sport

JEDDAH: Saudi-Chinese relations are currently in an excellent phase, according to China’s Consul General in Jeddah, Yang Yi.

Speaking to Al-Eqtisadiah, Yi said this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, adding that bilateral trade reached $100 billion in 2025.

$100 billion in bilateral trade

Yi said China is Saudi Arabia’s largest trading partner, while the Kingdom ranks as China’s largest trading partner in the Middle East.

Bilateral trade amounted to about $50 billion during the first half of this year, with China’s imports from Saudi Arabia exceeding $26 billion during the same period. In contrast, the Kingdom’s imports from China amounted to about $24 billion.

Yi said trade between the two countries is “very balanced,” adding that bilateral trade relations have remained strong despite regional tensions. He also highlighted the growing economic and trade ties between Saudi Arabia and China.

Chinese firms support targets of Saudi Vision 2030

Yi said Chinese companies are actively supporting the implementation of Saudi Vision 2030, noting that China leads among countries contributing to infrastructure and new-energy projects in the Kingdom.

Regarding mutual investments, he estimated that Chinese investment in Saudi Arabia has exceeded $4.26 billion, while Saudi investment in China is also growing, particularly in new energy, advanced technologies and biotechnology.

Saudi investments also include the culture and education sectors, with Yi confirming that the strength of relations and the depth of the partnership are encouraging more Chinese companies to invest in the Saudi market.

At the same time, Saudi companies are showing growing interest in the Chinese market, with the consul general expressing his aspiration for “more prosperous and fruitful” bilateral economic relations in the coming period.

New energy and artificial intelligence

The Chinese official highlighted new areas of Saudi-Chinese cooperation, including new energy, green energy and artificial intelligence, noting that the two countries have held discussions on these areas in recent years.

The leaders of the two countries have also reached important understandings to strengthen cooperation in several areas.

Government entities, companies, and research centers in the two countries are working intensively to develop cooperation.

This aims to consolidate the Saudi-Chinese partnership and enhance cooperation in artificial intelligence and new energy.

China calls for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open

Yi said developments in the Strait of Hormuz are of great importance to countries in the region and the international community, stressing that China attaches great importance to the issue.

He said China supports a political settlement on the issue and called for an immediate ceasefire, adding that keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and free serves the interests of all parties.

He also stressed China’s support for efforts to find a peaceful solution to the issue, saying this would help maintain stability and security in the region while ensuring the continued flow of trade and energy.

HIGH SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL
TUESDAY’S RESULTS

Southern Section
Adelanto 25, San Gorgonio 6
Antelope Valley 16, Palmdale 0
Aquinas 13, Riverside Poly 12
Arroyo Valley 14, Victor Valley 2
Beaumont 26, Redlands East Valley 6
Bishop Montgomery 40, Vasquez 12
Cajon 20, Citrus Valley 0
California Military 54, Pomona 0
Carter 7, Colton 7
Charter Oak 25, Duarte 7
Chino 7, Sunny Hills 6
Colony 25, Los Altos 0
Colton 7, Carter 7
Dos Pueblos 31, Oxnard 20
Esperanza 13, St. Paul 6
Etiwanda 38, Los Osos 0
Grand Terrace 12, Eisenhower 8
Hart 14, Saugus 0
Harvard-Westlake 32, Alemany 0
Hemet 18, Hillcrest 14
Heritage 24, Liberty 15
Highland 18, Eastside 6
Indian Springs 32, Fontana 0
JSerra 39, Mater Dei 7
Kaiser 19, Summit 6
Laguna Hills 20, La Palma Kennedy 0
La Mirada 6, Santa Fe 0
Lancaster 27, Littlerock 6
Mission Viejo 25, Aliso Niguel 13
Moreno Valley 34, Arlington 7
Mountain View 13, Rosemead 6
Newbury Park 26, Oaks Christian 18
Nogales 8, Sierra Vista 2
Orange 19, Oxford Academy 0
Orange Lutheran 26, Santa Margarita 20
Oxnard Pacifica 24, Channel Islands 6
Paloma Valley 32, Perris 0
Palos Verdes 27, Inglewood 13
Patriot 33, Norte Vista 0
Quartz Hill 12, Knight 6
Rancho Cucamonga 44, St. Lucy’s 13
Rancho Verde 33, Orange Vista 6
Redondo Union 41, El Segundo 7
Rialto 7, Jurupa Hills 6
Rim of the World 33, Bloomington 14
Royal 19, Moorpark 6
San Bernardino 25, Rubidoux 0
San Marino 15, Gabrielino 6
Santa Paula 56, Bishop Diego 0
SEED LA 34, Yeshiva 14
Shadow Hills 37, Temecula Prep 12
Simi Valley 26, Oak Park 21
South Hills 48, San Dimas 0
Tahquitz 26, West Valley 0
Temescal Canyon 31, San Jacinto 14
Tesoro 34, Capistrano Valley 7
Thousand Oaks 46, Calabasas 0
Upland 15, Chino Hills 0
Valley View 20, Lakeside 0
Ventura 33, Rio Mesa 0
Village Christian 33, Rio Hondo Prep 0
Western Christian 35, Cerritos Valley Christian 7
Westlake 21, Agoura 0
West Ranch 18, Canyon Country Canyon 13
Westridge 19, Pasadena Poly 14
Yucaipa 19, Redlands 18

Intersectional
Culver City 34, Vistamar 6
Santa Monica 27, Venice 0

MONDAY’S RESULTS

City Section
Bell 34, South East 0
Camino Nuevo d. Collins Family, forfeit
Carson 18, Los Angeles Wilson 6
East College Prep 50, Belmont 12
Fremont 36, Dymally 0
Fremont 28, Crenshaw 6
GALA 33, Washington Prep 0
GALA 19, Port of Los Angeles 0
Garfield 21, Huntington Park 0
Granada Hills Kennedy 25, Sylmar 6
Jefferson 26, Manual Arts 6
Legacy 6, South Gate 0
Los Angeles University 12, Palisades 0
Orthopaedic 33, Annenberg 0
Panorama 42, Sylmar 0
Santee 31, Diego Rivera 0
Stern 12, Rise Kohyang 6
Taft 12, SOCES 0
Van Nuys 26, Sun Valley Magnet 0
Venice 49, Westchester 12
Washington Prep 12, Port of Los Angeles 6

Southern Section
Adelanto 37, Indian Springs 6
Alemany 32, Flintridge Sacred Heart 12
Alhambra 13, El Monte Arroyo 12
Alta Loma 14, San Dimas 12
Arrowhead Christian 14, Woodcrest Christian 7
Baldwin Park 33, Duarte 0
Bishop Amat 38, St, Mary’s Academy 0
Calvary Baptist 12, United Christian Academy 0
Castaic 14, Vasquez 6
Cerritos 22, Santa Fe 8
Chaffey 7, Don Lugo 6
Chino 26, Montclair 0
Chino Hills 7, Rancho Cucamonga 6
Compton 21, Long Beach Cabrillo 0
Compton Early College 13, Compton Centennial 12
Corona Centennial 43, Corona 18
Covina 20, West Covina 6
Downey 26, Warren 6
Edison 27, Fountain Valley 12
Eisenhower 42, Bloomington 6
El Modena 15, Villa Park 12
El Rancho 32, San Gabriel 6
Etiwanda 20, Upland 7
Fillmore 42, St. Bonaventure 26
Gahr 12, Bellflower 0
Gardena Serra 51, St. Anthony 0
Glendora 68, Claremont 0
Grand Terrace 13, Colton 0
Heritage 27, Rancho Christian 16
Hillcrest 15, Riverside North 12
Huntington Beach 38, Marina 6
Indio 13, Palm Desert 6
Jurupa Hills 19, San Gorgonio 13
La Canada 13, Burbank Burroughs 0
Laguna Beach 19, Rosary 0
La Serna 40, Mayfair 6
Long Beach Poly 26, Long Beach Wilson 7
Mater Dei 21, St. Joseph 6
Murrieta Mesa 18, Temecula Valley 6
Newport Harbor 25, Corona del Mar 0
Nogales 7, Azusa 6
Norco 26, Eastvale Roosevelt 14
Northview 26, Charter Oak 14
Orange 7, Garden Grove 0
Paramount 6, La Mirada 0
Pasadena Poly 39, Ramona Convent 0
Ramona 25, Miller 6
Rancho Verde 60, Citrus Hill 0
Rim of the World 6, Carter 0
Riverside King 39, Corona Santiago 19
Riverside Poly 33, Canyon Springs 0
Saddleback 18, Los Amigos 13
Sage Hill 25, Northwood 0
Santa Ana Foothill 25, La Habra 12
Schurr 34, Bell Gardens 6
Segerstrom 20, Laguna Hills 19
Serrano 19, Lancaster 0
Shadow Hills 31, Desert Hot Springs 8
Sierra Canyon 48, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 14
Sonora 32, El Dorado 7
South El Monte 47, Keppel 0
South Hills 13, Los Altos 0
St. Lucy’s 8, Los Osos 7
St. Margaret’s 41, Irvine 0
Trabuco Hills 13, El Toro 7
Valley View 13, Arlington 0
Vista del Lago 32, Lakeside 7
Whittier 21, Glenn 0
Windward 26, Brentwood 0
Woodbridge 46, Portola 14
Workman 26, Pomona 6
Yorba Linda 25, Anaheim Canyon 13

Intersectional
Cleveland 27, Valencia 7
Mira Costa 27, Wilmington Banning 7
Sotomayor 13, Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary 6
Torrance 20, San Pedro 13

On Sept. 26, 1983 the Soviet Union’s Oko early warning system reported that the US had launched five intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Lt. Col. Stanislav Petrov, the duty officer at the Serpukhov-15 bunker, broke protocol and refused to report the alert as a confirmed strike. He reasoned that a real US first strike would involve hundreds or thousands of missiles, not five. The system, it turned out, had mistaken sunlight reflecting off clouds for missile launches.

Petrov’s decision to defy protocol prevented an erroneous retaliatory nuclear strike and its incalculable consequences.

“I had all the data (to suggest there was an ongoing missile attack),” he told the BBC’s Russian Service 30 years later.

“If I had sent my report up the chain of command, nobody would have said a word against it. They were lucky it was me on shift that night.”

That Cold War lesson resonates loudly amid growing fear over how AI is being deployed in warfare. A recent appeal has put automation in war back in the spotlight, raising a question that leaves many uneasy: What would happen if a computer — an AI system — were the one calling the shots and it got the response to an attack wrong?

In an essay published over the weekend, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for AI model development to slow down and face closer scrutiny. The appeal was not unprecedented but this time it drew rare public agreement from two rivals: Sam Altman of OpenAI and Elon Musk of xAI.

“Over the last few months I have become convinced that fully addressing the risks requires even more prudence — not just investing in risk prevention but pacing the rate of capabilities advancement so that risk prevention has time to keep up,” Amodei said.

A threat-intelligence report published by Anthropic found that a cell based in northern Yemen tried to use Claude (its AI tool) to build guided rockets and missiles, including a ballistic missile with a claimed 2,000 km range and a separate program incorporating a hypersonic glide vehicle.

Anthropic said that it banned the accounts after detecting the activity, although there was no evidence that the group successfully fielded an operational weapon.

War offers no shortage of similar examples, where AI streamlines battlefield decisions or powers surveillance. The Middle East, given its strategic weight and the range of actors involved, has become a testing ground for the technology.

Israel has long used AI in its military. Over three years of war in Gaza its forces have reportedly deployed several machine-learning systems — Habsora (“Gospel”), Lavender, Fire Factory and Where’s Daddy — to automate large parts of target generation and strike planning.

The systems mine surveillance feeds, communications data and existing databases to propose targets and recommend munitions and strike schedules. Analysts reportedly went from producing about 50 targets a year to as many as 100 a day.

Concerns over AI-supported targeting resurfaced during the Iran war, after a US strike hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran, killing at least 168 people, most of them children.

The US has not disclosed whether AI was used in that strike but Adm. Brad Cooper, the US commander leading the campaign, has confirmed the use of “a variety of advanced AI tools” to process large volumes of data, without naming specific systems. He said that the tools let commanders make “smarter decisions faster than the enemy can react,” cutting processes that once took hours or days down to seconds.

“Humans will always make final decisions on what to shoot and what not to shoot, and when to shoot,” he said.

The US military has run AI-enabled war programs since at least 2017. Its Maven Smart System, built by Palantir, helps fuse battlefield data, identify targets and accelerate decisions. NATO acquired its own version in 2025. OpenAI and Anthropic are also competing for military contracts, reflecting the growing reliance of defense operations on commercial AI and the increasingly close ties between the two sectors.

In Ukraine, both sides use AI for data processing and target selection. Ukraine’s former Deputy Defense Minister Yuriy Myronenko told the BBC that AI analyzed more than 50,000 front-line video streams each month, helping “quickly process this massive data, identify targets and put them on a map.”

But as war spills beyond the traditional battlefield into a hybrid, multi-faceted front, AI adoption follows.

In April YouTube banned Explosive Media, a Gen Z Iranian channel that used AI-generated Lego-style animations mocking Western figures — including Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu — while pushing pro-Iranian, anti-US and anti-Israel narratives.

More recently separate media investigations found that Israel had funded multimillion-dollar PR campaigns to shape how AI chatbots, including ChatGPT, answer questions about Gaza and the Israeli military. By setting up fake think tanks and publishing AI-generated papers with no real authors, the investigators said, Israel built a sophisticated operation to manipulate search results and shape public understanding — a shift in propaganda tactics that is harder to detect because it disguises advocacy as neutral expertise.

Throughout history militaries have sought tools that offer an edge over adversaries. But deploying AI in high-stakes environments like armed conflict carries risks distinct from any previous technology.

Part of the concern lies in the technology itself. An AI model trained on faulty or unrepresentative data can generate inaccurate results or malfunction once deployed in conditions that differ from its training environment.

AI-supported targeting is a case in point. Where such tools generate targets at scale with minimal human oversight, errors are not difficult to imagine.

That risk grows more acute as AI development moves from decision support to agents that can pursue complex goals with little human supervision. The next step, recursive self-improvement, would involve systems upgrading themselves with decreasing human input in a potentially open-ended loop.

As Jean-Marc Rickli and Tobias Knappe of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy note in a recent paper, agentic AI “is shifting the AI landscape from being a passive, supportive tool towards an active executor that can increasingly define and take courses of action on behalf of a human user” — a shift that, they added, “also raises significant societal, security, legal and ethical risks.”

In this sense, the proliferation of AI, on and off the battlefield, has introduced unprecedented challenges, prompting scrutiny of its impact on moral agency and accountability.

In June the UN held its first Informal Exchange on Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain. Discussions centered on human rights and international humanitarian law, with nongovernmental organizations pushing for a moratorium on AI systems used in lethal decision-making — such as automated targeting — until robust global safeguards are in place.

The meeting followed a December 2025 UN General Assembly resolution on “Artificial intelligence in the military domain and its implications for international peace and security.” Experts welcomed it as a step forward, despite notable absences — including the US, which voted against the resolution.

Momentum is now shifting to New York, where a factual summary of the Geneva talks is due to reach the UN First Committee during its October session.

Despite these efforts, battlefield AI remains governed largely by existing legal frameworks.

Existing international humanitarian law applies to AI-enabled weapons through the principles of distinction, proportionality, military necessity and precaution. Responsibility remains with states and human actors, while Article 36 of Additional Protocol I to the 1949 Geneva Conventions also requires states party to the protocol to review new weapons, means and methods of warfare for legal compliance. US Directive 3000.09 similarly requires “appropriate levels of human judgment” but stops short of mandating real-time human control or creating binding international accountability.

In early September a UN disarmament forum in Geneva concluded three years of work on autonomous weapons, colloquially known as “killer robots.” A total of 128 states reached a non-binding consensus text after last-minute objections from the US and Russia, backing a proposed two-tier framework: prohibiting autonomous weapons whose effects are unpredictable or designed to target humans directly and restricting all others through mandatory human supervision rules.

Human Rights Watch said that the final text was considerably watered down and the US and Russia remain opposed to binding negotiations. But with 76 states now backing a legally binding instrument, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons’ November Review Conference looms as the decisive test of whether formal talks begin.

“AI systems will not change that the human is responsible for mistakes but it will obscure that humans feel responsible for mistakes and that can lead to a greater willingness to use force,” Elke Schwarz, professor of political theory at London’s Queen Mary University and author of “Death Machines: The Ethics of Violent Technologies,” told Arab News.

“There is a plausible deniability implicit in the use of AI enabled systems because they are essentially operating in a zone of invisibility.”

Israel offers the clearest example to date. When Israeli outlet +972 reported on the Lavender system it caused uproar by showing AI used not merely to assist analysts but to generate vast target lists — reportedly with only cursory human checks. The system’s scale, its claimed 90 percent accuracy and its use against people in their homes raised fears that human control was slipping and that AI could make large-scale violence faster, more impersonal and harder to attribute.

This marks a paradigm shift unseen in the history of conflict, which, as Schwarz argued, reshapes humanity’s relationship with violence and challenges conventional notions of ethical conduct in war.

She maintains that AI-enabled weapons systems facilitate the objectification of human targets, raising tolerance for collateral damage, while automation bias and technological mediation weaken operators’ moral agency and diminish their capacity for ethical judgment.

“Machines cannot be better at war than humans because machines don’t understand what war is, what it entails and what suffering it produces,” she said.

“They can only contribute to the actions humans decide on in better or worse ways. In my view AI-enabled systems make humans less restraint in using force, not more.

“Humans decide on the parameters. If they want to design a system that is less restraint, they will, if it is perceived to be more effective. A system cannot be a ‘better’ moral actor than the human because it has no concept of meaning for moral decisions. So, humans will not disappear from war with AI systems, but AI systems will change the relationship we humans have to violence. And that will make war worse.”

As a growing number of whistleblowers and experts warn, the risk is that an unchecked race toward superintelligent AI carries real risks to the very humans who built it.

For Schwarz, an AI “doomsday” is no longer far-fetched science fiction.

“I think we have already witnessed a horrendous human cost on account of AI enabled weapon systems,” she said.

“The introduction of AI systems into war has, at the very least, not lead to more restraint, more global stability, less conflict, fewer civilians killed or harmed. Quite the contrary. Children are dying due to war at a staggering rate. This is quite doomsday-ish in my books.”

As comparisons between the AI and nuclear arms races grow sharper by the day, the argument circles back to Petrov and to an ominous question: Would an algorithm have shown the same restraint?

“We can of course conjure up all kinds of awful scenarios, for example if someone decides to put an AI agent in charge of nuclear decision making (which would be ludicrous but you never know) and a data glitch leads to a nuclear threat spiral. But I think things are already quite awful because the technology and dehumanization seem to go hand in hand.”

Anthropic’s Claude offers a similar note of caution.

“What’s not really disputed is that today’s actual military AI risks are the boring-sounding ones: bad targeting data, automation bias, escalation happening faster than diplomacy can respond, systems proliferating to actors with no safety culture at all. The ‘robots decide to turn on us’ framing, if anything, can be a distraction from those.”

Quite wise. Humans should take note.

ABU DHABI: Of all the memories Jujhar Singh carried home from Abu Dhabi last year, one has stayed with him more vividly than the others: the final slap he took on a night when he made history for India.

On Oct. 24, 2025, Singh became the first Indian striker to win at a Power Slap event in the UAE’s capital. Almost a year later, he is preparing to compete there again, this time against Louis Robinson and with the prospect of strong Indian support at Space42 Arena.

“I remember the last slap I took that night the most,” Singh said. “Returning to Abu Dhabi means a lot to me because the people of India want to see me compete again.”

Singh (1-0) competes at Power Slap 25 Presented by Monster Energy on Friday, Oct. 23, where he will face British heavyweight Louis Robinson (2-0, 2 KOs), currently ranked No. 8 in the division.

Singh added: “India versus England is going to be a huge match.”

Robinson has won both of his Power Slap appearances by knockout, setting up another significant test for Singh in Abu Dhabi.

Singh said: “This time, I’m facing an undefeated competitor, but I want to create more history in Power Slap and give him his first taste of defeat.”

For Singh, another victory is only part of what makes his return to Abu Dhabi significant.

“The Power Slap stage is a huge stage for me personally, and representing my country is like a dream come true,” he said.

That connection to India could be particularly evident inside Space42 Arena. Abu Dhabi is home to a large Indian community, and Singh expects plenty of support when he steps on the stage against Robinson.

Singh added: “This time the atmosphere in Abu Dhabi will be special as my Indian community is coming there in large numbers.”

Indian fans traveling from further afield also have an added opportunity to make the journey in October. A tourism initiative running until Oct. 31 covers UAE entry visa costs for eligible Indian passport holders traveling from India when they book an Abu Dhabi holiday of at least three consecutive nights through participating travel partners or online travel agencies.

With Power Slap 25 taking place on Oct. 23, the event falls within the initiative’s travel period, offering Indian fans the opportunity to combine a visit to Abu Dhabi with the chance to support Singh at Space42 Arena.

Power Slap 25 will mark the third consecutive year that the promotion has staged a live marquee event in Abu Dhabi, strengthening the UAE capital’s role in the sport’s international calendar. That continued presence could also play an important role in Power Slap’s future in India.

Singh said: “The events in Abu Dhabi are very important in increasing the popularity of Power Slap in India as it will give more Indian competitors a chance to compete.”

US correspondence reviewed by Asharq Al-Awsat has revealed that Washington had delivered a warning to the Houthis through what were described as “security channels.”

The precise substance of the warning was not apparent from the correspondence, but it was followed by a clear US assertion that Washington was not negotiating with the group.

The Houthis’ attempt to send a reassuring message that they would not target US vessels appears to reflect an effort to consolidate their position following weeks of military operations that culminated in advances along Yemen’s western coast overlooking the Bab Al-Mandab Strait.

The advance poses a renewed threat to international shipping through the strategic waterway, which carries around 12 percent of global trade.

The US clarification in the diplomatic correspondence came a day after remarks by US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance indicating that there had been communication with the Houthis, although neither explained the nature of those contacts.

Meanwhile, during a UN Security Council session on the Bab Al-Mandab Strait on Tuesday, Washington stated:

“The US supports Yemen’s legitimate government in confronting the Iran-backed Houthi militia. We call on the Houthis to halt their advance, withdraw from the territory they have seized and stop launching attacks.”

On the ground, the Yemeni government is working to raise military readiness in an effort to regain the initiative after recent setbacks on the Taiz and western coast fronts.

Government forces, meanwhile, have made slow but seemingly more consolidated gains on other fronts, including Al-Jouf and Al-Bayda. They have also continued to repel Houthi attacks and respond to militia buildups near Marib.

Government forces are engaged in fierce battles with the Houthi militia, which began escalating its military operations in August 2026.

The Houthis’ opponents accuse the group of violating deescalation arrangements under instructions intended to ease pressure on Iran.

And allow Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to use the group as a means of exerting pressure on the US during the war Washington launched in February 2026, which later intensified after Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz.

Why security channels?

Observers speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat said that the use of security channels does not in itself indicate negotiations, a deal, or even US acceptance of the Houthis’ assurances.

Al-Baraa Shaiban, a fellow at Britain’s Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, said the Houthi group was attempting to compensate for its lack of regional and international recognition by exaggerating the significance of opening communication channels with the US administration.

Asked about the phrase “security channels,” Shaiban said Western governments routinely maintain this type of contact with militias and terrorist groups.

Such communication, he said, remains limited, takes place outside diplomatic or political frameworks and is confined to sensitive or urgent security matters.

Iranian tactics

Reports of Houthi communication with the US were not treated in Yemen as merely another passing news item.

Many Yemenis sought to understand the group’s sudden move, particularly given that the Houthis’ slogan explicitly invokes “death to America.” The question, therefore, was how the group could simultaneously be communicating with Washington.

Mahmoud Shuhra, a fellow at Britain’s Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the current developments were “part of the Houthi strategy, which is an extension of Iran’s and the Revolutionary Guard’s behaviour and negotiating tactics.”

Shuhra, a former Yemeni diplomat, explained that the Houthi behaviour is based on gradual escalation, followed by a rapid military confrontation.

“If they achieve gains during that confrontation, they then begin offering reassurances in order to avoid being drawn into an all-out war,” he said.

He argued that this is effectively what happened in Bab Al-Mandab.

“The Houthis have now swallowed a very large bite and are trying to digest it,” he said.

The group is currently seeking to consolidate its gains, he added, and needs to offer reassurances in the meantime in order to avoid an immediate response against it.

This, he said, explains the attempt to reassure the US and the wider international community.

The Houthis also routinely seek to isolate their opponents, according to Shuhra, a tactic that has been repeatedly used in the past.

He recalled the group’s takeover of Sanaa, when the Houthis initially sought to reassure all political factions.

Once they had consolidated their presence, he said, they began meeting each faction separately and portraying the others as the enemy, eventually sidelining them all.

“The group now wants to use the same approach at the international level, regardless of how successful it may ultimately be,” he said.

Howard Webb says the referees’ body is disappointed with the decision to allow Haaland’s goal against Manchester United.

Pro Ref chief Howard Webb said “tunnel vision” led video assistant referee (VAR) officials to wrongly award Erling Haaland’s goal in Sunday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford.

Haaland’s second-half strike was initially ruled out for offside before being allowed to stand following a VAR review that concluded the Manchester City forward was onside.

Pro Ref, the body responsible for refereeing in English professional football, later acknowledged the goal should not have been awarded because VAR failed to properly assess the involvement of teammate Enzo Fernandez, who attempted to play the ball from an offside position.

“I was really disappointed with this outcome. We all are. None more so than the officials themselves,” Webb, Pro Ref’s chief refereeing officer, said on Match Officials Mic’d Up on Sky Sports and TNT Sports.

“They take a lot of personal pride in what they do, and they’re obviously hurting now having fallen short in this situation.”

VAR is a refereeing support tool designed to enable the checking, reviewing and correction of clear and obvious errors during a match, according to FIFA. It was intended to be a combination of human expertise and technological accuracy, but has instead become a sour topic in football circles.

Current and former United players, including club legend Wayne Rooney, labelled the use of VAR “horrendous”, while football experts told Al Jazeera the technology has become “far too dominant” in decision-making.

Webb confirmed that VAR officials Matt Donohue and assistant VAR Blake Antrobus would not officiate again until after the international break.

“We’ve reached out to Manchester United and acknowledged the error, as we do when these things happen,” Webb said.

Explaining the decision-making process, Webb said the semi-automated offside system quickly established that Haaland was onside, but the VAR became overly focused on the striker’s position and failed to fully consider Fernandez’s influence on the play.

“But of course, when he then runs it back through the full APP, he doesn’t truly evaluate the full impact of Fernandez’s position,” Webb said.

“He has a look to see if he touches the ball, because then that relates to potentially knocking it to Haaland, who goes on to score. He doesn’t touch the ball, but he doesn’t truly evaluate other elements of offside. In that moment, he gets tunnel vision.”

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick criticised the decision after his side’s 1-0 home defeat, their second loss in four Premier League matches this season.

United next host Brighton in the League Cup on Wednesday before travelling to Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.

Kieron: Kilmarnock could have won by three or four and it wouldn’t of flattered them. Hibs were so poor tonight. David Gray’s position is hanging by a thread.

Stuart: The players on that pitch have to take as much responsibility as Gray for this result, nowhere near good enough. Amateur performance.

Andy: How can Gray continue to keep his job? The players are not playing for him. The club is a mess. Banning the only fans that bring an atmosphere. Benching three of our best players. So confusing.

Chris: Question the tactics. Thought for long time long ball is desperate and lacks ambition. Pressure indeed on David Gray.

Lee: If we end the game two points off bottom spot then it’s surely time up for the Hibs manager. It’s not a run and recovery from a bad position needed, it’s deliver and results from the get go the support demands for a club of our size.

Stuart: The players on that pitch have to take as much responsibility as David Gray for this result, nowhere near good enough. Amateur performance.

Paul: Long balls to no-one as usual from Hibs and as usual our keeper is a weak link. Gray has to go even if we win as this is awful football. Bring in Neil Lennon or Steve Clarke asap before our season drifts to nothing as usual.

Andy: How can Gray continue to keep his job? The players are not playing for him. The club is a mess. Banning the only fans that bring an atmosphere. Benching three of our best players. So confusing.

Brian: Worst backline in Scotland, midfielders trot about like headless chickens, feel sorry for strikers. Gray clueless. No plan. No tactics. Blah, blah, blah after game as usual but won’t resign. Board have to act.

SMcDhfc: David Gray has lost the team, it was obvious tonight. As an attacking force, we were shocking, lots of huffing and puffing but not one real effort on target. The players should be embarrassed after that display, but they will get the result they are after, Gray sacked.

Craig: I like Gray but believe it’s time he goes. He has one formation. It’s just not good enough. But, if he goes, Malky MacKay [director of football] should go too. His signings have been terrible.

CINCINNATI — A simple change opened up a dramatic offensive turnaround for Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández.

Hernández’s two-run homer Tuesday, in the Dodgers’ 4-0 win against the Reds, was his second home run in as many nights, as the team trimmed its magic number to clinch the division to two. And, significantly, this one was against a right-handed pitcher.

“It’s been very helpful,” manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “As certain guys are not seeing the ball as well, it’s nice to kind of backfill with guys like Teo swinging the bat. And when you can slug like he can, you can win baseball games, and he can carry us for a while. And the last 10 days, something like that, it’s been really good from him.”

Through the end of August, Hernández had just a .668 OPS against right-handed pitchers this season. So, when manager Dave Roberts was asked in Detroit whether the Dodgers would consider setting up a left-field platoon with the team’s September call-ups, he said yes.

Hernández homered off Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez on the last day of the series. And before the Dodgers opened a three-game set against the Cardinals at Dodger Stadium, Hernández met with the hitting coaches.

Against Valdez, Hernández was in a closed stance, to delay his front hip from opening, according to Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates. But the team’s hitting group thought a return to a familiar setup could be a long-term solution.

“It was a great meeting we had,” Bates said. “We all talked about it, and then he felt comfortable enough to do it, and then the rest is to his credit. He’s just been who he is.”

In the past, Hernández had used a “twister tap” as his stride. He started in a more open stance, tapped his toe in line with the pitcher, and then set his foot down. But lower-body injuries the last couple of years — a left groin strain last season and a left hamstring strain earlier this season — forced him away from it.

His improved health and hip flexibility opened up the avenue for him to return to that timing mechanism.

“When Teo’s hips are loose that way, and his front leg looks like an Elvis knee, it’s a good sign for us,” Bates said. “Because that means that he can open and close it without his upper body going with it.”

The advantage of the twister tap, as Hernández explained it, is how repeatable it is. A more traditional stride can be sped up or slowed down.

“Just being able to control my body and being in a good position,” Hernández said earlier this month. “I can see the pitch a little sooner and identify what kind of pitch it is and if it’s going to be a strike or a ball.”

Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitches during one of his seven shutout innings against the Reds Tuesday.

(Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)

With that change, he’s rewarded the Dodgers for deciding against platooning left field. Hernández entered Tuesday with a .777 OPS against right-handed pitchers — a sample size of just 28 plate appearances but still a significant jump.

“The biggest thing is his plate coverage away,” Bates said. “Because now he can spoil pitches, and he’s staying in at-bats longer.”

Hernández’s dramatic offensive turnaround, along with fellow corner outfielder Kyle Tucker’s improvement, have helped steady a Dodgers offense that’s missing Shohei Ohtani (on the IL with right biceps and left knee injuries) and includes a hobbled Freddie Freeman (right knee soreness).

Rookie Josue De Paula, mostly filling in for Ohtani at designated hitter, has already shown he can take mature at-bats and provide some pop. But he’s still finding his footing in a new league.

It lengthens the Dodgers lineup for Hernández, after a slow start to his year, to return to being a veteran power threat — just in time to, ideally, carry the momentum into the postseason.

On Monday, he launched his two-run shot off left-hander Nick Lodolo. On Tuesday, he replicated the feat off right-hander Rhett Lowder.

On the second pitch of the at-bat, Hernández recognized a hung slider, and he roped it over the left-field fence at 109.3 mph, according to Statcast. The blast put the Dodgers up 3-0 in the third inning, with Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto settling into a groove on the other side.

Yamamoto had walked the first two batters he faced, but he reigned in his control to pitch seven scoreless innings and allow just one more baserunner, on a double by Reds star shortstop Elly De La Cruz.

The Dodgers also scored on Hunter Feduccia’s second-inning single and Alex Freeland’s seventh-inning homer. And the Dodgers bullpen completed the shutout.

Freeman staying in the lineup

Freeman was all smiles after his three-hit game Tuesday — after going hitless for his last four games.

“I was supposed to be off tomorrow, but I played myself in there,” he said. “So I’m very excited.”

Roberts explained: “He was joking, saying, ‘If I get three hits, then can I be in there tomorrow?’”

Sure enough, the mechanical adjustments he made in the batting cage — focusing on getting his foot down early and making contact out in front — got him there.

“I’m just trying to find something that gives me results,” Freeman said. “We’re at the time where we’re just trying to get hot for five weeks here. So kind of like I did in the World Series a couple years ago, I did the step-out move. That’s not sustainable over six months. I’m not trying to find something that’s sustainable.”

Though Roberts has been trying to find opportunities to rest Freeman, he saw promising signs Tuesday beyond the results.

“Just my eyes, just watching him move, I feel good about him going tomorrow,” Roberts said.

De Paula, Freeland and third baseman Max Muncy will be out of the lineup Wednesday, Roberts said.

MADRID: Carlos Espí scored in stoppage time after a nifty move by Jude Bellingham and an assist by Kylian Mbappé to help Real Madrid salvage a 3-2 win at Elche in the Spanish league after it relinquished a two-goal lead on Tuesday.

Bellingham used a neat long touch to get past an opponent near midfield and fed Mbappé in a breakaway into the area, and the France star quickly set up Espí’s close-range score to give Madrid the victory and move the Spanish powerhouse even on points with Barcelona. The defending champion can regain the lead when it hosts promoted Racing Santander on Wednesday.

“We went from having it easy to losing control,” Real Madrid coach José Mourinho said. “But in the difficulty of the moment, facing the pressure of losing points, the team reacted and won the match, which in the end is the most important thing. The good thing is that nobody gets bored when Real Madrid plays. The games are always fun.”

Madrid had taken the lead against Elche with an own-goal by goalkeeper Matías Dituro in the 25th after the ball ricocheted off him following a well-struck free kick taken by Arda Guler. Mbappé added to the lead by scoring from close range after an assist by Yan Diomande in the 33rd.

Abiel Osorio pulled the hosts closer with a header in the 71st and Fer Niño netted the equalizer in the 83rd.

There was a bit of a scare immediately after Mbappé scored as he stayed on the ground in visible pain, but he eventually returned to the field after being attended by Madrid doctors.

The goal moved him to seven goals in six league matches, one goal more than Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Sergio Camello and Roberto Fernández.

Mbappé had scored a brace in Madrid’s 4-1 win against Rayo Vallecano in the previous round.

He had a goal disallowed for offside just before halftime on Tuesday.

Bellingham came into the match by replacing Guler in the 68th.

Madrid’s only league setback this season was at Real Betis two rounds ago.

Mbappé and Vinícius avoid T-shirt

Players from both clubs wore t-shirts showing words of support for Ceuta as they came onto the field before the match. But Madrid players Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Ibrahima Konaté wore the shirt only halfway down their chest, without pulling them down, and obscuring some of the words on it. Mbappé and Vinícius removed their shirts before they saluted the other players and the referees.

They had not immediately explained why they did that.

In July, tens of thousands of migrants breached the frontier between Spain’s North African territory of Ceuta and neighboring Morocco.

Valencia wins after shake-up

Valencia won 1-0 at Alaves to end a four-game losing streak and a winless start to the season.

The string of poor results had led to the firing of coach Carlos Corberán and soccer CEO Ron Gourlay this weekend. It then appointed Braulio Vázquez as its new sporting director and named B-team coach Óscar Sánchez as an interim manager.

Luis Rioja scored a 78th-minute winner for Valencia, which had been outscored 10-1 so far.

Valencia fans had been protesting and called players “mercenaries” after the 5-0 home loss to Barcelona. They have long called for the exit of owner Peter Lim.

Rayo Vallecano triumphs in Butarque again

Rayo Vallecano beat Espanyol 2-1 with first-half goals by Álvaro García and Adria Pedrosa in what may have been its last match before returning home to Vallecas Stadium.

It was Rayo’s third home game played at Butarque Stadium — which belongs to second-tier club Leganes — because of unsafe conditions at Vallecas. It also beat Racing Santander 3-2 and drew Alaves 1-1 at Butarque.

Roberto Fernández scored for Espanyol in the second half for his sixth goal in six matches.

JJ Gabriel is already the youngest person to play for Manchester United’s Under-18 team.

He is also the youngest person to play in an unofficial game with United’s first team.

The 15-year-old striker appeared set to become the youngest person to play in an official game with United’s first team. The club plays Brighton in an English League Cup game Wednesday.

But seems unlikely to happen at this point — not after Gabriel has requested to be let out of his youth registration with the club immediately to become a free agent. Gabriel is under contract with United until the end of the current season in May.

United remains hopeful it can retain the young star, a person with knowledge of the situation but unauthorized to comment told the Associated Press.

According to the BBC, Gabriel did not train with the team late last week “amid issues in the relationship between the player’s family and United.” The publication also states that chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox “are directly involved in discussions with the player’s family, which underlines how seriously the club [regards] the situation.”

If United declines Gabriel’s request, the matter could ultimately be decided by the Premier League.

Gabriel’s father, Joe O’Cearuill, was a defender who played for Arsenal, mainly in the lower leagues, and briefly for Ireland’s national team.

Born in London on Oct. 6, 2010, Gabriel first gained wide attention — and the nickname “Kid Messi,” after global soccer legend Lionel Messi — as an 8-year-old youth player showing his skills in a YouTube video posted by SV2 in 2019. It has been viewed more than 5 million times.

After playing for youth academies such as Arsenal, West Ham United and Chelsea, Gabriel signed with Manchester United at age 11. He was 14 years, 6 months and 1 day old when he scored two goals in his U-18 debut, a 13-1 victory against Leeds on April 5, 2025.

Gabriel went on to score 20 goals in only 21 appearances and was named the U-18 Premier League player of the year. He also became the youngest player to be named Manchester United’s academy player of the year. Making his UEFA Youth League debut last week, Gabriel netted a hat trick during a 5-0 victory over Sabah.

On Aug. 1, Gabriel made his first appearance with United’s first team, playing eight minutes during a preseason game against Atlético Madrid. He was 15 years, 9 months and 26 days old. The youngest Manchester United first-team player in an official game is David Gaskell, who was 16 years and 19 days old when he first appeared for the club on Oct. 24, 1956.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Dodgers clinch postseason spot

From Maddie Lee: The Dodgers celebrated clinching a postseason berth with a champagne toast. Simple. Restrained. Leaving room for larger celebrations to come.

“The message was, ‘We haven’t come close to playing our best baseball yet,’” manager Dave Roberts said after the Dodgers’ 4-1 win over the Reds on Monday. “And here we are with 12 games left, getting a ticket to the postseason. And that says a lot about this entire organization. And just to finish strong.”

It marked the Dodgers’ 14th straight playoff berth, tying a record set by the Atlanta Braves from 1991 to 2005.

“It’s different than anything I’ve experienced, for sure,” Tarik Skubal said of the understated celebration. “But I think it just speaks to the people in this room and what they expect out of this team. That was cool. A little toast and move on. Forget it happened. We’ve got more to accomplish.”

Most teams don ski goggles to celebrate with champagne and beer showers. The Dodgers will save the messier celebration for clinching the division. Their win over the Reds (70-80) trimmed that magic number to three.

It was fitting that Skubal, the Dodgers’ big trade-deadline acquisition, was on the mound for the clincher. He’s progressively improved in his eight starts with the Dodgers. And on Monday, he breezed through seven shutout innings, allowing just four baserunners (three singles and a walk).

“I think a lot of the struggles have been me versus me,” Skubal said. “Thinking too much out there, not competing the way I know how to compete. Just thinking too much about pitch selection at times and trying to be too fine and not challenging guys.”

Continue reading here

Dodgers box score

MLB standings

Will Edwin Díaz be on postseason roster?

From Maddie Lee: Even as the Dodgers clinched a postseason berth with their 4-1 win over the Reds on Monday, bullpen uncertainty loomed.

When they get to the playoffs, who’s going to take the ball in high-leverage situations?

Their options are dwindling. Edgardo Henriquez landed on the 15-day injured list Monday with low back discomfort, ruling him out for the rest of the regular season. Edwin Díaz was so shaky in his rehab assignment Sunday that a spot on the postseason roster isn’t guaranteed.

“We have to go with our best pitchers, as far as performance, talent, all that stuff,” manager Dave Roberts said before the Dodgers opened a four-game series against the Reds. “So my bet is that he will be [on the roster]. But there’s got to be some kind of evidence or something for us to sort of bet on. And so my bet is, yes, but we’ve still got to see something.”

Continue reading here

Angels defeat the Mariners

Reid Detmers struck out eight over six innings, and Jose Siri and Denzer Guzman each drove in two runs to help the Angels beat the fading Seattle Mariners 6-4 on Monday night.

Detmers (6-8) gave up three runs and seven hits and a walk as third-place Seattle (70-81) dropped 5½ games behind AL West-leading Houston with 11 to play.

Ryan Watson pitched 1⅓ scoreless innings and Ben Joyce walked two in the ninth before retiring J.P. Crawford on a lineout to first base for his fifth save.

Continue reading here

Angels box score

MLB standings

Steve Ballmer did the right thing for his team

From Kevin Baxter: Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his staff had spent the last 12 months loudly insisting they’d done nothing wrong.

The podcast “Pablo Torre Finds Out” first raised questions about payments star forward Kawhi Leonard received from Aspiration Partners without doing any endorsement work to benefit the company on Sept. 3, 2025. The NBA responded by starting an investigation.

In its findings — released Sept. 2 — an independent law firm reported “a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations” that benefited Leonard, who received $66 million in cash and equity from four companies through agreements facilitated by Ballmer and team executives at the request of Leonard’s uncle and then-agent. Those deals violated the league salary cap, which limits how much teams can pay players. The cap is $164.961 million for the coming season.

The Clippers released two statements that same day, protesting the finding and the stiffest sanctions in NBA history, including a $30-million fine and the loss of five future first-round draft picks. In addition, Ballmer, 69, was banned from all league activities for the next year.

After immediately calling the NBA’s investigation “biased” and vowing to “vigorously challenge these findings and penalties through every avenue available to us,” the Clippers were silent for 11 days.

On Sunday night, they surrendered.

Continue reading here

Swanson: Clippers avoid a death penalty with Kawhi Leonard trade, but only if they clean house

Chargers miss chance to seize spotlight in L.A.

From Mirjam Swanson: It’s just one game. And it’s a long season.

Maybe a loooong season, if you’re a Chargers fan.

Sunday’s season-opening debacle — a sloppy, uninspired and uninspiring 26-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium — was a first, giant step back for these Chargers.

You can’t call Game 1 of any season a must-win. But you can pan back and recognize that sometimes Game 1 is a really, really should-win affair.

Not only because the Cardinals represented as close to a gimme as the Chargers are going to get on their precarious schedule.

But the Chargers also missed a prime opportunity to fill a hole in the L.A. football plot, rare as those are.

Continue reading here

Rams give updates on Garrett, Donald

From Gary Klein: Sean McVay and the Rams thought the situation was under control, or at least manageable.

Star edge rusher Myles Garrett first experienced knee discomfort and swelling during training camp, a condition that caused him to sit out the majority of team workouts throughout the weeks leading up to the season opener.

But Garrett failed to record a tackle, and was clearly not himself, in an embarrassing defeat by the San Francisco 49ers on Friday in Australia.

On Monday, Garrett was scheduled to have surgery, and he will sit out at least the next four games on injured reserve.

Will lineman Aaron Donald, who has returned from a two-year retirement, make his season debut against the Giants?

“We haven’t decided that yet,” McVay said. “He’s going to continue to work his process and we’ll see what that looks like.”

Continue reading here

This day in sports history

1899 — Willie Smith wins the U.S. Open golf title, beating George low, Val Fitzjohn and W.H. Way.

1923 — Bill Tilden wins the U.S. Lawn Tennis Assn. championship, beating William Johnston in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4.

1962 — Frank Tripucka of the Denver Broncos passes for 447 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills.

1971 — Stan Smith wins the U.S. Open title over Jan Khodes and Billie Jean King beats Rosie Casals for the women’s title. It’s the first time in 16 years both titles were won by U.S. players.

1973 — Three-year-old Secretariat wins the Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap in the then-world record time of 1:45 2-5 for 11/8 miles.

1973 — Archie Griffin of Ohio State starts his NCAA record string of 31 games of rushing for at least 100 yards, leading the Buckeyes to a 56-7 rout of Minnesota in Columbus.

1978 — Muhammad Ali becomes the first three-time heavyweight champion with a unanimous 15-round decision over Leon Spinks at the Superdome in New Orleans.

1991 — The United States women’s gymnastics team makes history with its first team medal — a silver — at the World Championships in Indianapolis.

2002 — Sam Hornish Jr. wins another incredible race at Texas Motor Speedway, and his second straight IRL title. Hornish side-by-side with Helio Castroneves for many of the last 25 laps in the season-ending Chevy 500, crosses the finish line 0.0096 seconds — only a few inches — ahead of the other driver in contention for the season championship. Hornish wins his IRL-record fifth race of the season and becomes the first driver to win two IRL championships.

2002 — Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon begins NFL record-tying (Kurt Warner, Steve Young) streak of six consecutive 300-yard passing games, throwing for 403 yards in Raiders’ 30-17 victory at Pittsburgh.

2004 — NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announces a lockout of the players union and cessation of operations by the NHL head office.

2012 — LSU beats Idaho 63-14 to give the Tigers an NCAA FBS record 40th-straight non-conference regular season victory. LSU also set a Tiger Stadium mark with 20 straight home wins. Kansas State had 39 straight non-conference regular-season wins from 1993-2003.

2013 — Philip Rivers is 36 of 47 for 419 yards and three touchdown passes to Eddie Royal to lead San Diego to a 33-30 victory at Philadelphia. Michael Vick of the Eagles passes for a career-best 428 yards and two touchdowns and runs for a score.

2018 — Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores his 500th worldwide goal in the Galaxy’s 5-3 loss to Toronto FC. The 36-year-old Swede joins Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the only active players with 500 goals for in club and international play.

2021 — U.S. gymnasts, including Simone Biles, testify against former team doctor Larry Nassar at a Senate Committee hearing, criticizing a system that allowed it to happen.

2022 — Tennis great Roger Federer announces his retirement from pro tennis at 41 with 20 grand slam wins and 103 ATP titles.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1902 — Chicago Cubs infielders Tinker, Evers and Chance turn their first double play together.

1912 — Joe Wood of the Boston Red Sox pitched his 16th consecutive victory to tie Walter Johnson’s record as he beat the St. Louis Browns 2-1.

1938 — Brothers Lloyd and Paul Waner hit back-to-back homers for the Pittsburgh Pirates off Cliff Melton of the New York Giants. This was the only time brothers hit successive home runs in a major league game. It was Lloyd’s last homer.

1946 — The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 2-0 in five innings when the game was called because of gnats. The insects became such a problem for the players, umpires and fans that the game had to be stopped.

1963 — All three Alou brothers — Felipe, Matty and Jesus — played in the outfield at the same time for the San Francisco Giants in a 13-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

1969 — St. Louis left-hander Steve Carlton struck out 19 Mets for a nine-inning game record. New York won the game 4-3 on a pair of two-run homers by Ron Swoboda.

1979 — Bob Watson of the Red Sox became the first player to hit for the cycle in both leagues as he led Boston to a 10-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. He hit for the cycle with the Houston Astros against San Francisco on June 24, 1977.

1990 — Bobby Thigpen pitched one inning and became the first relief pitcher with 50 saves in a season as the Chicago White Sox beat the Red Sox 7-4.

1996 — The Baltimore Orioles set baseball’s season home run record with five against Detroit, including Mark Parent’s record breaking shot in the third inning and Brady Anderson’s 10th leadoff homer of the year. The homers gave the Orioles 243, three more than the 1961 New York Yankees.

1997 — Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 51st and 52nd homers in Seattle’s win over Toronto to become the sixth major league player to hit 100 or more home runs over two consecutive seasons. Griffey hit 49 homers last season.

1998 — Ken Griffey Jr. hit his AL-leading 52nd homer and drove in five runs to become the fourth-youngest player to reach 1,000 RBIs, leading the Seattle Mariners over the Minnesota Twins 12-7.

2002 — Arizona’s Curt Schilling struck out eight to reach 300 for the season, joining Randy Johnson as the first teammates in baseball history to each strike out 300 in the same season. The Diamondbacks beat Milwaukee 6-5 in 13 innings.

2008 — In an unprecedented move, the Milwaukee Brewers fired manager Ned Yost. It marked the first time in major league history — except the strike-split 1981 season — that a manager was fired in August or later with his team in playoff position. The Brewers, 83-67, lost seven of eight and fallen into a tie with Philadelphia for the NL wild-card lead.

2009 — David Ortiz hit his record-breaking 270th homer as a designated hitter and had an RBI single in Boston’s 4-1 victory over the Angels. Frank Thomas had held the mark with 269.

2011 — Pablo Sandoval tripled in the sixth inning to complete the first cycle of his career and San Francisco beat Colorado 8-5.

2017 — The Cleveland had its AL record winning streak stopped at 22 as the Indians were beaten 4-3 by the Kansas City Royals, who became the first team to conquer the defending league champions since Aug. 23. The Indians came within four of matching the overall record held by the 1916 New York Giants.

2014 — The Mets’ Jacob deGrom ties a major league record when he strikes out the first eight batters he faces before his opponent on the mound for the Marlins, Jarred Cosart, singles to right. DeGrom ties the record set by Jim Deshaies in 1986. He strikes out 13 in seven innings but ends up with a no-decision as the Marlins win, 6-5.

2022 — On Roberto Clemente Day, the Rays make history by fielding an all-Latino line-up (excluding starting pitcher Shane McClanahan). It consists of C René Pinto, 1B Harold Ramirez, 2B Isaac Paredes, SS Wander Franco, 3B Yandy Díaz, LF David Peralta, CF José Siri, RF Randy Arozarena and DH Manuel Margot, with five countries being represented. All wear Roberto Clemente’s iconic uniform number, 21, as they go on to defeat the Blue Jays, 11-0.

Compiled by the Associated Press

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 houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

LONDON: Referees’ chief Howard Webb said he was “really disappointed” with the VAR mistake that allowed Erling Haaland’s winner in the Manchester derby last weekend.

Haaland scored in the second half of City’s victory against archrivals United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Haaland’s close-range finish from Josko Gvardiol’s cross was initially disallowed for offside, but VAR official Matt Donohue and his assistant Blake Antrobus overturned the decision.

Donohue ruled City midfielder Enzo Fernandez was not interfering with play when he tried to reach the ball before it was finished off by Haaland.

City went on to win 1-0, but the result was overshadowed by the controversy involving the decisive goal.

United manager Michael Carrick said he was “staggered” by the decision because Fernandez blocked Lisandro Martinez’s attempt to clear and potentially distracted goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

Donohue and Antrobus have been stood down by the Pro Ref organisation for this weekend’s Premier League matches.

Webb, the chief refereeing officer at Pro Ref, said on the ‘Match Officials: Mic’d Up’ programme on Tuesday: “I was really disappointed with this outcome. We all are. None more so than the officials themselves.

“They take a lot of personal pride in what they do and they’re obviously hurting now, having fallen short in this situation.

“They’ll not be officiating again until after the international break. We’ve reached out to Manchester United and acknowledged the error, as we do when these things happen.”

Asked how the VAR officials had come to the conclusion that Fernandez was not interfering with play, Webb said: “In that moment, he (Donohue) gets tunnel vision.

“He gets focused on Haaland, and it’s down to the rest of his team to pull him out of that tunnel, and unfortunately, that didn’t happen on this occasion.

“This goal should have been disallowed. We’ll review it, reflect upon it, and try to take the learning forward to prevent this unusual type of error from happening again.”

BERLIN: Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said on Tuesday that he discussed selling oil to Europe during visits to France and Germany, as Baghdad seeks to diversify its export routes and reduce its reliance on the Strait of Hormuz.

During a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, Zaidi said “we want to expand and diversify our export routes”.

He added that “Iraq cannot remain hostage to a single corridor” as recent events have demonstrated, referring to the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blockaded by Iran during the Middle East war.

Zaidi said that he had discussed oil exports to Europe with Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron, whom he met in Paris on Monday.

Crude oil sales account for nearly 90 percent of Iraq’s revenue but its exports have been hurt by the outbreak of the Middle East war between Iran and the United States.

Before the war began in February, Iraq produced around four million barrels per day, and exported an average of 3.4 million bpd, mostly via Hormuz.

Most of its oil exports go to East Asia, with China and India its largest buyers.

Due to the disruption, Iraq began exporting crude using tanker trucks through Syria, as well as through a pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, although these routes can handle only a fraction of its usual sea-bound trade.

Zaidi said that Baghdad could “double its oil exports through the Mediterranean” to supply markets in Europe and the United States.

Zaidi, who hopes to increase Iraq’s oil production to 10 million barrels per day, said that “a large share, or nearly half, can go to European countries and the West”.

He said that Iraq and Germany were expected to reach “an understanding on the export of crude oil” while Baghdad would purchase German technology and equipment.

Merz said that the main focus for Iraqi-German cooperation is the economy.

“Many German companies are now active in Iraq. They are developing new solutions, for example for energy supply,” he said, adding that “the best example is an agreement on Iraq’s electricity supply, which we will sign today”.

Merz also expressed his concerns after Yemen’s Houthis cemented their control over the Bab al-Mandab waterway at the entrance to the Red Sea, a vital route for Saudi oil exports.

“This further exacerbates the situation on the energy markets, and also affects Germany,” he said.

Draper will not qualify for a protected ranking if he does return in January, as only those who are out for over six months are able to retain the ranking they had when they left the tour.

He is currently ranked 155, which means he would require wildcards or have to come through qualifying to play in Grand Slams and ATP Tour events.

But none of that will worry him if he is able to play freely and without so much pain.

Draper peaked at four in the world last June after winning a first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells and finishing runner-up at another in Madrid.

“Last summer, all the dedication and work I had put into this sport was coming together,” Draper added.

“It was all going my way and the path seemed so clear. However a complicated injury made things incredibly challenging, and since that moment I’ve been desperately trying to get back and feel as I once did on the court.

“Managing so much change, adversity and pain has helped me to grow massively in many areas of my life but has also made me feel a level of fatigue.”

Draper has taken a holiday with friends in recent weeks and has been trying to aid his recovery by taking a mental break from the sport.

He is expected to make a gradual return to training over the next few weeks, as his team try to work out the principal causes of the injury.

Former England footballer Raheem Sterling has admitted dangerous driving after he crashed his Lamborghini into motorway barriers in May.

The 31-year-old, from Berkshire, also admitted possessing nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation, and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

Sterling, who appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court, was arrested after crashing on the M3 in Hampshire on the morning of 28 May.

Sterling has 82 England caps, the last of which was won at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The former England winger pleaded guilty to driving a Lamborghini Urus dangerously on the M25, the M3, the A327 and Minley Road before he crashed.

He was in possession of six canisters of nitrous oxide, a Class C drug.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s inflation held at 1.8 percent in August for the fourth-straight month, as housing, food and transport costs continued to drive consumer prices higher, official data showed. 

The annual increase matched July’s reading, while the Consumer Price Index rose 0.1 percent from the previous month, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics. 

This increase was mainly driven by a rise in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuel prices by 3.9 percent, food and beverage prices by 1.4 percent, and transport prices by 2 percent, the report added. 

Saudi Arabia’s inflation remains relatively subdued compared with some regional peers.

Oman’s rate accelerated to 3.4 percent in August, driven by an 8.5 percent increase in transport costs and a 7 percent rise in food and non-alcoholic beverages, while inflation averaged 2.9 percent in the first eight months.

Jordan’s inflation stood at 2.66 percent in August, taking the average for the first eight months to 2.20 percent.  

This comes as Kamco Invest said in a report last month that regional tensions could fuel inflation by pushing up oil prices and disrupting fertilizer exports, although inflation across the Gulf Cooperation Council remained subdued in June and July. 

In its latest report, GASTAT stated: “The housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels division was the main contributor to the annual inflation with a contribution of 0.8 percentage points, followed by the food and beverages division with a contribution of 0.3 percentage points, in addition to the transport division with a contribution of 0.3 percentage points.” 

Since housing remains the single largest driver of Saudi CPI, authorities have leaned heavily on real estate interventions to keep it in check. A five-year freeze of annual rent increases for new and existing residential and commercial contracts within Riyadh’s urban boundaries took effect in September last year. 

Housing and personal care lead gains 

The housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels division rose 3.9 percent year on year, largely due to a 3.9 percent increase in actual rents.  

The personal care, social protection and other goods and services division followed with a 3.5 percent annual rise, pushed up by a 13.3 percent jump in other personal effects, itself driven by a 14.4 percent surge in jewelry and watch prices.  

Recreation, sport and culture climbed 2.8 percent, helped by a 4.7 percent rise in holiday package prices. 

On the downside, furniture, home appliances and routine home maintenance fell 0.6 percent, while clothing and footwear slipped 0.5 percent. 

Monthly movements mixed  

On a monthly basis, personal care, social protection and other goods and services rose 0.8 percent in August, transport gained 0.6 percent, and insurance and financial services rose 0.5 percent.  

Housing costs edged up 0.2 percent on a 0.2 percent rise in actual rents. Food and beverages slipped 0.1 percent, while restaurants and accommodation services fell 0.4 percent, the steepest monthly decline among divisions. 

Average prices show sharp swings 

A separate GASTAT report on average prices of goods and services showed some of the sharpest monthly moves came from fresh produce and construction inputs.  

Local onions posted the largest monthly gain of any tracked item, up 17.9 percent, followed by imported onions at 11.6 percent, medium local potatoes at 7 percent, and local zucchini at 6.7 percent.  

Hotel accommodation rose 2.5 percent, while furnished apartments increased 2.8 percent on the month.  

On the other side, local tomatoes recorded the steepest monthly drop at 15.2 percent, followed by imported tomatoes down 9.3 percent and medium African lemons down 9.2 percent.  

Among construction materials, national reinforcing iron of various diameters fell between 1 and 2 percent month on month, while national electrical cables and wires rose broadly, led by a 25.7 percent annual increase in 35mm cables. 

Wholesale Price Index 

Saudi Arabia’s Wholesale Price Index stood at 4.6 percent in August, down from 5 percent in July, GASTAT said.  

This was driven mainly by an 8.2 percent jump in other transportable goods, excluding metal products, machinery and equipment, on the back of a 51.4 percent surge in basic chemical prices and a 4 percent rise in refined petroleum product prices.  

Metal products, machinery and equipment prices rose 2.2 percent annually, while agriculture and fishery products increased 4.8 percent. Ores and minerals prices fell 1.8 percent. 

“On a monthly basis, the WPI recorded a decline of 0.2 percent in August compared to July 2026,” the report noted, weighed down by a 1 percent drop in other transportable goods and a 2 percent fall in ores and minerals, even as metal products, machinery and equipment rose 0.8 percent and food, beverages, tobacco and textiles gained 0.6 percent. 

Producer Price Index 

Separately, Saudi Arabia’s Producer Price Index for July — the most recent data available — recorded a 5.3 percent annual increase compared with July 2025, according to GASTAT.  

The rise was driven by a 5.5 percent increase in manufacturing prices, a 2.3 percent rise in electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply prices, and a 6.8 percent increase in water supply, sewerage and waste management activity prices. 

Within manufacturing, prices for chemicals and chemical products jumped 13.1 percent annually, wearing apparel rose 12.9 percent, and basic metals climbed 8.8 percent.  

On a monthly basis, however, the PPI fell 2.8 percent in July compared with June, mainly on a 3.0 percent decline in manufacturing prices, led by a 6.8 percent drop in refined petroleum product prices. 

The virtual safety car (VSC) definitely throws jeopardy into races, but it does not do virtually what the safety car does. Would it not be more balanced to have a minimum of at least one full lap? Yes, this would dampen the jeopardy effect but what happened to Lando Norris feels like a chance card in Monopoly. – Kyle

Lando Norris’ bad luck with the virtual safety car at the Spanish Grand Prix has certainly focused attention on the ways this can disrupt races.

The VSC has always had issues – it freezes a race rather than resets it, which can be a bit boring compared to an actual safety car – but it has the benefit of minimising disruption when a track hazard can be cleared relatively quickly.

It has long been an opportunity for someone to benefit over a rival, because making a pit stop under a VSC takes significantly less time than under racing conditions.

But usually this has been in cases where one team has changed or deployed its strategy with the express intention of waiting for a safety car or VSC (such as Norris himself in his maiden victory in Miami in 2024), and benefiting over a rival who has run a more conventional strategy.

That sort of thing is considered fair game. What happened to Norris – a driver lost a race win because his specific track positioning at the time of a VSC meant he alone was unable to pit under it – is, to the best anyone could remember on Sunday, unique.

The media are not privy to conversations in drivers’ briefings, and Norris in particular gets a bit sniffy when information from those meetings leaks out because they are meant to be a safe space where the drivers and FIA can share opinions without it becoming a controversy.

But it emerged after the race that this issue, as Norris put it, “has been spoken about many, many times”.

Whether Norris’ misfortune leads to a change, such as ensuring that a VSC is deployed for at least one whole lap, remains to be seen.

There is no easy answer, because within F1 it’s recognised that safety cars are part of the competitive jigsaw, and can be used to a team’s advantage. And the latest rules have been arrived at after various previous iterations that worked in different ways, such as shutting the pit lane for specific periods.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said: “Offering a personal opinion, I’m puzzled myself as to what’s right.

“Is it correct to give enough duration such that everyone will have been subject to the same track conditions? So, for instance, the virtual safety car lasts at least one full lap.

“Or you just keep it in the hands of the Gods, and sometimes you are lucky, sometimes you are not. I’m not sure.”

There is process for these sorts of discussions – they go to a sporting advisory committee for analysis, before being reviewed by the F1 Commission of teams, commercial rights holder F1 and governing body the FIA.

That won’t happen quickly – unless it is decided by F1 and the FIA that it is a desirable outcome to change the rules. Right now, the momentum for that does not appear to be there.

What are the prospects for rookies coming into Formula 1 next year? Many drivers are re-signing long contracts with their teams. Are there likely to be any new recruits? – Mia

The most likely place for a new driver to come into F1 next season is Haas, where Esteban Ocon’s position looks shaky.

The two main candidates there are Italy’s reigning Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli, who is part of McLaren’s driver development programme, and Brazilian Rafael Camara, who is second in F2 this year and part of the Ferrari driver academy.

Both have tested for Haas and are said to have impressed the team.

Haas will want a quick driver who brings money, and it’s not clear who the favourite is. Ryo Hirakawa, Haas’ reserve driver and a long-time protege of Haas’ technical partner Toyota, is also in the picture, but considered a less likely candidate.

Elsewhere, there is talk of Red Bull considering moving F2 championship leader Nikola Tsolov, who is Bulgarian, into their Racing Bulls team.

To do so, they would have to drop either Liam Lawson or Arvid Lindblad. It’s hard to see how it would be Lindblad, after such an impressive rookie campaign.

But Lawson has also been doing a good job this year, so it’s not a given.

At Cadillac, they have Indycar race-winner Colton Herta as reserve. They have been planning for Herta to be in F1 before too long – the idea behind him moving to Europe and doing Formula 2 this year was so he could learn the ropes on this side of the Atlantic and be as prepared as possible for graduation to F1.

But Herta has had a very difficult F2 campaign this year – his best result is a fifth place and he is 19th in the championship – so moving him up to F1 for 2027 would be a massive risk.

Ugo Ugochukwu, who won the Formula 3 title in Madrid on Sunday, is another American said to be of interest to Cadillac.

He had been part of the McLaren driver development programme for several years until they parted ways at the end of last season.

But even if Ugochukwu’s Cadillac links become formalised, next year is probably too early for him to make F1.

He’s also extremely tall – well over six foot and much taller even than Ocon, Alex Albon and George Russell, the current tallest drivers – so getting him into an F1 car would not be easy.

The other teams are pretty much locked down, although it’s still unknown whether Fernando Alonso is going to continue in F1 next year.

Washington: US President Donald Trump has nominated Republican congressman Wesley Hunt, a US Army veteran, as his new ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Hunt’s nomination was sent Monday to the US Senate, which must vote on his confirmation.

“Having served in the region both in combat as an Army officer and for two years as a diplomatic liaison in the Kingdom, I understand the strategic importance of the partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia and the profound responsibility of this position,” Hunt said in a post on X.

CINCINNATI — The Dodgers celebrated clinching a postseason berth with a champagne toast. Simple. Restrained. Leaving room for larger celebrations to come.

“The message was, ‘We haven’t come close to playing our best baseball yet,’” manager Dave Roberts said after the Dodgers’ 4-1 win over the Reds on Monday. “And here we are with 12 games left, getting a ticket to the postseason. And that says a lot about this entire organization. And just to finish strong.”

It marked the Dodgers’ 14th straight playoff berth, tying a record set by the Atlanta Braves from 1991 to 2005.

“It’s different than anything I’ve experienced, for sure,” Tarik Skubal said of the understated celebration. “But I think it just speaks to the people in this room and what they expect out of this team. That was cool. A little toast and move on. Forget it happened. We’ve got more to accomplish.”

Most teams don ski goggles to celebrate with champagne and beer showers. The Dodgers will save the messier celebration for clinching the division. Their win over the Reds (70-80) trimmed that magic number to three.

It was fitting that Skubal, the Dodgers’ big trade-deadline acquisition, was on the mound for the clincher. He’s progressively improved in his eight starts with the Dodgers. And on Monday, he breezed through seven shutout innings, allowing just four baserunners (three singles and a walk).

“I think a lot of the struggles have been me versus me,” Skubal said. “Thinking too much out there, not competing the way I know how to compete. Just thinking too much about pitch selection at times and trying to be too fine and not challenging guys.”

He has grown more comfortable with the pitching coaches and his catchers, and it has brought out a better version of him. Skubal seems to be peaking at the right time — just as Roberts hoped for the team as a whole.

Even after clinching the division likely this week, the Dodgers (91-59) will be playing for seeding, aiming for at least a first-round bye.

“It’s always helpful in the sense of giving your guys a break to reset,” Roberts said. “But given all the tax and where our guys are health-wise, to get that week would be huge. So we’ve still got to play well to finish out the season to get to that point.”

The position-player group has been hit the hardest down the stretch.

Designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (right biceps and left knee), center fielder Andy Pages (left hand fracture) and backup catcher Dalton Rushing (sprained right elbow) are on the IL. First baseman Freddie Freeman was out of the lineup Monday managing right knee soreness, and second baseman Miguel Rojas was playing through shoulder soreness after aggravating a longstanding partial tear in a labrum.

“You’ve got to give credit to the front office,” said Teoscar Hernández, who hit a two-run homer Monday. “They put together a really good team, [a] deep team that has a little bit of too much of everything. A lot of pitchers, a lot of position players here, players that can play all over the field. We’re one of the oldest teams. We know [injuries] are going to happen throughout the season. So, we’ve just gotta be ready, and the team has to be ready, and everybody else.”

Here are more specific injury updates provided by Roberts:

— Ohtani is set to hit off a tee Tuesday. Up until this point, he’s been working out, lifting and undergoing treatment.

— Pages hit softer balls Monday and will advance to hitting baseballs in the cage Tuesday. “He’s trending really well,” Roberts said.

— Freeman is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday, but Roberts will continue to keep a close eye on him. “Where we’re at in the season, an IL is not an option in the sense of — I personally don’t think we have a better option,” Roberts said. “So I don’t think it needs to be 10 days. But could it be more than one? That’s a fair question. And I’ve got to talk to the training staff, Freddie, and ultimately make that decision. But I don’t think IL would make sense at all.”

— Rojas did not receive a cortisone injection as he had initially predicted when he hurt his shoulder Sunday. But he said it’s still a possibility as he manages pain in his shoulder. The Reds have left-handed starters scheduled for two of the four games, making Rojas’ right-handed bat valuable.

“Right now it’s front of mind, it’s not great,” Roberts said of the Dodgers’ injury situation. “But I will say this: Once you get to October, athletes have a magical way of feeling better. It happens every single year, where there’s that extra adrenaline that athletes get when you get to the postseason.”

If you find yourself in need of a snack while wandering around Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District, consider heading over to the ultra-popular South African eatery, Tashas Cafe — without the apostrophe.

Tucked within the financial district, this international lifestyle cafe and casual dining restaurant chain is the first Tashas Cafe in Saudi Arabia.

Founded in 2005 by Natasha “Tasha” Sideris in Johannesburg, South Africa, it arrived in the Kingdom exactly 20 years later, in late 2025, after partnering with local food investment company Janiya.

Foodies in the UAE already know that it has been a popular spot in the Emirates since 2014, with several branches spread throughout.

The first thing I wanted to point out is that Tashas still uses real physical paper menus, which I love as someone who is not a fan of the QR code versions.

While many of the staples are the same — I went most recently to Tashas in Abu Dhabi — the Riyadh branch has some customized menu items catered specifically to this location, including a curated Night Menu and the largest cake display of any of their outlets worldwide.

It was quite noisy upon arrival, but I still managed to find a relatively quiet table near the bakery display area.

I started with the orchard drink for SR38 ($10), a revitalizing combination of green apple, lime and ginger.

I also got the Tashas sarmie, packed with goodies, including sauteed black mushrooms, grilled chicken breast, fresh avocado, and feta cheese served on toasted sourdough with a tiny side salad, for SR82. Delicious but a bit steep for a sandwich.

The surprising standout for me was the plate of asparagus, for SR36. It was legitimately better than any side I’ve had recently: crunchy, bright green, not at all overcooked or limp, and perfectly seasoned.

I asked the South African waiter to recommend a hot beverage to end the night and received a cup of warm spiced milk latte for SR32, which came with swirls of cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom and two orange peels floating within. It might have been the highlight of the meal.

Note that the cafe is located in Building 5.05 on Discovery Boulevard, so you will likely either need to walk a bit or use the valet option if you drive there. I opted to use a ride-share service as it was rush hour, which was a wise move.

For updates, check out their Instagram @tashascafeksa.

CINCINNATI — Dodgers left-handed pitcher Kris Bubic is scheduled to meet the team in Cincinnati, according to people with knowledge of the plans who weren’t authorized to discuss it publicly.

Bubic made his last rehab appearance for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, so the Dodgers are not expected to activate him off the 60-day injured list right away.

The Dodgers acquired Bubic from the Royals at the trade deadline this year. He’d been on the IL since May, first with a low-grade flexor strain in his left forearm, and then a shoulder impingement setback.

Bubic reported to the Dodgers’ Arizona complex, where the 2025 All-Star began working back as a reliever due to the time constraints of the season.

In six Triple-A rehab appearances (5 2/3 Innings) this month, Bubic didn’t allow a run, and he limited opponents to two hits and two walks.

Because Bubic is on the 60-day IL, the Dodgers will need to clear spots on the active and 40-man rosters to reinstate him.