sport

A group of legendary former international cricketers has appealed to Pakistan’s government to provide “immediate and adequate medical attention” for Imran Khan, the country’s former cricket captain and prime minister, who has reportedly been denied appropriate medical treatment during his incarceration.

The 14 former captains, many of whom played against Khan, raised concerns over his deteriorating health and the alleged mistreatment during his imprisonment in a letter published by Australian media outlets on Tuesday.

“We write with deep concern regarding the reported treatment and incarceration conditions of Imran Khan, the distinguished former captain of Pakistan and a legendary figure in world cricket,” the letter read.

The signatories include Khan’s contemporaries and cricket’s Hall of Famers Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Clive Lloyd, Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, John Wright and David Gower.

Khan, a popular figure, represented Pakistan from 1971 to 1992 in 88 Test matches and 175 one-day internationals, leading the nation to its first World Cup win in 1992.

He is widely regarded as one of the greatest all-round players and arguably Pakistan’s greatest cricketer.

Ex-cricketers raise ‘profound concern’

The petition signed by the cricketers was drafted by Greg Chappell and delivered to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday afternoon, a report in The Age newspaper said.

“Recent reports concerning his health – particularly the alarming deterioration of his vision while in custody – and the conditions of his imprisonment over the past two and a half years have caused us profound concern,” the former cricketers wrote.

Last week, a court-appointed lawyer claimed that Khan had been left with just 15 percent vision in his right eye after authorities allegedly ignored his complaints for three months.

The lawyer’s report painted a troubling picture of the 73-year-old’s deteriorating health and prolonged isolation, since he was imprisoned in August 2023 on dozens of charges. It said Khan suffered rapid and substantial vision loss over the past three months while in custody.

“He [Khan] stated that he subsequently suffered a sudden and complete loss of vision in his right eye,” the report said.

A government-appointed medical board examining the jailed ex-leader reported a significant improvement in his eyesight, a claim rejected by Khan’s family.

“Without the physical presence of both his personal doctor and family representative, we categorically reject any claims made by the government regarding his examination, treatment or medical condition,” Aleema Khan, the former prime minister’s sister, told Al Jazeera.

Khan became prime minister in 2018 in elections that opponents alleged were rigged in his favour by the powerful military. Four years later, he was removed through a no-confidence vote that he claimed was orchestrated by the military, after their relationship soured, in collusion with Washington and Khan’s political rivals in Pakistan.

These allegations were denied by both the Pakistani military and the United States.

‘Uphold the principles of decency and justice’

The letter of appeal, which was also signed by former captains Michael Atherton, Michael Brearley, Belinda Clark, Kim Hughes, Nasser Hussain and Steve Waugh, stated that a person of Imran Khan’s stature deserved to be treated with the “dignity and basic human consideration befitting a former national leader and a global sporting icon”.

The former cricketers urged Pakistan’s government to ensure that Khan receives:

• Immediate, adequate and ongoing medical attention from qualified specialists of his choosing to address his reported health issues.
• Humane and dignified conditions of detention in line with international standards, including regular visits by close family members.
• Fair and transparent access to legal processes without undue delay or hindrance.

Khan’s supporters, members of his political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and allies have held protests and sit-ins outside the Pakistani parliament in recent days, deploring the denial of access to his family and physicians recommended by them.

“Imran’s sons have been trying to visit Pakistan since last year and have applied several times, but their visa has not been processed. It is in limbo; they do not get a denial, nor an approval,” Khan’s sister said, referring to Kasim and Suleman, Khan’s two sons, who are nationals of the United Kingdom.

In their letter, the former captains said they were appealing to Sharif’s government to honour and uphold “the principles of decency and justice”.

“This appeal is made in the spirit of sportsmanship and common humanity, without prejudice to any legal proceedings,” the letter concluded.

The Fiji fixture is not Wales’ game to organise.

Wales traditionally play their home matches at the Principality Stadium but this contest is considered an away match with Fiji being the hosts.

Similarly, the invitational Barbarians will be the “home” side when they face Wales at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on Saturday, 27 June.

Fiji are set to play their Nations Championship home matches at venues outside their own country, given the logistical difficulties of travel to the Pacific Islands and the ability to maximise revenue at larger grounds elsewhere.

Fiji face England in the second round of fixtures, before finishing the July group stages against Scotland.

The Principality Stadium is also continuing the tradition of hosting a number of non-rugby events this summer, so is unavailable to stage matches in late June and early July.

There are no official events yet listed in the Principality Stadium calendar for July, but rock group Metallica are holding a concert in Cardiff on Sunday, 28 June, 12 days after Take That have played in the Welsh capital.

Wales will host Japan, New Zealand and Australia at the Principality Stadium in November in the second half of the Nations Championship.

Canada’s Yuvraj Samra became the first player from an associate nation to make a T20 World Cup century but it was not enough to stop them sliding to an eight-wicket defeat byt New Zealand, who confirmed their place in the Super 8 phase.

Samra made 110 off 65 balls in a knock which featured 11 fours and six sixes as his stunning innings helped Canada post 173-4.

The teenager had brought up his hundred off 58 balls as he eclipsed the previous top score by an associate player – 94 not out by the USA’s Aaron Jones against Canada at the last World Cup.

At 19 years and 141 days, he also became the youngest-ever T20 World Cup centurion, beating Pakistan Ahmed Shehzad’s (22 years and 127 days) against Bangladesh in 2014.

Samra was eventually dismissed by Jacob Duffy – caught in the deep behind square by Glenn Phillips – and left to a standing ovation at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai

“I manifested this moment ever since we qualified for the World Cup. Every single day, I dreamed about scoring a hundred on this stage,” said Samra, who is named after ex-India batter Yuvraj Singh.

“To do it here, in my first appearance [in Chennai], and as the youngest player in this World Cup – it’s truly a dream come true.”

Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa, who shared a 116-run stand with Samra for the first wicket, added: “Hats off to Yuvraj, he finished with a hundred in this match and it’s a proud moment for him and all Canadians.”

Kiwi seamers Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Jimmy Neesham and Duffy all claimed one wicket apiece.

New Zealand had a brief wobble early in the chase when they lost openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen in quick succession and slipped to 30-2.

However, Canada’s bowlers were unable to press home the advantage and an unbroken 146-run stand for the third wicket between Rachin Ravindra and Phillips got them home with 29 balls to spare.

Phillips top-scored with a brutal 76 not out of 36 balls while Ravindra finished unbeaten with 59 off 39 deliveries.

New Zealand’s victory sent them through and eliminated Canada in addition to the UAE and Afghanistan.

British number one Emma Raducanu has been knocked out of the Dubai Tennis Championships in the first round.

She recovered from a set and a break down against Antonia Ruzic to force a decider but the Croatian prevailed, winning 6-1 5-7 6-2.

Ruzic is ranked 67th in the world and was one of seven lucky losers from qualifying to fill the main draw after several players pulled out through injury, illness or a schedule change.

The Croatian said it was a ‘crazy turnaround,’ with little preparation time for what became her first career top 30 win.

“We were going to stay here for two-three days. It’s crazy because I got in on Monday. Playing against Emma, of course, is a tough match,” Ruzic explained.

“A lot of the girls were cancelling and a lot of them were not here to sign (as alternates). I was like ‘OK, I’m going to sign and let’s see what happens’.”

Raducanu’s initial opponent Elisabetta Cocciaretto was ruled out with a thigh problem, and Ruzic won the first set in 30 minutes having twice broken Raducanu.

The world number 25 then sought medical attention, just as she did last week at the Qatar Open when she had to retire from her first-round match.

Despite falling 5-3 down after being broken again in the second set, Raducanu fought back to claim two breaks and make it a set apiece.

The Briton won six consecutive games at the end of the second set and start of the third to go 2-0 up in the decider, but Ruzic won the next six to clinch victory.

HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER PLAYOFFS
TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE

SOUTHERN SECTION
BOYS
QUARTERFINALS
(Games at 5 p.m. unless noted)

OPEN DIVISION
Pool Play
#4 Placentia Valencia at #8 Orange Lutheran
#2 Mater Dei at #6 JSerra

DIVISION 1
Anaheim Canyon at Torrance
Santa Monica at Servite, 3:30 p.m.
Sunny Hills at Sultana
El Segundo at Fontana, Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

DIVISION 2
Downey at El Dorado, 6 p.m.
Newport Harbor vs. Crossroads, 6 p.m. at Belmar Park
Bishop Amat at Culver City, 3 p.m.
Patriot at Citrus Hill, 5:30 p.m.

DIVISION 3
West Torrance at Los Alamitos
Godinez at Palmdale, 3 p.m.
Channel Islands at Littlerock
Knight at Calabasas, 3 p.m.

DIVISION 4
Cypress at Granite Hills
Indian Springs at Sierra Vista
Santa Paula at Irvine University
Oxnard Pacifica at Lakewood

DIVISION 5
Crespi at Santa Ana Valley
San Marcos at Mountain View
Tustin at Esperanza, 6 p.m.
Westlake at Camarillo

DIVISION 6
Viewpoint vs. Bishop Montgomery at South Torrance
Coachella Valley vs. Animo Leadership, 4 p.m. at Edward Vincent Field
Vista del Lago at Cerritos Valley Christian
Lakeside at Ontario Christian, 3 p.m.

DIVISION 7
Maranatha vs. Cerritos, 5:30 p.m. at Gahr
Edgewood vs. Pasadena Poly at San Marino
Oakwood at Ganesha
Palmdale Academy Charter at Pioneer

DIVISION 8
San Jacinto Leadership vs. Fairmont Prep, 3 p.m. at Great Park
Bishop Diego vs. OC Pacifica Christian, 3 p.m. at Vanguard University
Holy Martyrs vs. Rio Hondo Prep, 3 p.m. at Kare Park
de Toledo at Thacher, Wednesday at 3 p.m.

Note: Semifinals Saturday; Finals Feb. 27 or 28.

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE
CITY SECTION
BOYS
SECOND ROUND
(Games at 3 p.m. unless noted)

DIVISION I
#17 King/Drew at #1 Chavez
#9 Angelou at #8 LA University
#12 Sun Valley Poly at #5 Chatsworth
#13 Van Nuys at #4 Granada Hills
#19 LA Marshall at #3 Diego Rivera
#11 San Pedro at #6 Cleveland
#10 Carson at #7 Legacy
#15 Granada Hills Kennedy vs. #2 Roybal, 2:30 p.m. at Contreras

DIVISION II
#17 Canoga Park vs. #1 New West Charter, 2p.m. at Dignity Health Park
#9 Santee at #8 South Gate, 4 p.m.
#12 Arleta at #5 Annenberg
#20 Neuwirth Leadership Academy at #4 Orthopaedic
#14 Taft at #3 Fremont
#22 Elizabeth at #6 Garfield
#23 Huntington Park at #7 Alliance Health
#15 RFK Community at #2 Locke

DIVISION III
#17 West Adams at #1 LACES
#9 Franklin at #8 Alliance Bloomfield
#12 North Hollywood at #5 SOCES
#13 Foshay at #4 San Fernando
#14 Hollywood at #3 Gardena
#11 Grant at #6 Animo Pat Brown
#23 Sun Valley Magnet at #7 Collins Family
#15 Bernstein at #2 LA Hamilton

DIVISION IV
#16 Smidt Tech at #1 Mendez
#24 New Designs University Park at #8 LA Roosevelt
#12 MSCP at #5 East Valley
#13 Animo South LA at #4 Maywood Academy
#19 Lakeview Charter at #3 Downtown Magnets
#11 Triumph Charter at #6 Panorama
#10 Alliance Levine vs. #7 Aspire Ollin, 2 p.m. at Boyle Heights Sports Center
#18 Port of LA at #2 Belmont

Note: Quarterfinals Friday; Semifinals Feb. 25; Finals Feb. 27 or 28.

GIRLS
SEMIFINALS

OPEN DIVISION
#5 Palisades vs. #1 Cleveland, 5 p.m. at Taft
#6 New West Charter at #7 Granada Hills, 7 p.m.

Note: Finals Feb. 27 or 28 at TBA.

SOUTHERN SECTION
GIRLS
QUARTERFINALS
(Games at 5 p.m. unless noted)

OPEN DIVISION
Pool Play
#1 Santa Margarita at #4 Oaks Christian
#2 Redondo Union at #3 Mater Dei

DIVISION 1
Rosary Academy vs. Westlake, 7 p.m. at Cal Lutheran
Newport Harbor at Orange Lutheran
Etiwanda at Eastvale Roosevelt, 6 p.m.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Harvard-Westlake, 5:30 p.m.

DIVISION 2
Saugus at Ayala
San Marino at Portola, 3 p.m.
Millikan at Warren, 3 p.m.
Riverside King at Bonita, 3 p.m.

DIVISION 3
Crescenta Valley at Valencia
La Salle at Paloma Valley, 3 p.m.
La Canada at Quartz Hill, 3 p.m.
Simi Valley at Flintridge Prep, 3 p.m.

DIVISION 4
Patriot at San Jacinto, 3 p.m.
Arcadia at Granite Hills, 3 p.m.
Laguna Hills vs. Immaculate Heart, 5:30 p.m. at Glendale College
Chino at Arlington, 3 p.m.

DIVISION 5
Artesia at Anaheim, 3 p.m.
Grand Terrace at Coachella Valley
La Palma Kennedy at Sultana, 3 p.m.
Alemany vs. Del Sol at Rio Mes

DIVISION 6
Adelanto at Ocean View
Palmdale Aerospace at St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy
Segerstrom at Arroyo Valley, 3 p.m.
Mayfair at Grace, 3 p.m.

DIVISION 7
Nuview Bridge at Savanna
Ganesha vs. SM Pacifica Christian, 3 p.m. at Airport Soccer Complex
Cate at Santa Rosa Academy
San Gabriel at Azusa, 3 p.m.

DIVISION 8
CAMS at Mountain View, 3 p.m.
Buckley at Milken, 3 p.m.
Big Bear at Environmental Charter, 3 p.m.
Miller at Webb, 3 p.m.

Note: Semifinals Saturday; Finals Feb. 27 or 28.

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
CITY SECTION
BOYS
SEMIFINALS
(Games at 3 p.m. unless noted)

OPEN DIVISION
#4 Palisades at #1 El Camino Real
#6 Marquez at #2 South East, 6 p.m.

Note: Finals Feb. 27 or 28 at TBA.

GIRLS
QUARTERFINALS
(Games at 3 p.m. unless noted)

DIVISION I
#8 Van Nuys at #1 Birmingham
#5 Chatsworth at #4 Granada Hills Kennedy
#11 LA Hamilton at #3 Wilmington Banning
#15 King/Drew at #7 Eagle Rock

DIVISION II
#8 Mendez at #1 South East
#13 Lakeview Charter at #5 Animo Bunche
#19 Bravo at #6 LA Roosevelt
#7 Garfield at #2 Gardena

DIVISION III
#9 Maywood CES at #1 Fairfax
#5 Reseda at #4 Marquez
#6 Verdugo Hills at #3 Huntington Park
#7 Santee vs. #18 Manual Arts / #2 Angelou

DIVISION IV
#16 Franklin at #9 Aspire Ollin
#13 Arleta at #12 Monroe
#6 Animo De La Hoya at #3 Camino Nuevo
#10 Sun Valley Poly at #2 Fremont

Note: Semifinals Feb. 24; Finals Feb. 27 or 28 at TBA.

Barca miss a chance to move above Real Madrid in the Spanish league as Catalan neighbours Girona climb to 12th.

Lamine Yamal missed a penalty as Barcelona lost to Girona 2-1, passing up a chance to overtake Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. The defeat was the second in less than a week for Barca and left them second in the table, two points behind Madrid.

A win on Monday would have taken the defending champions above their archrivals, but, instead, a crisis brewed for coach Hansi Flick, whose side lost to Atletico Madrid 4-0 in the Copa del Rey last week.

The second loss came even though Barcelona took the lead early in the second half.

Yamal hit the post with his spot kick on the stroke of half-time, but 14 minutes into the second period, Pau Cubarsi met Jules Kounde’s cross from the right and placed his header perfectly into the top corner.

The goal was Barcelona’s 100th in all competitions this season, making them the second club in Europe’s big five domestic leagues to hit the century mark after Bayern Munich.

However, Girona roared back into the game just three minutes later.

Barcelona’s Joan Garcia was already the busier of the two goalkeepers, but he could not stop Thomas Lemar side-footing home from close range after nice work from Vladyslav Vanat on the left wing.

Both sides pushed for a decisive second, and it was Girona who executed with three minutes remaining, substitute Fran Beltran scoring with a low shot from just inside the box.

Girona’s Joel Roca was sent off in the dying seconds, but there were no more goals.

The victory ended a three-game winless streak for Girona and lifted them by three places into 12th, equal on points with Getafe.

Only seven points separate the 11 clubs from eighth to 18th in La Liga.

The Miami Dolphins have released wide receiver Tyreek Hill with immediate effect.

The 31-year-old has been selected for the Pro Bowl in eight of his first 10 seasons in the NFL but is currently recovering from a serious knee injury.

The Dolphins cited “failed physical” as the reason for Hill’s departure as they also released offensive lineman James Daniels and wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on Monday.

Know as ‘the Cheetah’, Hill has been one of the quickest players in the NFL since being drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016, helping them win the Super Bowl in 2020.

The Chiefs traded him to Miami in 2022 to make room under their salary cap and since then he has ranked sixth for most receiving yards in he NFL.

During that period, Hill missed just one game until last September, when he sustained a dislocated knee and multiple torn ligaments, including his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The Dolphins went on to finish the season with their second straight losing record under head coach Mike McDaniel, who has since been replaced by Jeff Hafley.

He has set about rebuilding the Dolphins roster, with Tua Tagovailoa also linked with a move from Miami having failed to establish himself as their franchise quarterback.

Jamaica’s Mica Moore, from Newport in south Wales, finished four places ahead of Nicoll in 14th and was delighted with the outcome following her switch in 2022 from representing GB after claiming she had witnessed “damaging and offensive behaviour”.

Moore told BBC Sport: “I’m so happy. It has been a real tough journey to get here, it hasn’t been easy at all. I guess to me it is just a story of not giving up.

“I had a really difficult time with Great Britain and that is not secret at all and I’m just so proud I didn’t give up on myself and I’m so grateful for my family and friends for digging myself out of the trenches when it was really tough and just keep going. Moments like this make it really worth it.”

Moore began her sporting career as an athlete – representing Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games – before switching to bobsleigh.

Her grandfather, Venson Byfield, came to the UK in the Windrush generation and settled in Wales.

“It is a really proud moment,” she added.

“I’ve spoken a lot about my grandfather and how we came over with the Windrush generation and I never got the pleasure of meeting him, but my mum has told me so many stories about him and I just had that in my heart the whole time. I just wanted to make my family proud.

“They’ve supported me for so long. I’m 33 now so I’m quite old and they’ve never wavered in their support.

“I’ve just had the most lovely career because of them.”

NBA star Jaylen Brown had a public spat with the Beverly Hills Police Department Saturday night after police shut down a brand event he was hosting.

Brown, who signed a $285-million contract with the Celtics in 2023, was in Los Angeles for the National Basketball Assn.’s All-Star festivities.

He told ESPN that the event was hosted at Oakley founder Jim Jannard’s house. Brown is sponsored by Oakley.

The event took place in the Trousdale section of Beverly Hills and was shut down about 7 p.m. In a video posted on Brown’s Instagram account, the NBA star could be seen arguing with a BHPD officer who was shutting the party down.

“The owner didn’t say we needed a permit,” Brown told the officer in the video. Brown claimed the event was not a party, but rather a panel on culture.

“300k down the drain,” Brown wrote in a post on X after the incident, tagging the Beverly Hills Police Department.

“An event permit had been applied for and denied by the City due to previous violations associated with events at the address,” BHPD said in a statement.

“Despite the fact that the permit was denied, organizers still chose to proceed with inviting hundreds of guests knowing that it was not allowed to occur,” the statement continued.

Brown plays for the Boston Celtics, a historic rival of the Los Angeles Lakers, but added that he was surprised at his treatment by the city of Beverly Hills.

“I feel like we’re being targeted right now,” he said in a video posted to Instagram.

1

2

3

1. Yoshiki Ideguchi, who traveled from Tokyo, watches at Dodgers spring training at Camelback Ranch in Arizona Monday. (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times) 2. Children lean against a fence and wait to greet players during Dodgers spring training at Camelback Ranch in Arizona on Monday. (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times) 3. A fan holds a World Series bobblehead while waiting to greet players at Dodgers spring training at Camelback Ranch in Arizona on Monday. (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — It’s all downhill after 40.

Downhill at screaming speeds, that is, fast enough to capture Olympic gold, which is precisely what 41-year-old Elana Meyers Taylor did Monday night in the women’s monobob.

America’s most successful female bobsledder finally got her gold medal. She was four one-hundredths of a second faster than Germany’s Laura Nolte — compiled over four heats — netting her sixth Olympic medal.

Those prizes — a gold, three silvers and two bronzes — tied Meyers Taylor with speedskater Bonnie Blair as the most decorated U.S. woman in Winter Olympic history.

“I still can’t even put into words what this means having the gold medal,” Meyers Taylor said. “It’s still surreal.”

She became the oldest American woman to win a gold medal at the Winter Games, having covered the winding course four times in two days in a total of 3 minutes, 57.93 seconds.

American gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor and bronze medalist Kaillie Humphries pose for a photo during the medal ceremony for monbob bobsled in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Monday.

(Julian Finney / Getty Images)

Monobob is a women’s event that made its debut at the Beijing Olympics four years ago. Only one person competes, pushing the sled at the start and piloting down the course at speeds of 70 to 80 mph. There were 20 competitors in the inaugural event, and American Kaillie Humphries — who claimed the bronze Monday — won the first gold medal in the event.

The triumph came after Meyers Taylor went a whole World Cup season without standing on a podium, finishing 10th in the standings.

“The season was miserable,” she said, noting she has suffered back problems for months.

Her husband and two young children were waiting for her at the finish line, and Meyers Taylor is about as down-to-earth as an elite athlete can get. Both of their children have special needs and are deaf.

American Elana Meyers Taylor celebrates after winning the monobob bobsled competition in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Monday.

(Al Bello / Getty Images)

She taught them some new words in sign language in the days leading up to the race.

“We went over what ‘champion’ is,” she said, adding she also taught them to sign “bobsled race” and “gold.”

Asked about her pre-race assessment that a gold medal would mean everything and nothing to her, she smiled and said: “It still is everything, and it still is nothing. Because at the end of the day, in six days I’ve got school pickups and dropoffs in the middle of Texas.”

Humphries — who has three golds and two bronzes in her career — was tied with Meyers Taylor heading into the fourth and final heat. They are both mothers who split time between intense training and all the challenges of parenthood.

“I hope it inspires other people to go out and chase it, whatever it may be,” said Humphries, 40.

“I grew up in a sport where if you have kids once you get to 40, it’s all downhill and alumni … I get to be proof that that’s not true.”

American gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor and bronze medalist Kaillie Humphries celebrate with Humphries’ son after the monobob competition at the Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Monday.

(Julian Finney / Getty Images)

Meyers Taylor, who was born Oct. 10, 1984, is eight days older than American ski racing legend Lindsey Vonn, who is recovering from a violent crash in the women’s downhill and has undergone multiple operations in the last week.

“I was at the Alpine race when she went down, and that was heartbreaking,” Meyers Taylor said.

“To do that at 41, she’s incredible.”

Humphries said staying atop the sport will be quite a challenge for the monobob medalists.

“These girls are young,” she said. “They’re putting up a good fight. I won’t lie, the starts are challenging, so we’ve got some work to do.”

Mike Trout says he would prefer to return to center field for the Angels, and the star slugger says he will skip the World Baseball Classic because of insurance issues.

The 11-time All-Star who been plagued by injuries since 2021 says his familiar position isn’t as physically demanding as the corner outfield spots, contrary to traditional thinking.

Trout played his most games since 2019 last season, finishing at 130. The three-time American League MVP started 22 of his first 29 games in right field before a knee injury sidelined him for a month. The 34-year-old was exclusively a designated hitter when he returned in late May.

Trout had 26 home runs but hit just .232, by far the worst average of his career when he had at least 400 at-bats.

He spent time in left field early in his career but was a center fielder for 11 consecutive seasons before the switch to right. Injuries limited Trout to 111 games the previous two years.

Trout said conversations with first-year manager Kurt Suzuki have included the idea of a return to center.

“I feel like I’m at my best when I’m in center,” Trout told reporters at the club’s spring training facility Monday. “If I have to go to the corner, I’ll go to the corner.”

Trout said a return to center will be good for his health.

“When I was in center, it was less on my body than the corners,” Trout said. “To be honest, in right field I felt I was running a lot. Talking to some other outfielders and they’re saying that they feel the same way sometimes, center is less on your legs. I just feel … confident in center.”

Trout, who played in his only WBC three years ago, had said he was interested in playing again before insurance issues arose.

“It’s disappointing,” Trout said. “I wanted to run it back with all the guys.”

Promising young Boston outfielder Roman Anthony has been named as a Team USA injury replacement for Arizona’s Corbin Carroll, who has a broken bone in his right hand.

PHOENIX — Position players reported to spring training at Camelback Ranch for the Dodgers on Monday, but manager Dave Roberts revealed that it will be without its versatile second baseman and utilityman Tommy Edman when the team opens the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks at home on March 26.

The 30-year-old Edman underwent ankle surgery during the offseason after being limited to 97 games in 2025 in his first full season with the Dodgers.

“I think just looking at where his ankle is at, trying to play the long view that you don’t want to have any regression or setbacks,” Roberts said. “So, how can we methodical with it? Just for me, knowing that he’s just taking swings is enough. We’re not going to rush it. We want to put him in the best position, so I think it just kind of became [clearer] very recently.”

Edman will open the season on the injured list, something he is at peace with. He felt that a return before Opening Day was a bit ambitious, and that it would be better to err on the side of caution.

“That was always kind of a stretch, just due to the nature of the injury and the timing of the surgery and everything,” Edman said. “I think, having been out of the boot for a little over a month now, I was just kind of waiting to see how it progressed, and everything has gone exactly on-schedule. We were kind of leaving Opening Day open, just in case it happened to feel way better than expected. Everything’s on the expected schedule so far. As I get into more baseball stuff, I still have to work into the adaptation of volume. As the volume goes up, the swelling kind of increases a little bit, so I’ve got to take it slow and let the progress play out the way it was planned all along, instead of trying to speed it up.”

For now, Edman is slow-playing it.

“He took some swings a couple days ago, [from] both sides,” Roberts said. “He did some skipping, some light jogging, I think it was. He’s getting his body into baseball shape, so obviously he’s not going to be ready for the start of camp. He’s in that same bucket of, ‘When he’s ready, he’s ready.’ But each day, there’s been progress.”

Evan Phillips excited to be back

Days after signing a one-year contract to return to the Dodgers — despite being non-tendered earlier in the offseason — Evan Phillips expressed relief at being back.

“[The offseason] was quiet for a little bit,” Phillips said. “I leaned on my agent to be patient and trust that things were going to work out and we’re certainly glad that we’re back. It was definitely a very, very wild ride this offseason. It feels like I never left, so it’s kind of weird to get all the handshakes and hugs, but it’s just another spring training to me. I’m certainly glad to be back in Dodger blue.”

Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes told reporters Sunday that Phillips should return to the Dodgers sometime in the middle of the season. He underwent Tommy John surgery last June.

“[I’ve been] doing long toss a few times a week, hoping to get on the bullpen or on the mound for a bullpen next month,” Phillips said. “I’ll start that mound progression here in the next couple of weeks. I think, actually, Tuesday I’ll throw off of the mound for the first time, but it won’t be to a catcher or anything. It’ll just be a catcher standing up and there’s a slow progression, week by week. So [there will be] plenty of steps ahead that’s going to keep me busy here in Arizona, but I’m definitely looking forward to that progression.”

MILAN — After a one-hour on-ice training session and on the way to yet another interview, Isabeau Levito has one big problem on her mind.

One of the plants in the U.S. figure skater’s room has started growing mold. She needs to figure out how to wrangle it.

“That’s our task of the day,” Levito said Monday.

Nevermind that the biggest competition of her life was starting in about 24 hours.

Isabeau Levito competes during the free skating competition at the U.S. figure skating championships on Jan. 9 in St. Louis.

(Jeff Roberson / Associated Press)

Levito and the United States’ “Blade Angels” are trying to stay calm under pressure at the Olympics, where chaos has reigned at Milano Ice Skating Arena.

The United States was expected to dominate figure skating in Milan, but has yet to win a gold medal in an individual event entering Tuesday’s women’s short program. A supposed sure-fire gold medal disappeared in stunning fashion with Ilia Malinin’s eighth-place collapse. Three-time reigning world ice dance champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates settled for a “bittersweet” silver that was marred by judging controversies.

But the talent and depth on what is likely the best U.S. women’s Olympic team in decades could help end a 20-year Olympic medal drought in women’s singles skating. The last U.S. woman to stand on an Olympic podium for an individual event was Sasha Cohen in 2006. Sarah Hughes’ 2002 gold medal was the last for the United States in women’s singles.

Alysa Liu has already ended one skid. The reigning world champion was the first U.S. woman to win the world title since 2006. With blonde horizontal stripes dyed into her black hair and a piercing in her upper lip, the 20-year-old Liu is putting an alternative spin on figure skating.

Three-time national champion Amber Glenn combines power in her triple axel with emotion on the ice.

Levito, the 2024 world silver medalist, is the classic balletic skater who packs a humorous punch behind her teenage smile.

In a sport that once pitted young women against each other to fit a singular “ice princess” mold, the “Blade Angels” find their strength in their diversity.

“I really like that we’re all so different,” Levito said. “We have our own strengths and our own personalities and our own ways we want to look and appear. … We all have the same passion for the sport and have very aligned goals of wanting to do our best, and once we do that, we’re all happy, regardless of who beat who.”

NBC announcing team Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir dubbed the trio of medal contenders “the big three,” but the skaters workshopped their own nickname after nationals. They nixed “Babes of Glory” and “Powerpuff Girls” for copyright concerns. Their final choice was a mashup of “Blades of Glory” and “Charlie’s Angels.” If you like it, credit Liu.

“If people don’t like it,” Liu said, “don’t say I made it.”

Liu and Glenn have already won a gold medal in Milan, helping the United States win the team event in dramatic fashion. But with the two events spaced more than one week apart, “being in a high-pressure atmosphere for so long takes its toll,” Glenn said.

The 26-year-old has faced additional challenges on social media at the Games. She had to resolve potential copyright issues concerning her free skate music and received threats for comments she made during a news conference when asked about President Trump’s policies regarding the LGBTQ+ community. Glenn, who identifies as bisexual and pansexual, encouraged people in the queer community to “stay strong during these hard times,” refusing to avoid political conversations because “politics affect us all.”

American Amber Glenn competes during the team skate at the Winter Olympics in Milan on Feb. 8.

(Natacha Pisarenko / Associated Press)

While she said Monday she doesn’t regret the comments, she has also had to take a break from social media to focus on her remaining competitions at the Olympics.

“I’m happy to do what I do and stand for what I stand for,” Glenn said. “But it has been —”

She paused.

“Complicated.”

Not only are the Olympic Games the largest stage for many sports and a dream that begins from childhood, but the spotlight has only increased with social media in recent years, Glenn said. Amid the pressure, she tries to lean on her teammates and embody the advice of U.S. figure skating alumni who tell her simply “enjoy it.”

“Four years ago, I could never have imagined even making it here,” Glenn said. “To just be here is a privilege that I don’t take lightly, and I need to remind myself of that and to just really soak in the experience, not just the results.”

Isabeau Levito skates during the U.S. figure skating championships on Jan. 11 in St. Louis.

(Jeff Roberson / Associated Press)

To reset after the team competition, the “Angels” went with the pairs skaters — whose competition started one week after the team event wrapped — to train at a U.S. facility in Bergamo, about a 50-minute drive outside of Milan. The training sessions are longer than what’s available at the competition venue, said Levito, who only took two training sessions in Milan before Tuesday’s short program.

The last U.S. figure skater to take Olympic ice, Levito has passed her time at the Games in the Olympic village. After making the Olympic team, the New Jersey native was most excited about the village. To her, it was going to be like “a magic kingdom,” she said before the Games.

It’s lived up to every expectation. She walks by the Olympic rings every morning. She and her teammates lounged in front of the TV watching the pairs competition Sunday and Glenn ordered ramen. Levito and U.S. ice dancer Christina Carreira named the adopted plants in their shared room Christabeau and Isatina. Levito is loving the experience so much that she won’t even harp on the fact that she briefly battled food poisoning.

She felt “horrible” off the ice, but it didn’t affect her training.

“When I was skating,” Levito said, “I flipped a switch in my head.”

She’ll need to switch it again Tuesday.

England have not had a competitive fixture since winning Euro 2025 as they beat China 8-0 and Ghana 2-0 in friendly matches at the end of last year.

Before that, they suffered a 2-1 defeat by Brazil on their homecoming return but recorded a 3-0 win over Australia three days later.

The matches gave Wiegman an opportunity to test new players and formations – handing a debut to 30-year-old goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse in the process.

Among those to receive their first senior call-ups to the squad were defenders Anouk Denton, Taylor Hinds and forward Freya Godfrey.

There was also time for England stars Leah Williamson, Lucy Bronze and Lauren James to recover from lengthy injuries.

Chelsea defender Millie Bright, who captained England to the World Cup final in 2023, announced her retirement in October having withdrawn from the Euros.

There was a serious blow for Arsenal forward Michelle Agyemang – one of England’s key players in Switzerland – as she was carried off on a stretcher after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during the win over Australia.

But it’s been a successful time for the other Lionesses in Arsenal’s squad, including captain Williamson, who lifted the Champions Cup in February.

And Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was named the world’s best goalkeeper at the Ballon d’Or awards in September, as Wiegman picked up the best coach award.

Hampton also wrapped up the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year award in November after being caught up in the fallout of Mary Earps’ autobiography, which was released earlier that month.

Welcome back to the Times of Troy newsletter, where I have emerged from my Hawaiian vacation and probably should be stopped before I buy a Maui timeshare. Please send help.

All jokes (and future debt) aside, we’re ready to roll after a weeklong break on the beach, just in time for the home stretch of the college basketball regular season. Both USC teams are still on the bubble midway through February, albeit one much more comfortably than the other.

The Trojan men’s March hopes are the more tenuous of the two. The sudden ascent to stardom of freshman Alijah Arenas has injected new hope into a hard-luck season. There’s still a ways to go: USC must face Illinois and Nebraska, not to mention UCLA twice, and could still use a couple more Quad 1 wins to bolster its resume. But the talent is there for USC to do some damage in the tournament … if it can make it to March.

The Trojan women are on much steadier ground, slotted at 22nd in the NCAA’s NET rankings. They’ve yet to lose a non-Quad 1 game this season and haven’t lost a game at all since Jan. 25. If the tournament started today, they’d be firmly in the field.

Lindsay Gottlieb has found a means to make it work over the last month, in spite of some shortcomings in a lineup that lost not just JuJu Watkins, but also all the other stars who might’ve lined up to play with her this season. Still, USC has weathered 25 games with a Watkins-sized hole in its lineup, a limited frontcourt and inconsistent play at point guard.

Gottlieb, as coach, deserves a lot of credit for that. As does Kara Dunn, the Trojans’ sharp-shooting grad transfer, who is shooting 51% and averaging 21 points, six rebounds and three assists over her past 11 games.

But USC could not have come this far this season if not for the best freshman in college basketball.

Jazzy Davidson has been every bit the difference-maker in her debut season that she was advertised to be as the top recruit in the 2025 class. She has been an elite defender, a dynamic and varied scorer, a poised and determined leader. She’s delivered in the clutch. She’s dragged USC out of deficits. She leads the Trojans in every statistical category: points (17.2), rebounds (6.3), assists (4.4), steals (1.9) and blocks (2.2).

The numbers only really tell part of the story. When Davidson signed with USC, she expected to play her first season with Watkins. Instead, Watkins injured her knee. The rest of USC’s Elite Eight lineup left. And Davidson suddenly found herself the centerpiece of the team’s hopes. As a freshman.

Those expectations would have weighed heavily on most first-year players, even before considering Watkins’ shadow looming over all the proceedings. But in this case, they haven’t seemed to faze the star freshman in the slightest. She’s been a picture of poise through a season that asked her to be just that. It’s an impossible thing to ask of most 18-year-olds.

And yet, in Davidson’s case, it’s working.

“You talk about overdelivering, to be a freshman and carry the load for us,” Gottlieb said, “she’s just capable of doing almost anything on a basketball court. She’s unique. I know there are several good freshmen in the country. We know how good she is. We see it every day, and we think there’s no one better.”

Someone in SEC country will surely make the case that Vanderbilt point guard Aubrey Galvan has been the nation’s top freshman. Advanced metrics, for one, will tell you that Galvan is worth 3.3 win shares compared to 3.1 for Davidson. She’s certainly been special on the offensive end, pairing up with national player of the year candidate Mikayla Blakes to make the most lethal 1-2 punch in women’s college basketball.

But Galvan is the No. 2 in that attack. That’s the role Davidson was supposed to play as a freshman. Instead, Davidson has been the focal point of opposing team’s game plans from the start, and yet still managed to adjust to the college game on the fly. Her usage rate (28.8%), which measures how often a possession ends with the ball in one’s hands, is higher than any freshman in the country. And she’s only getting better with the ball in her hands.

USC’s hopes this March hinge on Davidson continuing that ascent. It wasn’t supposed to be that way. But here we are. And in some strange, roundabout way, the experience might wind up making USC and its star freshman much better in the long run.

Because next year, USC will welcome not only Watkins back from injury, but also the No. 1 recruit in the nation, Saniyah Hall, as well as 6-foot-4 Aussie forward Sitaya Fagan, who’s redshirting this season. That lineup might be the most talented in USC history.

How it fits together will be the story of next season. But in this one, Davidson has proven she can be whatever USC needs her to be.

Not only the best freshman in college basketball, but the glue that’s kept this Trojans season together.

Mater Dei wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt pulls in a long reception to score against St John Bosco.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

—One last thing about Jazzy. She could stand to be more efficient from the three-point line, where she has made just nine of her last 52 attempts (17%). USC, as a team, has really struggled from behind the arc, which is not something you want in March.

—Chad Baker-Mazara should be back this week. It’s not clear if he’ll be ready for Wednesday’s big matchup. When USC welcomes No. 8 Illinois to Galen Center, it will have been more than two weeks since Baker-Mazara sprained his medial collateral ligament against Indiana. A Grade I sprain usually requires sitting out a week or two, so the timeline is pretty normal. USC is going to need its full arsenal, Baker-Mazara included, to hold its own against the Illini. But if not Wednesday, the sixth-year senior will definitely be back by Saturday against Oregon.

—Chad Bowden wasn’t subtle about his expectations for next season. USC’s general manager told reporters that he was “on a warpath” heading into 2026. He made clear that success next season is “black and white. You’re either in the playoffs or you’re not,” he said. He added that fans “should be unhappy” with a nine-win season and that he was “sick to his stomach” about it. Strong words from someone whose opinion matters a lot within Heritage Hall. Chalk it up as more evidence that a Playoff appearance is the baseline of expectations for Lincoln Riley next season.

—Blue-chip pass-catching prospects Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Mark Bowman both took less money to sign with USC. That’s a good sign. Bowden said USC hadn’t talked to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt in three or four months while the top-50 receiver recruit was committed to Ohio State. But Dixon-Wyatt decided out of the blue that he was coming to USC, to stay home and play in front of family, even if it meant taking less money than he would’ve gotten in Columbus. He wasn’t the only one. On signing day, Lane Kiffin and LSU swooped in to offer Dixon-Wyatt’s Mater Dei teammate, tight end Mark Bowman, “significantly more” than the deal he had with USC, Bowden said. Bowman made Bowden wait most of the day before reassuring he was always bound for USC. We might look back on that decision as a pretty consequential one, if Bowman lives up to his billing from Bowden as “one of the best players in the country.”

—USC is putting a lot of faith in its linebacker room for 2026. Bowden says he thinks the room will “take the biggest leap” of any position next season, but for the moment, that would require quite a bit of projection. Riley pointed to the progress from Desman Stephens down the stretch of last season, as well as the late emergence of Jadyn Walker, as reasons why USC didn’t feel the need to add more in the transfer portal. USC did add Deven Bryant, who the front office viewed as a quality run defender, and welcomes a freshman in Talanoa Ili who could be involved right away.

—The Big Ten is still pushing the 24-team Playoff – *shakes head* – but its plan isn’t all bad. I am not a fan in the slightest of doubling the size of the Playoff. That would significantly devalue the regular season, while lining the coffers of college football’s ruling class. The Big Ten has dominated the last three years of the 12-team Playoff, and yet it wants to open the field up more? It doesn’t make sense. What does sound logical to me, amid an otherwise insane plan, is the elimination of the conference championship games. Not only would that cut a full week out of the calendar, which needs to happen, it would do away with any questions about whether teams can hurt their resume just by playing another game. Go to 16 teams, do away with conference championship games and please — I beg you — stop tweaking the system.

—USC baseball’s season opened with a combined no-hitter. After beating Pepperdine in its season opener, the Trojans went one step further in their Saturday matchup, serving up the school’s first no-hitter in eight years. Sophomore right-hander Grant Govel went seven innings and struck out 10 batters while walking just one, and freshman Cameron Fausset closed the door with another hitless inning before Andrew Lamb hit a two-run homer to invoke the 10-run rule. Hard to imagine a better start to USC’s first season back on campus.

Olympic sports spotlight

After winning its first indoor NCAA title in 53 years last season, the future of USC men’s track has looked strong this indoor season.

Jack Stadlman, a Temecula native, set the indoor 400-meter freshman record at USC, finishing in second with a 45.51 on Day 1 of the Don Kirby Elite Invite on Friday. Stadlman actually didn’t start running track until his junior year at Temecula Valley High and didn’t start running the 400 until last spring. Now already he’s run the fastest indoor time ever for a freshman at USC and the fourth-fastest time in the NCAA in the event this season. That should set Stadlman up nicely for next month’s NCAA indoor championships.

Freshman Cordial Vann also made a strong impression, tying the indoor freshman record at USC with a 6.60 in the 60-meter sprint. The NCAA best so far this year is a 6.49.

In case you missed it

USC coach Lincoln Riley completes staff featuring new defensive blood, continuity

‘She’s unique.’ Jazzy Davidson helps USC climb out of early hole and win fifth in a row

USC men come up a bit short against Ohio State

What I’m watching this week

Timothée Chalamet in “Marty Supreme.”

I finally had the chance this past weekend to watch “Marty Supreme,” the best picture nominee starring Timothée Chalamet and directed by Josh Safdie. And boy was it worth the wait.

Let me start by saying that I generally dislike sports movies. There are exceptions to this rule, of course. But as someone who spends a lot of time thinking about the beauty and romance and drama inherent to sports, I am a documented hater of the genre.

“Marty Supreme,” though, was no ordinary sports movie. This was a propulsive, anxiety-inducing roller coaster ride as we follow Marty Mauser, played by Chalamet, as he tries to become the face of the emerging sport of table tennis in a post-World War II America. Those plans, as you might imagine, unravel along the way, and in the process, Chalamet gives one of the best performances of the year.

I’m still partial to “One Battle After Another” if we’re talking best picture in next month’s Academy Awards, but “Marty Supreme” is no doubt one of the best movies of the last year.

Until next time …

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at ryan.kartje@latimes.com, and follow me on X at @Ryan_Kartje. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Nissanka’s unbeaten century batters former cricket champions Australia, who now need other results to go their way to survive.

Sri Lanka’s opener Pathum Nissanka scored the first century of the T20 World Cup to put his side into the Super Eights of the cricket tournament and leave Australia on the brink of elimination.

Nissanka scored 100 not out off 52 balls with five sixes and 10 fours as Sri Lanka, chasing Australia’s 181, reached 184-2 with two overs to spare in Kandy to win by eight wickets on Monday.

“We’re in the lap of the gods now, I think,” Australia captain Mitchell Marsh said after the match.

“Lot of emotions in the room right now,” he said of the 2021 champions. “Haven’t been at our best. Disappointed bunch at the moment.”

Nissanka was involved in a 97-run stand off 66 balls with Kusal Mendis for the second wicket, with the wicketkeeper-batsman posting his third fifty in the competition.

Nissanka became the first Sri Lankan to score two hundreds in T20 internationals.

After Mendis’s dismissal, Nissanka and Pavan Rathnayake put on 76 off 34 balls to see Sri Lanka to victory.

Nissanka played some glorious cover drives off the spinners and played some elegant flicks against the quicks.

Rathnayake hit the winning runs straight after Nissanka reached his century off 52 balls and was greeted by massive cheers in Pallekele International Stadium.

The packed crowd roared again one delivery later when Rathnayake finished the match with a boundary to deep square.

Sri Lanka came into the World Cup after a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of England, but have gained momentum and have won all three games so far.

Australia’s campaign has been plagued by injuries.

Their captain Marsh, who missed the first two games, returned and gave them a rollicking start by scoring 54.

Marsh and Travis Head (56) scored 104 runs off 51 balls for the first wicket.

With Australia eyeing a total in excess of 200, Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers kept them to 181 with leg spinner Dushan Hemantha picking up 3-37.

Australia collapsed as they looked for quick runs, losing their last six wickets for 21 in 24 balls.

Super Eights: Sri Lanka through; Australia on the brink of elimination

A victory by Zimbabwe over Ireland in Group B on Tuesday, or against Sri Lanka on Thursday, would eliminate Australia.

If Zimbabwe lose both matches, Australia will need to beat Oman in their final game on Friday by a big margin to get through on net run rate.

Meanwhile, Australia could fail to get out of the group stage for the first time since 2009 if unbeaten Zimbabwe beats Ireland on Tuesday.

England have also reached the Super Eights after surviving a scare from Italy in Kolkata. England came back from 105-5 to post 202-7. Italy were cut short on 178.

In New Delhi, Afghanistan shrugged off back-to-back defeats to finally register a win after beating the United Arab Emirates by five wickets. That helped them stay in the tournament and saw South Africa secure a spot in the Super Eights.

MILAN — The U.S. advanced to the final of the women’s hockey tournament at the Milan-Cortina Olympics with a 5-0 rout of Sweden on Monday and will meet the winner of the second semifinal between Canada and Switzerland in Thursday’s gold-medal game.

The goals came from Cayla Barnes, Taylor Heise, Kendall Coyne, Hayley Scamurra and Abbey Murphy. Hannah Bilka had two assists while Aerin Frankel turned back 23 shots in pitching the Americans’ fifth consecutive shutout, running their scoreless streak to more than 331 minutes. The unbeaten U.S. has scored at least five times in each of its six games, outscoring opponents 31-1 overall.

Kendall Coyne, top left, celebrates with her teammates after scoring against Sweden in the second period Monday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Barnes got things started 5:09 into the first period, taking a pass from Kelley Pannek behind the goal line, settling it inside the right faceoff circle, then blasting a shot over the shoulder of Swedish goalie Ebba Svensson Traff for her first goal of the Games. Barnes is the 15th American to score in the tournament.

But that was all the U.S. would get in a first period in which it built a 13-2 shot advantage.

Heise doubled the advantage midway through the second period, although Bilka did most of the work, taking the puck at center ice and driving hard up the right wing before slipping a deft pass across the front of the goal for Heise, who had an easy tap-in.

Six minutes later Murphy made it 3-0 and the rout was on, with Coyne and Scamurra adding goals 109 seconds apart to extend the U.S. lead to 5-0 heading into the second intermission.

U.S. forward Abbey Murphy, right, scores past Sweden goalkeeper Ebba Svensson Traff in the second period Monday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)