell the ever-expanding illegal settlement movement in the occupied West Bank or the sharp increase in settler violence. In fact, they have done nothing to support the Palestinian right to self-determination since 1948.

So, why should this time be any different?

In fact, it is not different at all. As a scholar of international law, Noura Erakat recently told Al Jazeera, “It is way too little, far too late.” And these declarations are only meant to distract from the fact that many of these countries have financially and militarily enabled Israel to carry out its genocide.

The proof is in the pudding: the Palestinian state that is on offer. And what is clear is that Palestinian rights are not a priority.

A few weeks before, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the United Kingdom would recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September 2025 unless Israel took “substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.” There was no mention of Palestinians’ inalienable right to self-determination or of the legitimacy of the Palestinian national struggle. Rather, it was framed as a punishment for Israel. Does this mean that if Israel had stopped the genocide and paid lip service to the (already dead) two-state solution, Britain would have voted differently?

Canada’s promise of recognition came with a long list of caveats. Notably, on the Government of Canada’s website, in the items that make up its “policy on key issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”, the first commitment is “support for Israel and its security”.

It adds that Israel has the “right under international law to take the necessary measures, in accordance with human rights and international humanitarian law, to protect the security of its citizens from attacks by terrorist groups.” But what if Israel is already in violation of international law – as it is right now? Will Canada still stand by Israel and its security?

After reaffirming its support for Israel, Canada then declares support for the Palestinians’ “right to self-determination” and “a sovereign, independent, viable, democratic, and territorially contiguous Palestinian state”. But this comes with strings attached, including demands for governance reforms in the Palestinian Authority, the demilitarisation of the Palestinian state, and elections in 2026, “in which Hamas can play no part”.

Australia’s promise of recognition was similarly predicated on the Palestinian Authority pursuing certain reforms, including the termination of prisoner payments, schooling reform, and demilitarisation. It also demanded that Hamas “end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons”.

The joint statement by Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added: “There is much more work to do in building the Palestinian state. We will work with partners on a credible peace plan that establishes governance and security arrangements for Palestine and ensures the security of Israel.” But what of the security of Palestinians? Will Australia take any measures to protect them from Israel’s mass extermination? Or are Palestinians simply meant to work on building a state that Western powers can tolerate, while hoping that the Israeli government will eventually grow tired of its genocidal campaign?

The unbearable tragedy of it all is that we have already seen what happens when a peace process prioritises Israel’s right to security over Palestinians’ right to self-determination. It was called the Oslo Accords, where a genuine guarantee of a Palestinian state was never on the table.

In his essay The Morning After, Edward Said wrote of the vulgarity of the ceremonial way the Accords were signed at the White House and the diminutive manner in which Yasser Arafat offered thanks. Said rued that the Oslo Accords were not a path to statehood. Rather, they symbolised the “astonishing proportions of the Palestinian capitulation”.

It resulted in a Palestinian Authority — yes, the same Palestinian Authority that Western leaders have hedged their bets on — that had all the bells and whistles of a state. But the real state never arrived. With complete impunity, Israel continued its efforts to erase Palestinians. And the Palestinian Authority became an extension of the settler-colonial project, collaborating with Israeli forces to actively undermine the Palestinian national movement, all in the name of Israel’s security.

So, if Western leaders are sincere about “solving” the crisis, the only good solution is the one that places Palestinian rights on centre stage and involves some mechanism of political leverage and censure that is able to curb Israel’s rogue-like conduct. Without it, any recognition of Palestinian statehood is an empty performance, and the Israeli campaign of genocide and erasure is bound to continue with complete impunity.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Roki Sasaki topped 100 mph a half-dozen times in four shutout innings of a rehab start for triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, pushing himself back into the conversation for a spot on the Dodgers’ postseason pitching staff.

“We’ve all got to huddle up and figure out what’s the next plan,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I personally don’t know Roki’s plan after tonight.”

Sasaki struggled through four rehab appearances and seemed to have dropped off the Dodgers’ radar. But he gave up just a hit through the first four innings Tuesday before tiring in the fifth, when he gave up three runs, two walks, two hits and a hit batter.

He threw 90 pitches, 52 for strikes, striking out eight and walking four.

It’s unlikely Sasaki, 23, will be considered for a spot in the rotation but he could pitch out of the bullpen.

“Anything’s possible,” Roberts said. “I know he wants to contribute. So we’ve just got to see where he fits in. And we’ll have that conversation as an organization.”

Sasaki went 1-1 with a 4.72 ERA in eight starts before going on the injured list with a shoulder impingement in mid-May. In his first four rehab starts for Oklahoma City, he gave up 17 hits and 11 earned runs in 14 innings.

The Dodgers’ bullpen is starting to get crowded, however, with left-hander Alex Vesia returning from the injured list Tuesday. Vesia was 3-2 with a 2.75 ERA in 59 games before going to the sidelines on Aug. 23 with a right oblique strain. Right-hander Ben Casparius was optioned to Oklahoma City to create a roster spot for Vesia. Casparius was 7-5 with a 4.64 ERA in 46 games.

Roberts said as the postseason roster begins to come together the decisions on who stays and who goes with 2 ½ weeks left in the regular season become harder.

“The conversation with Ben yesterday wasn’t fun for anyone,” he said. “It starts to get tougher.”

He’ll have to have another one of those talks Wednesday before activating utility player Tommy Edman from the injury list. Outfielder Justin Dean, who has appeared mostly as a defensive replacement, batting just twice in 18 games entering Tuesday, is the most likely to be sent down.

US president claims Israel accepted his terms to end the war in Gaza and issues ‘last warning’ for Hamas.

Washington, DC – United States President Donald Trump has suggested that he put forward a new proposal to end the war in Gaza, saying that Israel has accepted his terms as it pushes on with its brutal assault on the Palestinian territory.

In a social media post on Sunday, Trump warned Hamas to accept his conditions, saying that he informed the group about the “consequences” of turning down the offer.

Throughout the 23-month war, US officials have repeatedly claimed that Israel has accepted ceasefire efforts – all while Israeli leaders vow publicly to intensify their offensive, which leading rights groups and scholars have described as a genocide.

“Everyone wants the Hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end!” Trump wrote in a social media post.

“The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

It remains unclear what Trump’s terms entail.

But Trump has previously issued similar verbal warnings to Hamas and predicted that the war would end soon. On August 25, the US president said he thinks the war would come to a “conclusive ending” within three weeks.

Later on Sunday, Hamas confirmed receiving “ideas” from the US for ending the war.

“Hamas welcomes any initiative that helps in the efforts to stop the aggression against our people,” the group said.

“We affirm our immediate readiness to sit at the negotiation table to discuss the release of all prisoners in exchange for a clear declaration to end the war, the full withdrawal from Gaza, and the formation of a committee to manage Gaza from Palestinian independents, who will immediately begin their work.”

Hamas has been calling for a ceasefire deal that would see a prisoner exchange to release Israeli captives in Gaza and a lasting end to the Israeli offensive.

The Palestinian group also said last month that it accepted a proposal presented by the mediators for a 60-day truce.

Trump’s statement comes as Israel steps up its campaign to capture Gaza City against the pleas of rights groups and Western officials.

The US president has been a staunch supporter of Israel. Last week, his administration imposed sanctions on Palestinian rights groups for cooperating with the International Criminal Court’s investigation into Israeli abuses.

Trump also previously called for removing all Palestinians from Gaza and turning the enclave into a US-owned “Riviera of the Middle East” – a plan that rights advocates decried as an ethnic cleansing push.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has embraced Trump’s mass displacement proposal, presenting the push to ethnically cleanse Gaza as an effort to allow Palestinians to voluntarily leave the territory.

But legal scholars say that people have no real choice when they are under the threat of constant Israeli bombardment.

The Israeli campaign has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians and levelled most of the territory to the ground.

At the heart of the uproar over allegations that Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers received millions in undisclosed payments from a tree-planting startup is a National Basketball Association rule that caps the the total annual payroll for teams.

According to a report by Pablo Torre of the Athletic, bankruptcy documents show that the tree-planting startup Aspiration Partners paid Leonard $21 million — and still owes him another $7 million — after agreeing to a $28 million contract for endorsement and marketing work at the company.

The report claims there is no evidence to show that Leonard did anything for Aspiration Partners, whose initial funding came in large part from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. Torre alleges that the payment to Leonard was a way to skirt the NBA salary cap and pad his contract.

The Clippers have forcefully denied that they or Ballmer “circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to Aspiration.”

Still, the NBA said it was launching an investigation into the matter.

The salary cap is a dollar amount that limits what teams can spend on player payroll. The number is determined based on a percentage of projected income for the upcoming year. In 2024-25, the salary cap was $140.6 million.

The purpose of the cap is to ensure parity, preventing the wealthiest teams from outspending smaller markets to acquire the best players. Teams that exceed the cap must pay luxury tax penalties that grow increasingly severe. Revenues from the tax penalties are then distributed in part to smaller-market teams and in part to teams that do not exceed the salary cap.

The cap was implemented before the 1984-85 season at a mere $3.6 million. Ten years later, it was $15.9 million, and 10 years after that it had risen to $43.9 million. By the 2014-15 season it was $63.1 million.

The biggest spike came before the 2016-2017 season when it jumped to $94 million because of an influx of revenue from a new nine-year, $24 billion media rights deal with ESPN and TNT.

Salary cap rules negotiated between the NBA and the players’ union are spelled out in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Proven incidents of teams circumventing the cap are few, with a violation by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2000 serving as the most egregious.

The Timberwolves made a secret agreement with free agent and former No. 1 overall draft pick Joe Smith, signing him to a succession of below-market one-year deals in order to enable the team to go over the cap with a huge contract ahead of the 2001-2002 season.

The NBA voided his contract, fined the Timberwolves $3.5 million, and stripped them of five first-round draft picks — two of which were later returned. Also, owner Glen Taylor and general manager Kevin McHale were suspended.

Then-NBA commissioner David Stern told the Minnesota Star-Tribune at the time: “What was done here was a fraud of major proportions. There were no fewer than five undisclosed contracts tightly tucked away, in the hope that they would never see the light of day. … The magnitude of this offense was shocking.”

Current commissioner Adam Silver is just as adamant as Stern when it comes to enforcing salary cap rules, although the current CBA limits punishment.

According to Article 13 of the CBA, if the Clippers were found to have circumvented the cap, it would be a first offense punishable by a $4.5 million fine, one first-round draft pick, and voiding of Leonard’s contract. However, the Clippers don’t have a first-round pick until 2027.

Leonard, one of the Clippers stars, is extremely well compensated. He will have been paid $375,772,011 by NBA teams through the upcoming season, according to industry expert spotrac.com.

A former Aspiration finance department employee whose voice was disguised on Torre’s podcast said that when they noticed the shockingly large fee paid to Leonard, they were told that, “If I had any questions about it, essentially don’t, because it was to circumvent the salary cap, LOL. There was lots of LOL when things were shared.”

Aspiration Partners was a digital bank that promoted socially responsible spending and investments that, at one point, brought in a star-filled roster of investors that included Drake, Robert Downey Jr., and Leonardo DiCaprio. Founded in 2013, it offered investments in “conscious coalition” companies and offered carbon credits to businesses. The company was valued it at $2.3 million at one point.

But in August, the company’s co-founder, Joseph Sanberg, agreed to plead guilty to charges that he defrauded investors and lenders. Federal prosecutors accused Sanberg of causing more than $248 million in losses, calling him a “fraudster.”

Prosecutors alleged that Sanberg and another member of the company’s board, Ibrahim AlHusseini, fraudulently obtained $145 million in loans by promising shares from Sanberg’s stock in the company. AlHusseini allegedly falsified records to inflate his assets to obtain the loans, and Sanberg concealed from investigators that he was the source for revenue that was recognized by the company.

Sanberg had also recruited companies and individuals to claim they would be paying tens of thousands of dollars to have trees planted, but instead Sanberg used legal entities under his control to hide that he was making these payments, not the customers.

Aspiration, which was partially funded by Ballmer with a $50 million investment, filed for bankruptcy in March.

The company was expected to pay more than $300 million over two decades as a sponsor for the Clippers’ Intuit Dome, which opened in August 2024. But before the new arena opened, the Clippers said Aspiration was no longer a sponsor, just as the Justice Department and Commodity Futures Trading Commission began looking into allegations that Aspiration had misled customers and investors.

During Aspiration’s bankruptcy proceedings, documents emerged citing KL2 Aspire as a creditor owed $7 million, one of four yearly payments of that amount agreed upon in a 2022 contract. KL2 is a limited liability company that names Leonard — whose jersey number is 2 — as its manager.

Aspiration was partially funded by a $50-million investment from Ballmer. It is not known whether Ballmer was aware of or played a role in facilitating the employment agreement between Aspiration and Leonard.

The Clippers issued a lengthy statement Thursday, attempting to explain why Leonard being paid by Aspiration was unrelated to his contract with the Clippers.

“There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing endorsement deals with players on the same team,” the statement said in part. “Neither Steve nor the Clippers organization had any oversight of Kawhi’s independent endorsement agreement with Aspiration. To say otherwise is flat-out wrong.”

“The Clippers take NBA compliance extremely seriously, fully respect the league’s rules, and welcome its investigation related to Aspiration.”

In his reporting, Torre noted that Leonard’s contract with Aspiration included an unusual clause that said the company could terminate the endorsement agreement if Leonard was no longer a member of the Clippers.

Mark Cuban, part owner of the Dallas Mavericks, took to X.com to suggest that Torre’s reporting was faulty.

‘I’m on Team Ballmer,” Cuban wrote. “As much as I wish they circumvented the salary cap, First Steve isn’t that dumb. If he did try to feed KL money, knowing what was at stake for him personally, and his team, do you think he would let the company go bankrupt ? “

Torre responded by inviting Cuban on his podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out.”

CHARLTON’s new stopper Thomas Kaminski has opened up on his struggles following his father’s tragic death near the end of last season.

Kaminski, 32, joined the Addicks from Luton after a difficult time on and off the pitch, as the Hatters’ second consecutive relegation saw them tumble down the football pyramid.

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The double relegation from the Premier League to League One in consecutive seasons was put firmly into context by the sad passing of his dad Jacek, aged 65.

He died of a heart attack while out on a scooter back home in Belgium.

It came just days before the Hatters’ penultimate game last term against Coventry at Kenilworth Road.

After dashing back home to be with his family he still returned to play in the final two matches.

They beat the Sky Blues before losing 5-3 at West Brom, which saw Luton go down on goal difference.

Kaminski told SunSport: “It was a big disappointment to be relegated — but I had different things on my mind this summer because of my dad. He was the main man in my career and life so it was a tough time.

“I didn’t have time to process the relegation.

“When you reflect, yes, it’s disappointing — but it’s also only football.”
Kaminski is proud to have played in the Prem with the Hatters, which his dad was able to witness.

The Belgian played all of the Hatters’ 38 games in the top flight and said: “It was a good experience. It was always my dream to play in the Premier League.

“You come up against these players that can make the difference in any game. It was different to the Championship, it was less physical but quick.

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“It was all in and around the box — more cutbacks rather than crosses. It was quick and intense.

“And you know that you’re going to need to make at least a couple of good saves every game.

“I became a better keeper for the experience.”

That season in the Prem has given Kaminski a desire to get back there.

And he joined Charlton this summer believing the promoted side are on the up under manager Nathan Jones.

He said: “This is most definitely a team going places. We’ve some good players, young ones, and talented boys coming through the academy.

“And the manager is very intense.  He’s demanding on every aspect. And that’s how I work the best.”

Kaminski also looked forward to the Addicks’ match on Saturday, reassuring QPR No 1 Joe Walsh that he knows exactly how he feels after letting in SEVEN at Coventry last weekend.

The Belgian conceded just as many in a 7-0 thumping while playing for Blackburn against Fulham at Ewood Park almost four years ago.

But Kaminski insists the south-east Londoners should not treat their visit to Loftus Road as a lunchtime stroll in the park because the R’s and Walsh will be a wounded animal following that 7-1 loss.

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He said: “I’ve been exactly where Joe has been but we beat Sheffield United 3-1 in the next game.

“So I am certain that they’re going to be right up for this one — in front of their own fans in a London derby. So we’ll have to be at our best.

“I always have sympathy for other keepers. I hope Joe has a good game but we take the three points.

“From my own experience of coming off the pitch letting in seven, everything that could go wrong did.

“We had a man sent off but were only 2-0 down at half-time. We said in the dressing room, ‘Let’s not concede any more goals’.

“But Harry Wilson, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Rodrigo Muniz were on fire and we were well beaten. Against Sheffield United we went behind again after about 90 seconds so there was that feeling, ‘Oh no, not again’.

“But you learn from big defeats like that one to turn it into a positive.

“What I took from it was you have to move on quickly and learn from the goals you’ve conceded. It’s never nice to let in seven but it’s part of football.”

Employees expressed outrage over budget cuts, personnel decisions and other reforms enacted under President Donald Trump.

Some employees at the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been put on leave after they signed an open letter of dissent against the agency’s leadership, according to the nonprofit that published the letter.

The employees were placed on administrative leave on Tuesday after they signed an open letter a day earlier – on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina – expressing outrage over budget cuts, personnel decisions and other reforms enacted under President Donald Trump, which they say could recreate conditions that led to the widely criticised FEMA response to the 2005 hurricane.

“We can confirm multiple FEMA employees who publicly signed the Katrina Declaration have been placed on administrative leave,” nonprofit group Stand Up for Science said in a statement on Tuesday.

The development is likely to fuel concerns that US President Donald Trump’s administration does not tolerate dissent. In July, the US Environmental Protection Agency placed 139 employees on administrative leave after they signed a letter expressing criticism of Trump’s policies.

The Stand Up for Science website said the letter had more than 190 signatories as of Tuesday evening, the majority signing anonymously due to fears of retaliation.

“Around 30” employees were suspended, The New York Times reported on Tuesday evening, citing their review of emails.

“Once again, we are seeing the federal government retaliate against our civil servants for whistleblowing – which is both illegal and a deep betrayal of the most dedicated among us,” Stand Up for Science said.

FEMA employee Virginia Case told CNN she received an emailed notice on Tuesday evening that she’d been placed on paid leave from her job as a supervisory management and programme analyst.

“I’m disappointed but not surprised,” Case said, according to the US outlet.

“I’m also proud of those of us who stood up, regardless of what it might mean for our jobs. The public deserves to know what’s happening because lives and communities will suffer if this continues.”

The Washington Post reported that the suspended employees will still continue to receive pay and benefits.

FEMA’s press secretary said on Monday the agency has been bogged down by red tape and inefficiencies, and the Trump administration “has made accountability and reform a priority”.

However, since his return to the White House in January, Trump has stated that he wants to abolish FEMA and let states “take care of their own problems”.

Roughly 2,000 FEMA employees, or a third of its workforce, have left the agency this year through firings, buyouts or early retirements.

Hurricane Katrina caused catastrophic flooding in New Orleans, killing more than 1,800 people. It was one of the worst natural disasters in US history, in part because of the ineffective response to it. Congress passed the Post-Katrina Emergency Reform Act in 2006 to give FEMA more responsibility.

The letter warned the Trump administration was undoing those reforms.

Texas cannot require public schools in Houston, Austin and other select districts to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, a judge said Wednesday in a temporary ruling against the state’s new requirement.

Texas is the third state where courts have blocked recent laws about putting the Ten Commandments in schools.

A group of families from the school districts sought a preliminary injunction against the law, which goes into effect Sept. 1. They say the requirement violates the 1st Amendment’s protections for the separation of church and state and the right to free religious exercise.

Texas is the largest state to attempt such a requirement, and U.S. District Judge Fred Biery’s ruling from San Antonio is the latest in a widening legal fight that’s expected to eventually go before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught, the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer. That is what they do,” Biery, who was appointed by President Clinton, wrote in the ruling that begins by quoting the 1st Amendment and ends with “Amen.”

The ruling prohibits the 11 districts and their affiliates from posting the displays required under state law. The law is being challenged by a group of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist and nonreligious families, as well as clergy, who have children in the public schools.

A broader lawsuit that names three Dallas-area districts as well as the state education agency and commissioner is pending in federal court. And although the ruling marks a major win for civil liberty groups, the legal battle is probably far from over.

Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton said he planned to appeal the ruling, calling it “flawed.”

“The Ten Commandments are a cornerstone of our moral and legal heritage, and their presence in classrooms serves as a reminder of the values that guide responsible citizenship,” the Republican said in a statement, echoing sentiments from religious groups and conservatives who support the law.

Texas has a Ten Commandments monument on the Capitol grounds and won a 2005 Supreme Court case that upheld the monument.

The families who sued were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

“The court affirmed what we have long said: Public schools are for educating, not evangelizing,” Tommy Buser-Clancy, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement.

A federal appeals court has blocked a similar law in Louisiana. A judge in Arkansas told four districts they cannot put up the posters, and other districts in the state said they’re not putting them up either. In Louisiana, the first state that mandated the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms, a panel of three appellate judges in June ruled that the law was unconstitutional.

Biery, the judge, cited both the Louisiana and Arkansas cases in his 55-page ruling. He also includes extensive historical references, quotes that range from the founding fathers to evangelist Billy Graham, and even a Rembrandt painting of Moses holding the stone tablets, alongside an image of actor Charlton Heston in the film “The Ten Commandments.”

Having the displays in classrooms, Biery wrote, would probably pressure children of the parents challenging them into adopting the state’s preferred religion and suppressing their own religious beliefs. The judge said there are ways students could be taught the Ten Commandments’ history without it being placed in every classroom.

“For those who disagree with the Court’s decision and who would do so with threats, vulgarities and violence, Grace and Peace unto you,” he wrote. “May humankind of all faiths, beliefs and non-beliefs be reconciled one to another.”

DeMillo writes for the Associated Press.

THIS is the astonishing moment a “jewellery thief” is wrestled to the ground and held in a “lion killer” chokehold by tourists.

Brazilian brothers Gabriel and Gustavo Galindo sprung into action after hearing screams from a man claiming he had been robbed.

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Both black belts in Jiu-Jitsu, the siblings quickly put the alleged thief into a “lion killer” chokehold – a popular martial art move that can, in some instances, be deadly.

When police arrived 10 minutes later to escort the man away, applause and cheers erupted for the two brothers.

Shocking footage shows the man pinned to the ground as he attempts to wriggle out of the stranglehold.

According to Brazilian news, the alleged thief tried to bite Gabriel before being warned to “stay still” or leave without an arm.

Gabriel said: “I put him on the ground to show him Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

“By then, there was already a crowd of people enraged with anger towards the unfortunate man.

“Some angry people started to beat him up, but I didn’t have the heart to let them hurt him too badly.”

“We stopped the robbery, taught the thief a lesson, and kept everyone safe.”

Posting the video online, Gabriel quipped: “Enjoying ourselves in Barcelona.”

The clip has massed thousands of views, with hundreds congratulating the holidaygoers for their efforts.

One user hailed the lads “champions” while another crowned them modern day superheroes.

The pair, who were in Barcelona, Spain on a European tour with their family at the time, later said they were left with a “good story to tell”.

Gabriel said: “And we went back to enjoying our day in Barcelona—with a great story to tell.”

Barcelona is notorious for its rampant thieves who target unsuspecting tourists.

Just a couple months ago, extraordinary footage emerged of another tourist tackling a thief to the ground and holding him in a chokehold.

Meanwhile, aast August, Sir Ben Ainslie was robbed at knifepoint for his £17,000 Rolex in the Spanish city.

Ainslie, 47, recalled the horror as a gang mugged him while out for a meal on Saturday night in Barcelona.

The terrifying attack unfolded when he was leaving a restaurant, as reported by local media La Vanguardia.

And last year, unbelievable footage captured a thief swiping a Brit tourist’s phone just as he proposed to his girlfriend in Barcelona.

Footage showed Charlie Bullock surprising his now-fiancée Hannah McNaghten by going down on one knee – but the romantic moment is cut short as a thug is captured nabbing the device.

Charlie propped up his phone on the wall as the two posed for a picture outside Barcelona‘s famous Arc de Triomf, with Hannah totally unaware of what would happen next.

And in 2022, Barcelona FC star Robert Lewandowski chased a thief who stole his £59,000 watch as he signed autographs.

Before an evening training session, the Poland hitman stopped to greet fans outside the club’s Ciutat Esportiva complex.

But one crafty thief used the distraction to open Lewandowski’s car door and make off with the high-end time piece.

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Possible ways to mitigate the risk include armouring the coastline and building breakwaters to relocating the monuments.

The Journal of Cultural Heritage has published a new study indicating that rising sea levels could push powerful seasonal waves into Easter Island’s 15 iconic moai statues, in the latest potential peril to cultural heritage from climate change.

“Sea level rise is real,” said Noah Paoa, lead author of the study published on Wednesday and a doctoral student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. “It’s not a distant threat.”

About 50 other cultural sites in the area are also at risk from flooding.

Paoa, who is from Easter Island – a Chilean territory and volcanic island in Polynesia known to its Indigenous people as Rapa Nui – and his colleagues built a high-resolution “digital twin” of the island’s eastern coastline and ran computer models to simulate future wave impacts under various sea level rise scenarios. They then overlaid the results with maps of cultural sites to pinpoint which places could be inundated in the coming decades.

The findings show waves could reach Ahu Tongariki, the largest ceremonial platform on the island, as early as 2080. The site, home to the 15 towering moai, draws tens of thousands of visitors each year and is a cornerstone of the island’s tourism economy.

Beyond its economic value, the ahu is deeply woven into Rapa Nui’s cultural identity. It lies within Rapa Nui National Park, which encompasses much of the island and is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The roughly 900 moai statues across the island were built by the Rapa Nui people between the 10th and 16th centuries to honour important ancestors and chiefs.

The threat isn’t unprecedented. In 1960, the largest earthquake ever recorded – a magnitude 9.5 off the coast of Chile – sent a tsunami surging across the Pacific. It struck Rapa Nui and swept the already-toppled moai further inland, which damaged some of their features. The monument was restored in the 1990s.

While the study focuses on Rapa Nui, its conclusions echo a wider reality: Cultural heritage sites worldwide are increasingly endangered by rising seas. A UNESCO report published last month found that about 50 World Heritage sites are highly exposed to coastal flooding.

A UNESCO spokesperson told The Associated Press news agency that climate change is the biggest threat to UNESCO’s World Heritage marine sites. “In the Mediterranean and Africa, nearly three-quarters of coastal low-lying sites are now exposed to erosion and flooding due to accelerated sea level rise.”

Possible defences for Ahu Tongariki range from armouring the coastline and building breakwaters to relocating the monuments.

Paoa hopes that the findings will bring these conversations about now, rather than after irreversible damage. “It’s best to look ahead and be proactive instead of reactive to the potential threats.”

Unlike in the UK where the vast majority of beaches are open to the public all year round and there is a culture of bringing picnics and wind‑breakers from home, renting loungers and parasols is a normal part of heading to the beach in Italy.

Italian beaches are unusually empty this summer as high prices drive sunseekers away.

Citizens of the boot‑shaped country appear to be snubbing beaches amid claims they are rebelling against the high prices charged by kiosk and sun‑bed owners.

Unlike in the UK where the vast majority of beaches are open to the public all year round and there is a culture of bringing picnics and wind‑breakers from home, renting loungers and parasols is a normal part of heading to the beach in Italy. This comes after plans to stop influencers from flooding the Dolomites badly backfired.

READ MORE: ‘I will not be back’ – Mirror readers explain why they’re ditching SpainREAD MORE: Woman gives in to sunbed wars on £3.5k holiday – ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’

This year however, there has been a big slump in visitors to private stretches of beaches, the Guardian reports. In July, there was a 25% fall in beach‑goers, compared to the same month last year. The problem is particularly acute during the week, when the throngs of the weekend are increasingly replaced by empty stretches of sand. What’s particularly worrying for business owners is that those who are going are spending less.

Fabrizio Licordari, the president of Assobalneari Italia, said the problem is to do with the decreased spending power of Italians generally. “Even with two salaries, many families struggle to reach the end of the month. In such circumstances, it’s natural that the first expenses to be cut are those for leisure, entertainment and holidays,” he told Ansa news agency.

The price of hiring a sun‑lounger is a serious point of contention in Italy, in part due to sudden sharp increases. The cost has risen 17% in four years, according to the latest figures from the consumer group Altroconsumo. Those heading for a spot of relaxation in Lazio will end up spending at least €30 (£26) a day for two sunbeds and an umbrella. If you head for the more up‑market areas, such as parts of Puglia, you’ll end up splashing out three times that much.

According Si Viaggia, the title of most expensive beach in Italy in August goes to Alassio, in the north of the country. There, to enjoy the sea with a beach umbrella and two sun loungers positioned in the front rows, you have to fork out an average cost of €340 per week.

Alessandro Gassmann, a famous actor in Italy, has started a debate at the cost of Italian beaches by posting a photo of a row of deserted sun‑beds. “I read that the season is not going well. Maybe it’s because the prices are exaggerated and the country’s economic situation is forcing Italians to choose free beaches? Lower the prices and maybe things will get better,” Allessandro wrote in the caption.

Consumers association Codacons has argued that going to beach resorts had become “a drain” on people’s finances, suggesting that those profiting from renting beach furniture were “shedding crocodile tears” when they complained of rising costs.

A CUSTOM number plate that was only expected to sell at auction for just a few hundred pounds ended up going for an eye-watering sum.

The ordinary-looking plate fetched the hefty price after it caught an attendee’s eye for a very specific reason.

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At the DVLA auction, the FER 12C registered number plate started out at £300.

But when the hammer fell, it would go for a staggering £35,000. 

It turned out that specific registration was wanted for a rare Ferrari 12Cillindri Spider.

This £336,000 supercar came out last year to mark a 70 year anniversary.

A spokesman said: “FER 12C started at just £300 but ended with a final hammer price of £35,000.

“It’s thought it was most likely purchased to use on a Ferrari 12Cillindri Spider.”

The car is a two-seater front-engine, rear-wheel-drive grand tourer.

It was revealed at Miami Beach to mark 70 years of Ferrari on the American market.

The stunning supercar was also given the Compasso d’Oro industrial design award this year.

Other big buys at the DVLA auction included 296 VS – which soared from £2,200 to a staggering £25,010.

Another was 121 O, which began at £2,500 and went for £23,360.

The plate 2 GUD also saw a big jump from £1,200 to £17,830.

Plate dealer Carl Hanley said: “The results from this auction prove that what once felt like a luxury item is now a smart and increasingly popular way for motorists to stand out.

“What’s exciting is the creativity.

“It’s not just about having your name on a plate anymore – it’s about personality, exclusivity, and even legacy.”

JOHANNESBURG — U.S. reciprocal tariffs have put an estimated 30,000 jobs at risk, South African authorities said Monday, four days before a 30% U.S. tariff on most imports from South Africa kicks in.

South Africa was slapped with one of the highest tariff rates by its third-largest trading partner — after China and the EU — creating uncertainty for the future of some export industries and catapulting a scramble for new markets outside the U.S. Tariffs come into effect on Aug. 8.

In an update on mitigation measures, a senior government official warned that an estimated 30,000 jobs were in jeopardy if the response to the higher tariffs was “mismanaged”.

“We base this on the ongoing consultations that we have with all the sectors of the economy from automotive, agriculture and all the other sectors that are going to be impacted,” said Simphiwe Hamilton, director-general of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.

South Africa is already grappling with stubbornly high unemployment rates. The official rate was 32.9% in the first quarter of 2025 according to StatsSA, the national statistical agency, while the youth unemployment rate increased from 44.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 46,1% in the first quarter of 2025.

In his weekly public letter on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that South Africa must adapt swiftly to the tariffs since they could have a big impact on the economy, the industries that rely heavily on exports to the U.S. and the workers they employ.

“As government, we have been engaging the United States to enhance mutually beneficial trade and investment relations. All channels of communication remain open to engage with the US,” he said.

“Our foremost priority is protecting our export industries. We will continue to engage the US in an attempt to preserve market access for our products.”

President Trump has been highly critical of the country’s Black-led government over a new land law he claims discriminates against white people.

Negotiations with the U.S. have been complicated and unprecedented, according to South Africa’s ministers, who denied rumors that the lack of an ambassador in the U.S affected the result of the talks. The Trump administration expelled Ebrahim Rasool, South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, in mid-March, accusing him of being a “race-baiting politician” who hates Trump.

International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola highlighted that even countries with ambassadors in the U.S. and allies of Washington had been hard hit with tariffs. However, Lamola confirmed that the process of appointing a replacement for Rasool was “at an advanced stage”.

The U.S. accounts for 7.5% of South Africa’s global exports. However, several sectors, accounting for 35% of exports to the U.S., remain exempt from the tariffs. These include copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, lumber products, certain critical minerals, stainless steel scrap and energy products remain exempted from the tariffs.

The government has been scrambling to diversify South Africa’s export markets, particularly by deepening intra-African trade. Countries across Asia and the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have been touted as opportunities for high-growth markets. The government said it had made significant progress in opening vast new markets like China and Thailand, securing vital protocols for products like citrus.

The government has set up an Export Support Desk to aid manufacturers and exporters in South Africa search for alternate markets.

While welcoming the establishment of the Export Support Desk, an independent association representing some of South Africa’s biggest and most well-known businesses called for a trade crisis committee to be established that brings together business leaders and government officials, including from the finance ministry.

Business Leadership South Africa said such a committee would ensure fast, coordinated action to open new markets, provide financial support, and maintain employment.

“U.S. tariffs pose a severe threat to South Africa’s manufacturing and farming sectors, particularly in the Eastern Cape. While businesses can eventually adapt, urgent temporary support is essential,” said BLSA in a statement.

Gumede writes for the Associated Press.

OZZY Osbourne has been buried near bat boxes – and it feels “like Ozzy had the last laugh”, a family friend said.

The Black Sabbath legend, who died on July 22 at the age of 76, was laid to rest next to the lake in his Buckinghamshire home on Thursday.

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A family friend told the Mirror: “This was like a classic Ozzy move. The man loved humour and this sure would have tickled him pink knowing how close friends reacted to this bat situation.

“After all those decades caught up in this drama around bats and animal rights groups, here at his final resting place there are bespoke bat boxes to help encourage the animals thrive in the UK countryside.

“It has prompted quite a few laughs and funny ­reactions. It is just like Ozzy had the last laugh.”

They added that the bat boxes – installed in trees by the lake a few years ago – have brought moments of laughter to the grieving family.

One of the most controversial moments of the heavy metal singer’s career came in January 1982, when he famously bit the head off a bat on stage.

Something small and black landed near him on stage during a show at Des Moines’ Veterans Memorial Auditorium.

Believing it was a rubber toy, Ozzy picked it up and bit into it.

In his 2010 autobiography I Am Ozzy, he wrote: “Somebody threw a bat. I just thought it was a rubber bat. And I picked it up and put it in my mouth. I bit into it.

“Immediately, though, something felt wrong. Very wrong,” he added.

Ozzy said he deeply regretted the incident as he had to have daily rabies shots for months.

It remains unclear whether the bat was alive or dead – in a 2006 interview with the BBC, Ozzy described it as a “dead real bat”.

Buckinghamshire – home to many brown long-eared and pipistrelle bats – has recently taken steps to improve bat conservation.

On Thursday, an “incredibly emotional” funeral service was held for the rocker, a family friend told The Sun.

Tents were erected on the 250-acre grounds of the house Ozzy and Sharon bought in 1993, along with a stage where tributes were paid to the rocker.

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The home was decorated with pictures of Ozzy, and mourners were given a photograph of him to take home.

110 of the singer’s nearest and dearest attended, joining his wife Sharon and his children Jack, 39, Kelly, 40, Aimee, 41, and Louis, 50, his son from his first marriage to Thelma Riley.

Stars at the service included Ozzy’s Black Sabbath bandmates, Metallica’s James Hetfield, punk singer Yungblud and Sir Elton John.

Rock icon Marilyn Manson flew in from the US to attend, alongside Ozzy’s guitarist Zakk Wylde and Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor.

The family friend said: “Everyone at the service just wanted to support Sharon and the kids, it has been an awful time.

“Toasts were raised, memories were shared – it was a very fitting goodbye.

“Ozzy wanted his final place of rest to be at home and he is buried at a beautiful point on the lake.

“As well as the ‘Ozzy f***ing Osbourne’ wreath, which made people smile, there was another floral tribute which spelt out ‘Ozzy’ that was placed by the fountain on the lake.

“There was a stage where people including Yungblud, who grew very close to Ozzy in recent years, were set to pay tribute to him.

“The day was incredibly emotional. Pictures of Ozzy were dotted throughout the house and a photograph of him was given to everyone who attended to take home with them.”

Guests were sent a simple black invitation featuring a cross and the words: “In loving memory of Ozzy Osbourne.”

The road leading to the couple’s Buckinghamshire home near Gerrards Cross was closed from 1pm.

Mourners were transported from The Crowne Plaza and The Bull in Gerrards Cross to the house at 2pm, with the service starting at 3pm.

The day before, thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy.

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Five hotspots in the Canary Islands – including Tenerife – have been issued a ‘high alert’ warning that prohibits tourists and residents from taking part in a slew of common activities

A ‘high alert’ warning has been issued across five popular hotspots in the Canary Islands, including Tenerife. Authorities across the tourist-riddled archipelago, located off the coast of northwestern Africa, have urged tourists and locals to take ‘extreme caution’ as high temperatures and dry, windy weather conditions have increased the risk of wildfires.

Temperatures are expected to reach a scorching 34C in parts of the region in the following days, while highs of 37C have been forecast for Gran Canaria. Meanwhile, strong winds above 30km per hour are also slated to shift across the islands.

READ MORE: Brits warned as ‘disgraceful’ silent tourist tax exposed in city break hotspot

On Monday, July 28, at 8am, level one prevention measures were reportedly activated in Tenerife, while wildfire alerts were also extended to El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera and Gran Canaria. At the time of writing, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura seem to have dodged the alert.

According to local news site Canarian Weekly, the Canary Islands Government has implemented the INFOCA wildfire emergency plan, which prohibits those on the island from having BBQs or open flames in recreational areas or outdoor spaces. Tourists and residents are also prohibited from smoking in forest areas, trails, campsites, or public use areas in the mountains.

Even spark-producing tools such as chainsaws and strimmers are said to be banned during the level one restrictions, as well as letting off fireworks in or near forested zones. “Residents and visitors are also strongly advised to avoid entering forested areas during the alert period,” the publication added.

The alert follows a wildfire outbreak in La Palma, which is believed to have been caused by human activity. Authorities have therefore urged the public to ‘remain vigilant’ and report any signs of smoke or fire immediately by calling 112.

Back in 2023, forest fires in Tenerife ripped through more than 15,000 hectares of land and resulted in around 12,000 people being forced to evacuate. Again, this blaze was blamed on arsonists, but shows just how quickly fires on the archipelago can spread – especially during the dry season.

The warning follows a slew of deadly wildfires that have spread across Europe during the sweltering summer months and resulted in tragedy. As previously reported, more than 1,500 people were recently evacuated in Turkey as blazes continues to ravage regions across the country.

One firefighter has tragically died while attempting to quash an inferno in the country’s fourth most populated city, Bursa. The city’s mayor Mustafa Bozbey added that more than 7,000 acres of land had been scorched by the fatal fire too.

Thousands of people were also forced to flee as wildfires hit two major Greek islands and villages near Athens this month – with two homes being burn down to the ground in the blaze. You can read more about the Turkey and Greece wildfires here.

Do you have a story to share? Email us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured.

On the day immigration agents swooped through MacArthur Park in armored vehicles, wearing tactical gear and riding on horseback, Contreras Learning Center football coach Manuel Guevara said more than 20 of his players skipped summer practice.

“Kids were messaging me their parents don’t want them to leave their house,” Guevara said.

The fear among families with students attending three downtown Los Angeles high schools minutes apart — Contreras, Roybal and Belmont— is real.

“Everybody’s on edge,” Guevara said.

Players don’t know if their parents will feel safe enough to watch games from the school bleachers this fall.

As official football practice begins on Monday, three downtown Los Angeles head coaches — Guevara, Roybal’s Michael Galvan and Belmont’s Kenneth Daniels — have been in constant communication and united to help their players and parents deal with ICE raids. No one knows when the raids might subside or how the ongoing anxiety might affect teams this fall.

One of the first raids happened outside an elementary school across the street from Contreras. A 17-year-old Contreras cross country and track athlete, Nory Santoy Ramos, was detained and later deported to Guatemala with her mother after showing up for an immigration appointment. Families in the area rely on afterschool programs that are facing budget cuts. Students continue to deal with issues involving homelessness, gangs and drug use at nearby MacArthur Park.

Even though all three coaches said players feel safe on campus, with Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Alberto Carvalho vowing to make schools “safe havens,” coaches are most concerned about students’ commutes to and from school.

Federal immigration agents near MacArthur Park in the Westlake area on July 7.

(Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times)

“A piece of me worries about them getting home safe,” Roybal’s Galvan said.

Guevara said one Contreras player told him he’s 80% certain his mother is going to leave and take him with her because of ICE fears. He’s had kids message him this summer that they couldn’t come to practices because their parents feared for their safety.

The Times has confirmed U.S. citizens are among those who have been detained during immigration raids in Southern California that have continued for more than six weeks. More than 2,700 people have been arrested during the raids and more than two-thirds of those detained had never previously been convicted of a crime.

“I understand their plight,” Guevara said. “I was brought here when I was 1. I became a citizen when I was 17. It’s not like you can tell anyone in this situation, ‘Suck it up.’ It’s a completely different animal. Our area is targeted.”

Students at Miguel Contreras Learning Complex in downtown Los Angeles continue to be affected by ICE raids.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Belmont is struggling to field a football team this fall. School enrollment is down to less than 700 after once being a school of more than 6,000 — the largest in the county — until Contreras and Roybal were built. Athletic director Carlos Calderon said four sports that have been practicing on the Belmont campus this summer — cheer, girls volleyball, cross-country and football — have been affected by parental safety concerns.

“We’ve seen a deduction in kids coming to practices and increase communication with parents and having them call us [to say,] ‘We don’t feel comfortable in kids coming to practice,’” he said.

Calderon, who helps coach cross-country, has had athletes train on the school track instead of running the hills at Elysian Park to assuage parental fears.

Daniels said after one summer practice, when he learned an ICE raid was unfolding nearby, he instructed players to leave school from the back entrance instead of the front entrance.

“It’s really affecting us,” he said. “We’re not getting the numbers we need to get the workouts in.”

Belmont has 20 football players signed up, but only about half have been showing up for workouts. The team usually adds players once classes begin Aug. 14. Daniels, a walk-on coach, is already consumed by the challenge of building a new house in Altadena after his burned down during the Eaton fire.

“Nothing has been easy in 2025,” he said.

Galvan said he’s had players miss practices to go shopping for family members who feel they have to stay home. Others had medical appointments delayed because parents didn’t want to leave their homes.

“In all of my 25 years of teaching in the area, I’ve never experienced anything like this,” he said. “You just don’t know. It’s hard to explain. How do we get through one day? … We’re taking it day by day.”

The Garfield-Roosevelt game, known as the East L.A. Classic, draws the largest L.A. high school football attendance each year. It’s scheduled for Oct. 24 at a site to be determined and officials want to make sure fans attending feel safe, so a decision on the site and security arrangements in light of continuing ICE raids are being taken into consideration along with budget.

“We will continue to follow district guidelines to ensure the well-being of our entire school community,” Garfield athletic director Lorenzo Hernandez said in a text message. “Our priority is — and will always be — to keep students and families safe, informed and supported.”

Said Galvan: “We definitely have to approach this season differently and see who we can accommodate and support the kids and balance understanding the situation and keeping them safe. It’s going to be on a weekly basis how we approach each game.”

Skipping summer practices won’t prevent a team from going forward. But if players start missing practices this fall, that will cause problems, because practices are needed to help prevent injuries and get athletes into the proper physical condition to participate.

Guevara still remembers July 7, the day of the MacArthur Park show of force. He addressed players who showed up to practice and were going home.

“Be vigilant, be careful,” he told them.

It’s a message likely to be repeated again and again this fall.

Technically, there was no winning pitcher in Major League Baseball’s 95th All-Star Game.

The man who gave up the night’s biggest swings, however, was probably as deserving as any.

As the American League stormed back from a 6-0 deficit in Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic, a rarely contemplated reality started to dawn in both dugouts.

Three years ago, MLB changed its rules for how to break ties in its annual marquee event, instituting a home run “swing-off” to be conducted at the conclusion of the ninth inning. Each team selected three players, who each got three swings. Whichever team hit the most home runs in those nine swings wins the game.

It was penalty kicks for baseball. A hockey shootout on the diamond.

The only difference, though, was that this sport’s version required a coach to take part in the action.

Enter Dino Ebel — veteran Dodgers’ third base coach — and, now, victorious pitcher in the inaugural All-Star Game swing-off.

“What an exciting moment, I think, for baseball, for all the people that stayed, who watched on television, everything,” Ebel said, after teeing up the NL hitters for a 4-3 win in the home run swing-off, and a 7-6 win overall in the All-Star Game.

“That was pretty awesome to be a part of … I had like 10 throws just to get loose. And then it’s like, ‘Let’s bring it on.’ ”

Indeed, in an event that can often go stale once starters get removed in the early innings, the finish to Tuesday’s game energized both the stands and the dugouts, with players from both teams emptying onto the field and wildly cheering each swing.

“That was like the baseball version of a shootout or extra time,” said Philadelphia Phillies star Kyle Schwarber, who went three for three in his turn at the plate to ultimately lift the NL to the win, and earn All-Star Game MVP honors. “It was really fun. I credit the guys on our side, who were really into it.”

“First time in history we got to do this,” added Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts, who was previously 0-3 as an All-Star Game manager before Tuesday’s dramatic conclusion. “I think it played pretty well tonight.”

Perhaps the greatest twist: In the middle of it all was Ebel, a 59-year-old base coach who, as a utility infielder from 1988 to 1994 in the Dodgers’ minor-league system, never advanced past triple A.

In addition to his duties as third base coach and outfield instructor for the Dodgers, Ebel is something of a batting practice specialist these days. He’s thrown it on a daily basis to Dodgers hitters ever since the team hired him in 2019, and as a staff member with the Angels for years before that. He has pitched for four different players in the Home Run Derby, including Albert Pujols, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Teoscar Hernández’s win in Texas last year.

Kyle Schwarber celebrates with teammates after the NL won the All-Star Game tiebreaker.

(Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)

Ebel and Schwarber even had previous history of doing batting practice together, back when Ebel was a coach on Team USA’s 2023 World Baseball Classic squad two years prior.

“He’s got great BP,” Schwarber said. “A lot of credit goes to him, just kind of getting thrown into the firestorm there and not being rattled by it, being able to keep pumping really good strikes to us.”

By the time Schwarber came up in the second round of the swing-off, the NL was in somewhat dicey position. Brent Rooker of the A’s started the event off with two home runs for the AL. Kyle Stowers of the Miami Marlins and Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners each traded one, leaving the AL ahead 3-1.

And while Schwarber is one of the league’s most feared sluggers, with 30 long balls this year and 314 in his career, he said he rarely takes actual batting practice on the field, leaving him admittedly “a little nervous” as strolled to the dish.

“I think the first swing was kind of the big one,” Schwarber said. “I was just really trying to hit a line drive, versus trying to hit the home run. Usually, that tends to work out — especially in games.”

As Schwarber was preparing for his round, he and Ebel discussed where exactly he wanted the ball thrown.

“I’m gonna go left-center to center field,” Schwarber told Ebel. “So just throw it down the middle.”

Three thunderous swings later, Schwarber had put the NL in front with three towering blasts.

Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel was the man of the moment at the All-Star Game.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

“This was putting it more on the line,” Ebel said of Tuesday’s format, which unlike the Home Run Derby or daily BP, required more patience and precision with each player permitted only three swings. “Like right now, you’re gonna win it or you’re gonna lose it. And we won it.”

Indeed, when the Tampa Bay Rays’ Jonathan Aranda suffered an 0-fer that culminated in a pop-up, the NL team swarmed Schwarber, who then sought out Ebel and embraced him with a hug.

“A lot of credit goes to him for the National League bringing it home,” Schwarber reiterated.

“Put a ‘W’ next to Dino’s name in the paper,” Roberts echoed. “Dino should get the win, absolutely.”

This week was memorable for Ebel even before Tuesday’s swing-off.

On Sunday morning, he flew home early from the Dodgers’ road series in San Francisco to be with his son, Brady, for the MLB draft. From their living room, the Ebel family celebrated after Brady was selected 32nd overall by the Milwaukee Brewers, then packed up and headed for Ontario International Airport to catch a red-eye flight Sunday for Atlanta.

And after getting in early on Monday morning, Ebel had been going nonstop around All-Star festivities, joining his fellow Dodgers coaches (who made up the honorary NL staff after winning the pennant last year) for media appearances, throwing batting practice in a pre-Home Run Derby workout on Monday and, as it turned out, doing it again with Tuesday’s game in the balance.

“It’s pretty high adrenaline going for me right now,” Ebel said from the NL clubhouse postgame. “I haven’t gotten too much sleep. But right now, I feel like I’ve slept for days. Because I’m wired up.”

BBC

‘Google the Latin names’

The Latin names of cosmetic ingredients

Rachel Williams

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Monday placed a 25% tax on goods imported from Japan and South Korea, citing persistent trade imbalances with the two crucial U.S. allies in Asia.

Trump provided notice of the tariffs to begin Aug. 1 by posting letters on Truth Social that were addressed to the leaders of both countries. The letters warned both countries to not retaliate by increasing their own import taxes, or else the Trump administration would further increase tariffs.

“If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge,” Trump wrote in the letters to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.

The letters were not the final word from Trump on tariffs, so much as another episode in a global economic drama in which the U.S. president has placed himself at the center. His moves have raised fears that economic growth will slow to a muddle, if not make the U.S. and other nations more vulnerable to a recession. But Trump is confident that tariffs are necessary to bring back domestic manufacturing and fund the tax cuts he signed into law Friday.

The S&P 500 stock index was down nearly 1% in Monday afternoon trading, while the interest charged on the 10-year U.S. Treasury noted had increased to nearly 4.39%, a figure that could translate into elevated rates for mortgages and auto loans.

Trump has declared an economic emergency to unilaterally impose the taxes, suggesting they are remedies for past trade deficits even though many U.S. consumers have come to value autos, electronics and other goods from Japan and South Korea. But it’s unclear what he gains strategically against China — another stated reason for the tariffs — by challenging two crucial partners in Asia who could counter China’s economic heft.

“These tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your Country,” Trump wrote in both letters.

Because the new tariff rates go into effect in roughly three weeks, Trump is setting up a period of possibly tempestuous talks among the U.S. and its trade partners to reach new frameworks.

Trump initially sparked hysteria in the financial markets by announcing tariff rates on dozens of countries, including 24% on Japan and 25% on South Korea. In order to calm the markets, Trump unveiled a 90-day negotiating period during which goods from most countries were taxed at a baseline 10%.

The 90-day negotiating period technically ends before Wednesday, even as multiple administration officials and Trump himself suggested the three-week period before implementation is akin to overtime for additional talks.

Administration officials have said Trump is relying on tariff revenues to help offset the tax cuts he signed into law on Friday, a move that could shift a greater share of the federal tax burden onto the middle class and poor as importers would likely pass along much of the cost of the tariffs. Trump has warned major retailers such as Walmart to simply “eat” the higher costs, instead of increasing prices in ways that could intensify inflation.

Trump’s team promised 90 deals in 90 days, but his negotiations so far have produced only two trade frameworks.

His trade framework with Vietnam was clearly designed to box out China from routing its America-bound goods through that country, by doubling the 20% tariff charged on Vietnamese imports on anything traded transnationally.

The quotas in the United Kingdom framework would spare that nation from the higher tariff rates being charged on steel, aluminum and autos, still British goods would generally face a 10% tariff.

The United States ran a $69.4-billion trade imbalance in goods with Japan in 2024 and a $66-billion imbalance with South Korea, according to the Census Bureau.

According to Trump’s letters, autos would be tariffed separately at the standard 25% worldwide, while steel and aluminum imports would be taxed 50%. The broader 25% rates on Japan and South Korea would apply to goods not already covered by the specific sectoral tariffs.

This is not the first time that Trump has tangled with Japan and South Korea on trade — and the new tariffs suggest his past deals made during his first term failed to deliver on his administration’s own hype.

In 2018 during Trump’s first term, his administration celebrated a revamped trade agreement with South Korea as a major win. And in 2019, Trump signed a limited agreement with Japan on agricultural products and digital trade that at the time he called a “huge victory for America’s farmers, ranchers and growers.”

Boak writes for the Associated Press.