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WASHINGTON — Signs of a potential end to the government shutdown intensified Tuesday with behind-the-scenes talks, as the federal closure was on track to become the longest ever disrupting the lives of millions of Americans.

Senators from both parties, Republicans and Democrats, are quietly negotiating the contours of an emerging deal. With a nod from their leadership, the senators seek a way to reopen the government, put the normal federal funding process back on track and devise some sort of resolution to the crisis of expiring health insurance subsidies that are spiking premium costs from coast to coast.

“Enough is enough,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the South Dakota Republican, as he opened the deadlocked chamber.

On day 35 of the federal government shutdown, the record for the longest will be broken after midnight. With SNAP benefits interrupted for millions of Americans depending on federal food aid, hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed or working without pay and contracts being delayed, many on and off Capitol Hill say it’s time for it to end. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted there could be chaos in the skies next week if the shutdown drags on and air traffic controllers miss another paycheck. Labor unions put pressure on lawmakers to reopen the government.

Election Day is seen as a turning point

Tuesday’s elections provide an inflection point, with off-year governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey, along with the mayor’s race in New York that will show voter attitudes, a moment of political assessment many hope will turn the tide. Another test vote Tuesday in the Senate failed, as Democrats rejected a temporary government funding bill.

“We’re not asking for anything radical,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said. “Lowering people’s healthcare costs is the definition of common sense.”

Unlike the earlier shutdown during President Trump’s first term, when he fought Congress in 2018-19 for funds to build the U.S.-Mexico border wall, the president has been largely absent from this shutdown debate.

Trump threatens to halt SNAP food aid

But on Tuesday, Trump issued a fresh threat, warning he would halt SNAP food aid unless Democrats agree to reopen the government.

SNAP benefits “will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!” Trump said on social media. That seemed to defy court orders to release the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program contingency funds.

His top spokeswoman, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, said later that the administration continues to pay out SNAP funding in line with court orders.

With House Speaker Mike Johnson having sent lawmakers home in September, most attention is on the Senate. There, the leadership has outsourced negotiations to a loose group of centrist dealmakers from both parties have been quietly charting a way to end the standoff.

“We pray that today is that day,” said Johnson, R-La., holding his daily process on the empty side of the Capitol.

Contours of a potential deal

Central to any endgame will be a series of agreements that would need to be upheld not only by the Senate, but also the House, and the White House, which is not at all certain in Washington where Republicans have full control of the government.

First of all, senators from both parties, particularly the powerful members of the Appropriations Committee, are pushing to ensure the normal government funding process can be put back on track.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and GOP Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, along with several Democrats, including Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, and Chris Coons of Delaware, are among those working behind the scenes.

“The pace of talks have increased,” said Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who has been involved in conversations.

Among the goals is guaranteeing upcoming votes on a smaller package of bills where there is already widespread bipartisan agreement to fund various aspects of governments, like agricultural programs and military construction projects at bases.

“I certainly think that that three-bill package is primed to do a lot of good things for the American people,” said Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala, who has also been in talks.

More difficult, a substantial number of senators also want some resolution to the standoff over the funding for the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at year’s end.

White House won’t engage on health care until government reopens

The White House says its position remains unchanged and that Democrats must vote to fund the government until talks over health care can begin. White House officials are in close contact with GOP senators who have been quietly speaking with key Senate Democrats, according to a senior White House official. The official was granted anonymity to discuss administration strategy.

With insurance premium notices being sent, millions of Americans are experiencing sticker shock on skyrocketing prices. The loss of federal subsidies, which come in the form of tax credits, are expected to leave many people unable to buy health insurance.

Republicans, with control of the House and Senate, are reluctant to fund the health care program, also known as Obamacare. But Thune has promised Democrats a vote on their preferred proposal, on a date certain, as part of any deal to reopen government.

That’s not enough for some senators, who see the health care deadlock as part of their broader concerns with Trump’s direction for the country.

“Trump is a schoolyard bully,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Independent from Vermont, in an op-ed. “Anyone who thinks surrendering to him now will lead to better outcomes and cooperation in the future does not understand how a power-hungry demagogue operates.”

Moreover, Democrats, and some Republicans, are also pushing for guardrails to prevent the Trump administration’s practice of unilaterally slashing funds for programs that Congress had already approved, by law, the way billionaire Elon Musk did earlier this year at the Department of Government Efficiency.

With the Senate, which is split 53-47, having tried and failed more than a dozen times to advance the House-passed bill over the filibuster, that measure is out of date. It would have funded government to Nov. 21.

Trump has demanded senators nuke the filibuster, the Senate rule that requires a 60-vote threshold to advance most legislation, which preserves minority rights in the chamber. GOP senators panned that demand.

Both Thune and Johnson have acknowledged they will need a new temporary measure. They are eyeing one that skips past the Christmas holiday season, avoiding what often has been a year-end crunch, and instead develop an agreement that would keep government running into the near year, likely January.

Mascaro and Jalonick write for the Associated Press. AP writers Kevin Freking, Seung Min Kim and Matt Brown contributed to this story.

China and the United States have agreed to ease their trade war – for now.

There have been concessions from both, with some of the most painful measures put on hold for a year.

So, what tactics did each side use in the battle between the world’s two biggest economies? Will they work? And what’s the longer-term outlook: agreement, or more trouble ahead?

Presenter: Nick Clark

Guests:

Andy Mok – Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization think tank in Beijing

Neil Thomas – Fellow on Chinese Politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis in Washington, DC

William Lee – Chief Economist at the Milken Institute in Los Angeles

Great Britain’s Anna Morris leaps from sixth to second after the final sprint for the line to take silver in the women’s points race at the World Track Cycling Championships.

SEE MORE: GB’s Archibald & Leech win madison gold

Available to UK users only.

Great Britain’s Josh Tarling produces a blistering display to win his first track world title in the men’s 40km points race at the UCI Track World Championships.

WATCH MORE: Archibald wins historic silver at World Track Championships

Available to UK users only.

Jody Cundy claimed his 22nd world track gold medal with victory in the 1km time trial at the Para-Cycling World Championships in Rio de Janeiro.

Cundy, 47, led home a British one-two in the men’s C4 event, finishing 1.7 seconds ahead of Archie Atkinson.

It is an incredible 16th C4 1km world title in a row for the English rider.

Cundy – who has six Paralympic golds in cycling and three in swimming, first competed at the track worlds in 2006, two years after team-mate Atkinson was born.

Reigning champion Blaine Hunt was second in the MC5 1km time trial, with Matthew Robertson third in the MC2 10km scratch race.

The finals run until Sunday and are the fourth edition of the event to be held in the Olympic Velodrome in Rio, after 2018, 2021 and 2024.

There are several Nike-sponsored billboards popping up around town featuring Long Beach Poly freshman 800-meter runner Laila Kirk, who is a two-time national AAU champion.

It’s setting the stage for her high school debut this spring for the Jackrabbits.

She certainly has lots of ties to track and field.

Her mother, Angelita, ran track at Poly and Washington State. Her father, Lamarr, ran track at Dorsey and Washington State. Her grandmother, Margaret Hemmans-Green, ran track at Manual Arts and El Camino College. Her grandfather, Ted Green, was a long jumper at Manual Arts.

Laila had a best 800 time of 2:07 last spring. She also ran the 400 in 54.72.

Long Beach Poly has a long history of producing outstanding track and field athletes, but few 14-year-olds have appeared on billboards before their first race in high school.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].

For better or worse, “The Life of a Showgirl,” Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, is unlike anything the megastar has done before.

On the 12-track album, which dropped Friday to mixed critical reception, Swift is uncharacteristically risqué and, for possibly the first time, indulges her inner theater kid without reservation. In that sense, much of the pop record is daringly new.

Still, on each track are sonic echoes from the 14-time Grammy winner’s decades-spanning discography — from the verve of “Reputation” to the romantic whimsy of “Lover.”

Swifties are sure to be playing “The Life of a Showgirl” on repeat today. But if that gets a bit tiresome after the 13th time, here is a list of Swift sister songs to try instead, based on your favorite track from the new album.

(Some song pairings are based on sound, while others are based on shared themes.)

“The Fate of Ophelia”

“Showgirl’s” opening track has a sultry groove and low pulse that could easily be the soundtrack to a flirty nightcap or the series finale of a dark comedy.

Find the same alluring melody with an extra dash of spice in “I Can See You,” a vault track from 2023’s “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).” And for bonus points, head to the music video for a dose of the Swift-signature theatricality dripping from “The Life of a Showgirl.”

“Elizabeth Taylor”

This allusive track boasts the album’s most sweeping chorus, anchored by Swift’s mesmeric alto and a masterfully orchestrated rhythm that uses moments of quiet to its advantage.

“Reputation‘s” slow-burn hit “Don’t Blame Me” follows a similar playbook, using a killer choral backing to achieve the same hymnal quality that complex vocal layering creates on “Elizabeth Taylor.”

Plus, both songs share a secret weapon: Swift’s irresistible enunciation of the word “baby.”

“Opalite”

An immediate inductee into Swift’s “Glitter Gel Pen” song Hall of Fame, “Opalite” is for dancing around your kitchen with a glass of orange wine in hand.

Fuel that infectious joy with the most twirl-worthy — and arguably most underrated — track of Swift’s career, “Sweeter Than Fiction.” Swift released this shimmering tune in 2013 for the “One Chance” film soundtrack, and true to its title, it is sweet as a peach.

Honorary mention: If you prefer a tambourine to a synth, try “Lover” B-side “Paper Rings,” perhaps more suitable for kick-stepping than spinning but nonetheless another “Opalite” lookalike.

“Father Figure”

The natural choice here would be “The Man,” another song wherein Swift adopts a masculine persona to prove just what a boss she is.

But I have no more sage advice than to head to George Michael’s original “Father Figure” (1987), which recently got a streaming boost after being featured in the 2024 erotic thriller “Babygirl.” Swift used an interpolation of Michael’s song in her track of the same name — with a gleeful sign-off from the late singer’s estate.

“When we heard the track we had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists and we know George would have felt the same,” George Michael’s estate wrote Thursday on his official Instagram.

“Eldest Daughter”

It doesn’t feel entirely fair to compare these two — especially given one of them has Phoebe Bridgers and the other one has the line “I’m not a bad b—, and this isn’t savage” — but “Eldest Daughter” and “Nothing New (Taylor’s Version)” share the same grief for a younger self that a woman in her 20s knows best.

If you need a good cry, these two are here for you.

“Ruin the Friendship”

Speaking of debilitating nostalgia, this one might feel a bit out of place in this album’s universe, but it’s a heartrending gem nonetheless.

For a similar remorseful trip into the past, minus the boppy bass line, try “We Were Happy,” a vault track from “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” about young love lost.

“Actually Romantic”

While this alleged Charli XCX diss track may be more scathing than usual for Swift, the singer is no stranger to shade, as evidenced in “Reputation” B-side “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” — a perfect pairing for “Actually Romantic.”

In both songs, Swift is unapologetically petty, offering her foes a metaphorical bouquet of flowers thick with thorns.

These tracks aren’t everyone’s speed, but every misfit has its fans. And in the case of “Actually Romantic,” Nicki Minaj seems to be one of them.

“Wi$h Li$t”

Showcasing this album’s gentler side, “Wi$h Li$t,” which Swift said may be her personal favorite, is a tender tribute to her fiancé Travis Kelce, backed with ethereal synth sounds and soft vocalization from a clearly smitten showgirl.

“I just want you” is also the mission statement of “Glitch,” a short and sweet pop number from 2022’s “Midnights.” Turn this one on, and in no time you’ll find yourself swaying side to side, daydreaming about the love you never expected but can’t imagine letting go.

Honorary mention: For a more upbeat option, go for “Gorgeous,” a bubblegum–pop anthem just as swoonworthy as the aforementioned tracks.

“Wood”

This raunchy disco track had jaws dropping across the globe upon its release, and for good reason.

While not as high on shock factor, Swift’s “I Think He Knows,” a lesser-known track from “Lover,” is equally dancy and down bad. On top of that, it’s famously set at a perfect strutting pace. What more could you ask for?

“CANCELLED!”

This is the second song in Swift’s oeuvre featuring a title with an exclamation point (we’ll get to that later), and it’s not the best one.

But if you like the dark energy Swift has going on here, you can get plenty more of it in her live rock ’n’ roll version of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” which she pulled out for the 1989 World Tour and hasn’t played since.

Here’s hoping the country crossover artist has another genre hop in her.

“Honey”

True to its title, “Honey” is a welcome salve for some of this album’s more sour numbers and shares striking sonic similarities with Swift’s best song adorned with an exclamation point, “‘Slut!’”

The “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” vault track, like “Honey,” uses a name-calling motif to paint a rosy portrait of her romantic partner. Neither is lyrically complex, but if “‘Slut!’” is any indication, “Honey” is sure to wind up a true fan favorite.

“The Life of a Showgirl (feat. Sabrina Carpenter)”

Finding a song that sounds like “The Life of a Showgirl” is a tall order, if not an impossible one.

So for a theme-based pairing, try fellow album closer “Clara Bow,” which caps off the original edition of “The Tortured Poets Department” (2024) with a mournful commentary on the constant churn of young female stars.

As Swift and Carpenter say, “You don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe, and you’re never gonna wanna.”

Honorary mention: For another Swift track about the pitfalls of fame, try “The Lucky One,” off 2012’s “Red.”

On the eve of the release of her 12th album, Taylor Swift received a thank-you note from George Michael’s estate for including his work in her version of “Father Figure.”

“When we heard the track we had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists and we know George would have felt the same,” the “Freedom!” singer’s estate posted Thursday on X.

Taylor’s take on “Father Figure” incorporates an interpolation of Michael’s 1987 song from his album “Faith.”

Both songs share a common thread of telling the tale of a specific relationship. In a 1987 interview with ET, the former Wham! singer turned solo star — who died over the Christmas holiday in 2016 — vaguely discussed the meaning behind his track.

“‘Father Figure’ is just a very, without going into too much detail, it’s just a very specific experience that I wrote about a specific relationship with one person,” Michael said.

“I think there’s a definite pattern in people’s lives where they move away from their parents, then they spend time on their own and then they look for that replacement,” he added.

Similarly, the fourth song on Swift’s album “The Life of a Showgirl,” which was released on Thursday, tells the experience of a specific relationship between a mentor and his protégé.

Hmmm. Who could it be? Are the lyrics imaginative or are the details too specific to brush off as fiction? Let’s dissect.

Swift opens her track with: “When I found you, you were young, wayward, lost in the cold / Pulled up to you in the Jag’, turned your rags to gold.”

There is one person who turned her into the gold standard of pop — music executive Scott Borchetta, who signed her to his Big Machine Records label back in the day.

Swift worked with Borchetta on her first six albums until she wanted to buy her master recordings from the label, which led to the end of their partnership.

The song initially takes the perspective of the mentor who sees potential, profit and the opportunity to be a father figure for the protégé. In the tail end of the track, the point of view changes to the other side.

“You want a fight, you found it / I got the place surrounded / You’ll be sleeping with the fishes before you know you’re drowning.”

Again, the details seem too specific to write it off as pure fiction, but Swifties may have to stick to speculation unless Swift goes on the “New Heights” podcast to discuss the meaning behind her lyrics with her future husband, Travis Kelce, and soon-to-be brother-in-law, Jason Kelce.

Don’t hold your breath — there’s probably a better chance she releases a new version of “Life of a Showgirl” first.

If Kerley were to run quicker than Usain Bolt’s 100m record of 9.58 seconds, he would receive $1m (£730,000) in prize money from the Enhanced Games.

Earlier this month, Olympic swimmer Ben Proud became the first British athlete to sign up, despite World Aquatics being the first international sport federation to ban athletes, coaches and officials from its events if they have taken part in the competition.

An athlete commission from UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) described the Enhanced Games as a “reckless venture” which could “damage the integrity of world sport irrevocably.”

In January, Kerley was tasered and arrested by police following a confrontation with officers in Miami but said later in May it was down to a “misunderstanding”.

He was reported to have been arrested for allegedly punching his former girlfriend and fellow athlete Alaysha Johnson in the face.

As well as his bronze in Paris, Kerley also won 100m silver at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

He has also won world 4x100m and 4x400m gold medals, and recorded the sixth-fastest 100m time in history with 9.76 seconds.

In the beginning, it was 1981 and bassist Nikki Sixx left London, the glam metal band he’d formed in Hollywood three years earlier, to start a new project with drummer Tommy Lee. Then, they pulled in guitarist Mick Mars, who responded to the duo’s classified ad for a “loud, rude, and aggressive guitar player,” and eventually persuaded singer Vince Neil, a former classmate of Lee’s, to leave his band Rock Candy for Mötley Crüe.

From its start with 1981 debut “Too Fast for Love,” Mötley Crüe lived up to its mismatched epithet, from its diabolical breakout “Shout at the Devil” in 1983 to the late ‘80s with its most commercially successful release, “Dr. Feelgood.”

Addictions, near-death experiences, hiatuses, departures and reunions — Mötley Crüe survived them all. Each step on its musical journey is commemorated on “From the Beginning,” an album that includes the band’s first single “Live Wire” through its most recent track, “Dogs of War,” released 43 years later. The band also revived a Mötley Crüe classic with a newly recorded version of its “Theatre of Pain” ballad “Home Sweet Home,” featuring Dolly Parton, which reentered the charts in 2025 at No. 1, 40 years after the original recording’s release.

“Mötley Crüe and Dolly Parton together is the ultimate clickbait,” says Sixx, with a laugh. He previously played bass on the country legend’s 2023 “Rockstar” album. “I guess it’s part of that wow factor that has been part of the Mötley Crüe fabric for a long time.”

Proceeds from the new recording of “Home Sweet Home” benefit Covenant House, the nonprofit with which the band has partnered for nearly 20 years through its Mötley Crüe Giveback Initiative. Sixx first worked with Covenant House around the publication of his 2007 memoir, “The Heroin Diaries,” and helped develop a music program at the Hollywood center. In October 2024, the band also played a series of intimate club shows, dubbed Höllywood Takeöver, at the Troubadour, the Roxy and Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood, which helped raise $350,000 for the organization.

“These kids are everything,” says Sixx. “These kids are the future. They might end up changing the world. What if one of these kids can cure cancer and they just didn’t have a shot?”

Playing those smaller shows in 2024, which also included the Underworld in Camden, London, and the Bowery Ballroom in New York City, is the bare-bones sound, much like rehearsals, that Sixx has always loved.

“One of my favorite parts about being in a band is rehearsal,” he says. “There’s nothing like it. It’s raw, just bass, drums, guitar, and vocals off the floor. Then, you add all the bells and whistles as you go along. When we can do things like that, it just reminds me who we are.”

It’s also part of what keeps Lee excited at this stage of the band’s career, which includes its third residency in Las Vegas in 13 years, which kicked off last week and runs through Oct. 3 at the Dolby Live at Park MGM. (A portion of the ticket proceeds from the 10-show residency will benefit the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.)

“I’ve been married to Nikki and Vince for over 44 years,” says Lee. “Like with any marriage, you gotta create ways to make it exciting, to keep it fun, or else you find yourselves at the breakfast table, with your face in the paper saying ‘Pass the butter.’ So Vegas in Dolby Atmos, new music, club shows, crazy videos, Dolly — we’ve always been trying different stuff to make the audience and us go ‘Oh, f— yeah.”

For Mötley Crüe, Las Vegas has nearly become a second home since the band’s first residency at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel in 2012 and its “An Intimate Evening in Hell” a year later.

“We’ve got this great body of work that you don’t really realize until you get this far,” says Sixx. “But now, we’re in one of those interesting places where, if we don’t play the hits, we get
s—, and if we do play the hits, we get s—.”

“From the Beginning” is Mötley Crüe’s new compilation album.

(Chris Walter)

Some deeper Crüe cuts worth inclusion in the set include “Stick to Your Guns,” a non-single on “Too Fast for Love,” and a song that the Runaways’ ex-manager, producer Kim Fowley, asked a then-teenaged Sixx to write for Blondie in 1979.

“I was 17 years old, and we recorded that song, and because no record company would sign us, we started our own label and got a distribution deal,” Sixx recalls. “When we finally joint-ventured up with Elektra Records in ’82, they said we needed to take a song off since it made the vinyl sound thinner, so ‘Stick to Your Guns’ got cut, but I’ve always loved that song.”

Sixx recently revealed that Guns N’ Roses once considered covering the early Crüe track.

”Now I get people saying, ‘We want to hear, “Stick to Your Guns,” ’ “ says Sixx, laughing. “There’s like eight people that know that song. That’s a good way to shut down an arena.”

For Lee, there’s something more paternal around the band’s lengthy catalog.

“I know every artist says it, but our songs are like our kids,” he says. “And over the years, they grow up and they develop [their] own personalities and character. Some stay pretty close to home, settle down, and start their own family. Others go out on a Thursday night and come home on Sunday with no shoes and a shaved head, but we love them all the same.”

With every song, Lee says, the band members understand each other more. “We know how to push each other a little further, and hopefully get the greatest out of each other.”

While there’s always room to make new music, Sixx, who has been the band’s chief songwriter since its inception, prefers the pace of releasing singles.

“It’s just a different landscape now,” he says, “so to create one or two ideas, or co-write three is manageable, and it’s also digestible for the fans.”

So many things have changed, and he is also aware of some misconceptions about the band. “The music is Mötley Crüe — Mötley Crüe is not ‘The Dirt,’ ” says Sixx, citing the 2019 film based on the band’s 2001 tell-all memoir. “People have it confused because we were so honest and it became such a part of the fabric of us that they forget about the riff on ‘Kick Start My Heart’ and just remember the hotel that we tried to burn down in Ontario.”

Another misconception, Sixx says, is the band’s split with Mars in 2022. After issuing a statement that Mars had retired from touring due to his ongoing battle with ankylosing spondylitis, the guitarist sued Mötley Crüe in April 2023, alleging that he was forced out of the band and that his bandmates attempted to cut his 25% ownership stake. Guitarist John 5 — who has filled in on lead guitar duties since October 2022, prior to the lawsuit — continues to tour with the band.

“[Mick] came to us and said, health-wise, he couldn’t fulfill his contract, and we let him out of the deal,” recalls Sixx. “Then he sued us because he just said that he can’t tour. We were like, ‘Well, if you can’t tour, you can’t tour.’ I will probably come to that too someday.”

Although there was no final settlement in court between Mars and the band, a Los Angeles judge ruled in 2024 that the band failed to provide documents to Mars in a timely manner and was ordered to pay his legal fees, Loudwire reported. The underlying dispute regarding the band’s business and Mars’ potential ousting went into private arbitration.
The arbitration is still ongoing but in the first phase the arbitrator ruled in favor of the band and against Mars. The arbitration is still ongoing but in the first phase the arbitrator ruled in favor of the band and against Mick.

Mars’ claims around the band’s use of backing tracks were another point of contention and something Sixx has continued defending. He says the band started playing around with audio enhancements in 1985 and cites the “Girls Girls Girls” track “Wild Side” as a “perfect example” with its sequenced guitar parts. “Anything we enhance the shows with, we actually played,” he says. “If there are background vocals with my background vocals, and we have background singers to make it sound more like the record. That does not mean we’re not singing.”

Mars, who is currently working on his second solo album, was contacted by The Times but declined to comment for the story.

Sixx calls Mars’ accusations a “crazy betrayal” to his legacy and to the fans. “Saying he played in a band that didn’t play, it’s a betrayal to the band who saved his life,” adds Sixx. “People say things like, ‘Well, if you guys are really playing, then I need isolated tracks from band rehearsal.’ … It’s ludicrous.”

Another battle the band has found itself in involves Neil’s health problems and the criticism he’s faced following recent performances. Originally scheduled to perform in March and April, Mötley Crüe postponed its Las Vegas shows so the lead singer could undergo an undisclosed medical procedure. “He needed time to heal, and he’s been working really hard,” Sixx says.

“You can tell he’s working up the stamina, and a lot of people are like, ‘Oh, man, he’s not kicking ass like he used to,’ but it takes a lot of courage to have a doctor tell you you will probably never go onstage again and to fight through that. If he’s got some imperfect moments here and there. They’re getting erased as the days go with rehearsal.”

Back in Las Vegas, Lee has looked forward to connecting with fans again, even if those in their teens and 20s were turned on to the band via “The Dirt.”

“Our goal is the same for all: to give them an incredible show,” he says, “to leave it all on the stage.”

Now, more than 40 years into Mötley Crüe, it may have been a patchwork journey of emotions for Sixx, but he wouldn’t change the experience for anything.

“We believe in this band,” he says. “It’s been 44 years. We’ve been in the band longer than we weren’t in the band. We’ve seen everything — everything. I guess that’s why it was a movie.”

In November 2023, Canberra launched the 2023–2030 Cyber Security Strategy, pledging A$587 million, and six integrated “Cyber Shields” to make Australia the world’s most cyber-secure nation by 2030. Yet continuous compliance, the muscle behind that ambition, is still scarce on the ground. Meanwhile, the Australian Signals Directorate logged nearly 94,000 cyber-crime reports in 2022–23—roughly one every six minutes. Strategy is set; the reality check is already here.

Australia’s 2030 vision and six Cyber Shields

From Horizon 1 to Horizon 3 – the road map in plain English

Horizon 1 (2023–2025)

Horizon 2 (2026–2028)

Horizon 3 (2029–2030)

Gaps exposed – Essential Eight and beyond

Incident reporting and third-party risks

The pitfall of “tick-the-box” security

From annual audit to continuous assurance

Platforms offering continuous GRC automate control monitoring and evidence collection, feeding live telemetry into a dashboard that alerts you the instant a critical patch slips or a new admin account appears in production. Instead of scrambling for screenshots once a year, your controls report their health every day through emerging concepts like cyber deterrence and digital resilience, powered by live integrations from Vanta with AWS, Okta, and dozens of other systems. Evidence no longer sits in email threads; it streams straight from cloud consoles, identity providers, and endpoint agents into a unified system of record. Organizations using Vanta automate evidence collection for frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001, shortening audit prep from months to weeks. Auditors view the same live feed on demand, regulators receive fresher data, and security teams reclaim weeks once lost to manual checklists.

The change sounds subtle, yet it reshapes the workflow. Evidence no longer sits in email threads; it flows straight from cloud logs, identity stores and endpoint agents into a single system of record. One automation platform’s customer, Solidroad, used this always-on pipeline to complete ISO 27001 certification in under three months. Auditors view the same feed on demand, regulators receive fresher data and security teams reclaim weeks once lost to manual checklists.

Real-time telemetry also catches compliance drift the moment it begins. A mis-scoped IAM policy triggers an alert before it turns into a breach headline, turning assurance into a feedback loop rather than a rear-view mirror.

The benefits cascade: incident responders work from live asset inventories, risk managers track accurate scores and board decks condense weeks of spreadsheet work into a single click. In short, continuous assurance lets your security posture evolve as fast as the threat landscape, matching the tempo Canberra’s 2030 cyber vision demands.

Manual versus automated – spot the difference

Manual compliance is a marathon of screenshots, spreadsheets and pleading with busy colleagues for logs. Preparing for ISO 27001 can stretch beyond a year and swallow five-figure consultant fees; however, organisations pursuing multi-site certification have slashed audit spend by up to 40 percent using eight proven tactics. SOC 2 is even hungrier: one brokerage needed 24 months and well over six figures in staff hours and audit costs to reach Type II the old-fashioned way.

Automation reverses the burden. Evidence flows from cloud consoles and IAM stores, and control drift triggers an alert instead of a line item for next quarter. Vendor case studies claim that companies like Newfront Insurance and Abmatic AI have significantly reduced certification timelines

The numbers speak for themselves. What once consumed twelve to twenty-four months now fits inside a single quarter, or even a single sprint, when controls test themselves and auditors can review evidence in real time. Because monitoring never pauses, the certificate you earn in March still matches reality in May.

Building trust and cutting costs

Supporting Strategy goals

Next steps for organisations

Conclusion

THIS is the heartstopping moment when a child walks 100ft up along a holiday park monorail track.

The terrifying clip shows the kid strolling along the heights at Hersheypark after getting separated from his parents.

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In jaw-dropping footage, the child can be seen teetering along the edge of the rail track.

Shocker onlookers gathered around as the horrifying events unfolded.

It happened at the park in Hershey, Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Visitors frantically waved at the kid as he walked along the lofty monorail tracks.

“Go to him now!”, someone can be heard shouting as a man jumps from a roof onto the tracks.

The kid had already been reported missing by his parents at around 5pm.

He had entered a secure area for the monorail ride, Hersheypark said according to ABC 7.

The kid was reportedly at the monorail station for some 20 minutes before walking onto the track.

One of the park guests eventually got onto the tracks and rescued the child.

Park officials reunited the kid with his parents at around 5.30pm.

A statement reads: “We are grateful for the vigilance of our guests and the swift response of our team, and we remain committed to maintaining the highest levels of guest safety throughout Hersheypark.”

It comes after a tourist died at Disneyland after passing out on its Frozen ride next to his wife.

The 53-year-old man from the Philippines lost consciousness on the beloved Frozen Ever After ride at the theme park in Hong Kong on Friday.

His wife noticed that he had fallen into a coma on the ride and immediately notified staff.

First-aid responders rushed to the scene as the ride returned to its starting point and performed CPR.

The holidaymaker was taken to North Lantau Hospital but sadly was pronounced dead shortly after at 11:30am local time.

A spokesperson for Disneyland Hong Kong said: “The resort deeply regrets the passing of the guest and will do its utmost to provide necessary assistance to his family.

“The initial investigation has shown the incident is not related to ride safety.”

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Frankie Muniz — the “Malcolm in the Middle” star turned NASCAR driver — is off the racetrack, for now at least.

The actor is recovering from a broken wrist he suffered after falling from a ladder at his home, he wrote on Instagram on Thursday.

“The phrase ‘FML’ (Frankie Muniz’s Life) takes on new meaning with moments like these,” he wrote.

The accident came right before a NASCAR event at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C., over Labor Day weekend.

Muniz shared that the ladder mishap happened when he was trying to change batteries on a backyard security camera. While he joked about the situation, he said he’s heartbroken to miss the competition.

However, Muniz’s NASCAR career is far from over. He estimates he’ll be back behind the wheel within a few months.

Muniz began his professional driving career in 2006, after the end of “Malcolm in the Middle,” a move that stemmed from his lifelong admiration for the sport.

This isn’t the first time Muniz has found himself on the mend. In a previous interview, the 39-year-old told People that he’s simply “injury-prone,” and broke 38 bones between 2006 and 2017.

Muniz was involved in a crash at a 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway in Arizona. According to reports from a journalist at the track, Muniz was seen limping into an ambulance after a hard hit from behind, but escaped major injury.

Neither that nor his latest fall are as harrowing as his major crash in 2009.

During a race, the then-21-year-old’s vehicle flipped and violently crashed into a wall. He described the crash as “gnarly” and said it resulted in him breaking his back, ankle, four ribs and a hand.

“My thumb was dangling by the skin,” Muniz told People.

In comparison, his recent fall from the ladder was a bump in the road. As the actor-turned-racer recovers, he plans to come back to racing full-force — and probably follow the instructions on his ladder a little more closely.

“Note to self: heed the ladder warning that says, ‘Do not sit or stand on top step,’” Muniz wrote on social media. “In hindsight, a taller ladder would’ve been smarter. While I’m gutted to miss the races, I’m grateful it wasn’t worse.”

It’s been a big year for música Mexicana. Corridos tumbados are still dominating the global charts, with a handful of established stars leading the charge — among them Fuerza Regida, Peso Pluma, Tito Double P, Junior H and genre newcomer Netón Vega.

But amid this flurry of new releases, you might have missed an album or two worthy of recognition. Here are five música Mexicana records you should check out.

Chino Pacas, “Cristian”

Chino Pacas has staked his claim to the spotlight following the release of his sophomore album, “Cristian,” which came out earlier this month. At just 18 years old, he’s amassed over 17 million monthly Spotify listeners, largely due to his uniquely gritty vocals that pair well with the genre’s thunderous instrumentation.

Now with “Cristian,” Chino Pacas looks to stand out among other corridos tumbados stars by exploring a range of sounds, including traditional banda rhythms in “No Es Un Juego” (ft. Banda Otro Pedo) and the hip hop-infused “GTO” (ft. Santa Fe Klan). (The latter’s music video is filmed in some iconic Boyle Heights locations, including Mexican deli Los Cinco Puntos and El Mercado’s Virgin Mary shrine.) Pacas also picks up the pace with his rendition of Tropicalísimo Apache’s 1993 song “Ojitos Mentirosos,” a song currently trending on TikTok; Pacas’ version has risen considerably on Mexico’s Top 50 chart on Spotify.

Armenta, “Portate Bien”

After producing some of Fuerza Regida’s most iconic hits, Armenta seized the opportunity to release his own debut album, “Portate Bien,” in early August. At its core, the project captures the depths of love and heartache across 15 melancholic tracks, carried by the Mexican singer’s crisp and bold vocals.

Sonically, the LP is a blend of corridos tumbados with the occasional touch of reggaeton and harmonious pop, which shines brightest in tracks like “Ansiedad” and “AbrilSinTi” (ft. Alex Garcia). The crooner also plays with traditional bolero rhythms for his last track “Bolerito” (ft. Manuel Medrano). Already a growing hit for the singer-songwriter is the love-struck ballad “Pensando y Pensando,” which deals with ruminating thoughts of love and loss.

Kane Rodriguez, “La Batuta”

Like many before him in the genre, newcomer Kane Rodriguez first debuted his signature raspy vocals on TikTok, where he would upload acoustic covers of popular corridos. Now the Houston native is using the same platform to promote “La Batuta,” his first album of all-original songs, which was released in April.

In a genre obsessed with flashy gimmicks, Rodriguez sticks to the traditional corrido sound across 13 tracks, setting himself apart from the crowd with his raw vocals and prickly guitar style. Like most of his contemporaries, the 22-year-old explores themes of illicit activity, touting a risqué lifestyle in popular numbers like “La Batuta” and “Morro Mañoso.” In the fierce standout track “Se Volvieron Locos,” he lambastes haters for not believing in him.

Clave Especial, “Mija No Te Asustes”

Clave Especial released their highly-anticipated debut studio album, “Mija No Te Asustes,” this past February — and the 16 hard-hitting tracks were well worth the wait. Since forming in 2021, the trio has transformed their tempered banda sound into a more boisterous affair, likely drawing inspiration from other acts on their label, Street Mob Records, led by Fuerza Regida frontman, Jesús Ortiz Paz. The LP remained on the Billboard 200 chart for 11 weeks, peaking at No. 91.

Clave Especial and Fuerza Regida join forces in their brassy mobster-core singles “Como Capo” and “No Pasa Nada.” The possessive love song “Tu Tu Tu,” which features vocalist Edgardo Nuñez, reached the top of the Regional Mexican Airplay chart just this week — marking a first for the band from Salinas, Calif. Clave Especial is set to kick off their first U.S. headlining tour this fall.

Chuy Montana, “No Fue Suerte”

In 2024, the rising corridos bélicos singer Chuy Montana was murdered in Tijuana after singing songs that authorities said “displeased his aggressor.” It’s a tragic fate that has met other legendary Mexican singers, including the narcocorrido trailblazer Chalino Sanchez in 1992. In June, Street Mob Records released Montana’s posthumous debut album, “No Fue Suerte,” after finishing his songs in close collaboration with his family.

Using his rugged vocal delivery, Montana peppers his lyrics with amusing vulgarities. His most popular song, “Qué Bendición,” tells tales of his trials and tribulations, and his mother’s blessing that follows him wherever he goes — although some songs sound haunting now, in light of Montana’s passing. Among those songs is the accordion-riddled track “Perdón Mamá” featuring Juanpa Salazar, in which Montana foreshadows his tragic death and delivers a heartbreaking, preemptive apology to his grieving mother.

NEW YORK — When the court lights flicker on at the U.S. Open, tennis stars shine under illumination designed to cut light pollution.

The wedge-shaped lamps around the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows direct light onto the players without spewing it into the surrounding skies.

The stadium complex is the only professional sports venue certified by a group that’s trying to preserve the night sky around the world. Across North America and Canada, schools and local parks have also swapped out their lights on baseball fields, running tracks and other recreation grounds to preserve their view of the stars and protect local wildlife.

Night lights can disrupt bird migration and confuse nocturnal critters like frogs and fireflies. Lights on sports fields are especially bright and cool, and often cast their glare into neighborhoods.

In renovations over the last decade, the U.S. Tennis Assn. swapped metal halide bulbs for shielded LED lights. The complex’s 17 tournament courts — including Arthur Ashe Stadium — and five practice courts were approved as dark sky-friendly last year.

USTA officials wanted the best lighting possible on their courts, which also happened to be friendly to dark skies. Their lighting company suggested striking a balance that would satisfy crowds and TV crews while cutting down spillover into the surrounding environment.

“This is an international event that has an impact on the community,” said the USTA’s managing director of capital projects and engineering, Chuck Jettmar. “Let’s minimize that and make sure that everybody’s happy with it.”

Designing lights for dark skies

U.S. Open qualifying matches last week were punctuated by players grunting, crickets chirping and audiences cheering. Rows of lights stood like sentries above, adorned with flat visors that guided the glow onto the action.

The lights at Flushing Meadows glow at a quarter of their brightness when the courts are rented for play during the year. They’re approved by DarkSky International, a nonprofit that gives similar designations to cities and national parks. The group widened its focus to include sports arenas in recent years and has certified more than 30 venues since 2019 — including high school football fields and youth soccer fields.

“We live in a world where we need to engage with one another in the nighttime environment, and that’s OK,” said DarkSky spokesperson Drew Reagan. “That’s a beautiful thing and there’s a way to do that responsibly.”

The organization typically approves proposals at sports fields before any light fixtures are installed or replaced. Once construction is complete, a representative measures the glow and glare against a set of guidelines that benefit the night.

Renovating a field with dark skies in mind can cost about 5% to 10% more than traditional sports lighting, according to James Brigagliano, who runs DarkSky’s outdoor sports lighting program. Venues may require a few extra fixtures since the light shining from them is more targeted.

Most arenas make the change during scheduled maintenance and renovation, working with sports lighting company Musco. The company lights more than 3,000 venues a year, including college football stadiums, tennis courts and rail yards.

At Superstition Shadows Park in Apache Junction, Ariz., kids play T-ball and baseball in the evenings, when the darkness offers a brief respite from the summer heat. The city’s parks and recreation department replaced its already-aging lights with shielded, dark sky-friendly fixtures last year with federal and local government funding.

People venture to Apache Junction partly because “they can get out of the city and still see stars,” said the city’s parks and recreation director, Liz Langenbach. The city is at the edge of the Phoenix metro area, bordered by rolling mountains and sweeping deserts.

“The choices we make on lighting, I think, affect all of that,” Langenbach said.

At Université Sainte-Anne in Canada, students run on a new track and soccer field outfitted with lights that DarkSky approved last year. Researchers at the university study native, nocturnal animals like the northern saw-whet owl.

The lights are “good for everyone,” said university spokesperson Rachelle LeBlanc. “For tourism, for our students, for our neighbors, for the animals that we share our campus with.”

How to cut light pollution

Night lights harm the surrounding environment no matter how shielded they are. DarkSky-approved fields still allow a small fraction of their light to be pointed up because it’s necessary to keep track of flying balls.

“You can have the absolute best, most carefully designed stadium lighting in the world, and you’re still creating light pollution,” said Travis Longcore, an urban light pollution expert at UCLA.

The U.S. Open courts are side-by-side with bright lights from Manhattan and Queens — so they can only darken a slice of the sky. But DarkSky says every light fixture makes a difference, and one professional arena can influence others.

“I’m not saying we as humans have to turn all the lights off,” said Longcore. “I think you have to make improvements from where you are.”

Ramakrishnan writes for the Associated Press. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

With the power units being made simpler next year, will they generate more noise than presently (I accept they will never sound like they did up until 2013)? I consider it an embarrassment for the sport that the F3 cars (and Porsche Cup cars) that also race on the F1 weekends are louder than the main event – Raffi

The impression might be that the new engines being introduced next year should be louder because they will no longer have an MGU-H – the device that recovers energy from the turbo.

But I am told that while they might be a little louder than currently, they won’t be that different, because they still have turbos, which is the overriding impact on the sound.

As you may have read, there is a push from governing body the FIA at the moment to return F1 to older-style naturally aspirated engines, and that’s partly because of the noise.

Initially, this seems to have come from a whim of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, with influence from Bernie Ecclestone and Christian Horner, rather than a reasoned opinion based on thorough research of the desires of the audience.

However, it does chime with concerns that exist about how F1 will look next year because of the energy-recovery demands of the new engines, which have close to 50% of their total power output coming from the electrical part of the engine.

From what I’m told about fan surveys done by F1, there is no widespread agreement on whether louder engines would be a positive.

Some – like Raffi – obviously think they would be.

But the F1 fanbase has changed a lot in recent years, and inside the sport there is concern that newer members of the audience – more women and children now come to races, for example – would not welcome engines that made so much noise as to be virtually deafening, that made ear defenders an absolute necessity, that stopped people having a comfortable conversation when the race was on, etc. Likewise the guests in the corporate boxes.

Equally, city races such as Miami and Las Vegas would be threatened if the cars suddenly became much noisier than was promised to residents when discussions about the races took place.

It would highly likely revive the complaints that used to take place in Melbourne about this, too.

The world has moved on in many different ways since the first decade of this century, and it’s far from clear that effectively turning the clock back 20 or 30 years would be a good idea, even if it was with the addition of a token hybrid element to the engines and sustainable fuel.

Talks are ongoing on the future direction of engines from 2030 or so onwards, but they are a long way from reaching a conclusion.

There is a sense that V8s might return – many manufacturers in F1 still make V8s for road cars. But most say a hybrid element is non-negotiable, and some – such as Audi – are currently insisting on a turbo, too. A conclusion is a long way away.

Long before Zack Fox was making scene-stealing appearances in “Abbott Elementary,” releasing music and amassing millions of views on his sweat-inducing DJ sets, he was best known for his Twitter jokes.

Fox, a graphic artist and emcee for Atlanta-based indie label Awful Records at the time, was posting absurdly funny tweets under the alias “Bootymath,” raking in tens of thousands of followers. His undeniable social media presence and comedic chops are what ultimately brought him to Los Angeles in 2017 when filmmaker, artist and producer Flying Lotus tapped him to co-write and star in his body-horror comedy “Kuso.”

“Then I just got stuck and then I got married,” says Fox, who tied the knot with Mayumi “Kat” Fox, a DJ and entrepreneur who launched the popular Mayumi Market AAPI marketplace. Thankfully, he’s enjoying living in L.A., which he says has a similar Southern hospitality charm as his Atlanta hometown.

Fox’s latest adventure? Starring in writer-director Alex Russell’s “Lurker,” a gripping psychological thriller that explores the insidious parasocial bond between a rising pop star and a seemingly meek retail employee, which is out in theaters Friday.

He’s also gearing up to unleash his “creative sandbox concept” called UWAY, which is hosting its first rave in collaboration with the L.A.-based record label and jazz community Minaret on Sept. 6 in New York.

Fox takes us along for his highly caffeinated Sunday in L.A., which involves losing track of time at a Yemeni cafe, taking his dogs Kiwi and Pepper for a walk at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area and having dinner at a plant-based Thai spot with all of his friends.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

10 a.m.: Doomscroll on TikTok
I’ll be generous to myself and say I might get up at 10 a.m. Even if I say I’m going to get up at 9 a.m., you know I’m going to do the TikTok ingestion at the top of the day so let’s pad it with 30 to 60 minutes of just doomscroll.

10:30 a.m.: A calisthenics workout at home
We have a third room in the crib where we keep workout equipment, so I’ve become a calisthenics freak. I never was like that before, but something about having it in the house makes me want to do that more. So I’m really getting into pull-ups and dips. I’m getting kind of scary good at the dips, and if you’re a fan of me you know Shemar Moore is my muse, so I’m trying to do whatever I can in life to look like that. So Sunday, it’s my free day, I’m going to get in there [and] get that work in.

11:30 a.m.: Have a guilty, delicious breakfast
Usually by that time, Kat is already up and she’s Filipino, so she’s going to start making food that you are existentially required to eat or the relationship is gonna turn bad. All I know is I just have to eat it whether I’m hungry or not, so I guess we’ll call that a guilt-trip breakfast [laughs]. A guilty breakfast that has a 100% hit rate of being delicious. That’s the cool trade off. One time she made this savory waffle with rice, eggs, green onions and other stuff. She put the sweet and savory ingredients and eggs in the waffle maker. It honestly sounds super illegal, like a way that you summon a troll or something.

12 p.m.: Walk Kiwi and Pepper
We’d probably take our dogs around the neighborhood. We like to give Kiwi and Pepper their red carpet at least twice a day. We have a very social dog network out here.

2 p.m.: Lose track of time at Jalsah
After that, I’m probably doing the thing where I pretend like I don’t have a caffeine addiction, but really, really want to go to a cafe and have multiple caffeinated beverages. I have been going to this Yemeni cafe downtown called Jalsah. Usually I’m going down there because I have a couple other caffeine crackheads in my social group and we go there. I love it because it feels like a little slice of Yemen like there’s Yemeni jazz and they have the right smells going on, the right vibe [and] the right people. You know you go to a bar and order a pitcher of beer that you’re just going to have the whole day? You can get this sort of pitcher of hot coffee for the table and pour it for yourself. It’s got cardamom and the coffee has like stone fruit notes and it’s sweet. I didn’t realize that Yemenis make coffee the way that Black moms make coffee where it’s strong but very sweet. Caffeine has a time dilation on it so it could be hours that I’m in there or 30 minutes. Who knows?

4 p.m.: Get fresh at Nepenthes
Because I’m downtown and if I’m with friends, then we might have to go get fresh. We might have to take it on down to Nepenthes and get a really expensive pair of socks that we’re gonna lose immediately. Maybe a pair of shorts or something that looks exactly like the other clothes that I already have.

5 p.m.: Take the dogs on another walk
Now that I have the bag of clothes, we gotta take that back home. We’re going to have to think about where we’re going to [take] these dogs again because they are the star of the show. In this family, Kat is the lead singer, Kiwi is on the keyboard, Pepper is the drummer and I’m way off to the side playing bass. Usually, if it’s a regular day, I would say Kenneth Hahn park would be the spot. Or we’d go to Huntington garden. It’s a ways out because once you’re there, you’re like, “Why am I not doing this every single day?”

7 p.m.: Plant–based dinner with the homies
We love going to this spot called Salaya in Thai Town. It is plant-based Thai food. Most of it is on par with what you’re going to get at a typical non-vegan Thai spot. A lot of it is actually beating the Thai spots that I love because I’m plant-based when I’m with Kat, but when I’m out in the world, I just eat whatever. I’ll eat a bald eagle if you fry it right [laughs].

9 p.m.: Go to the movies
After that, we’d probably go see a movie at Alamo Drafthouse or New Beverly [Cinema]. During Black History Month, the New Beverly did a double feature of “CB4” and “Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood.” We had that b— crackin’. I brought everybody I know.

11 p.m.: Work on music
At this point, I’ll probably wrap up the day by working on music with friends. Maybe we’ll go to Pirate Studios or we’ll go to a friend’s home studio and make music. Honestly, I think making beats is a good way to wrap up the day. It’s very low pressure and I think it’s good to work out the brain muscles a little bit before bed.

1 a.m.: More caffeine to power through the night
If we start making beats late, sometimes I like to hit a late-night cafe if things get too social. Sometimes we’ll hit M3 or About Time in Koreatown. At About Time, we’ll sit out back by the fire.

8 a.m.: A caffeinated, low BPM rave
Drinking coffee that late ruins my week [laughs]. Everything’s messed up now. I’m missing calls. I’m missing the email. I’m panicking at the meeting Monday. I’m walking in looking like Nicolas Cage in “Leaving Las Vegas.” On this caffeine Sunday, I’m going to sleep Monday. I’m a raver and I think a group of three or more Black people talking with a substance involved does qualify as a rave. It’s a low BPM rave. It’s about 40 BPM and there’s no CDJs involved, but it is a rave.

With the high school sports season resuming, it can’t be stressed enough about the importance of schools having athletic trainers to help keep athletes safe when emergencies happen.

That was never more evident than last spring during a track and field meet at Culver City High.

At the end of a 400-meters freshman race, a runner dropped to the ground on his chest near the finish line. The initial impression by most observers was just another exhausted athlete from a grueling race.

Culver City first-year athletic trainer Jonathan Rivas, fresh out of graduating from Cal State Northridge, was immediately on the scene to evaluate. That’s when things got serious.

“He didn’t have a pulse,” Rivas said.

He determined the athlete from Inglewood High was in full cardiac arrest.

He instructed one of his assistants to call 911 and the other to retrieve the AED defibrillator. He started compressions. He hooked up the unresponsive athlete to the automatic defibrillator. It advised one shock. Rivas pushed the button. It worked. The shock brought the athlete back.

Paramedics arrived within five minutes to take over and transport him to the hospital. The athlete would learn he needed a pacemaker. The quick action by the athletic trainer helped save him.

Athletic trainer Jonathan Rivas of Culver City.

(George Laase)

“This was my first cardiac arrest,” the 28-year-old Rivas said. “I was super stressful. Honestly, I went on auto pilot. My main goal was to get this kid help as fast as possible.”

The majority of high schools don’t have athletic trainers. In the City Section, there’s only 12 out of 71 that have 11-man football teams.

Adam Cady, an athletic trainer for Kaiser Permanente, has started a nonprofit trying to help athletes gain access to trainers.

“It’s super important,” Rivas said of schools having an athletic trainer.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].

The addition of girls flag football is helping fuel rising participation in high school sports nationally, with a record 8,260,891 boys and girls having participated in the last school year, according to the annual survey from the National Federation of State High School Assns. released on Monday.

There were 68,847 girls playing flag football, a 60% increase from the previous year.

Girls sports led the increases, including wrestling rising 15%.

Football remains the most popular boys sports at 1,001,039. Track and field tops girls sports at 513,808.

Girls flag football has been rising in popularity in Southern California. In the Los Angeles City Section, there are now more flag football teams (91) than 11-man football teams (71).

Dan Ziskie, the veteran TV actor best known for his work on the Netflix political drama series “House of Cards” and HBO’s “Treme,” has died. He was 80.

Ziskie died July 21 in New York, his family announced in an obituary for the actor published on Legacy.com. Though his life “was cut short by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease,” Ziskie’s family said in the obituary, his legacy will live on.

“His was a life lived with passion, a life that exemplified the beauty of pursuing one’s dreams and the importance of cherishing every moment,” the family said. “Dan will be profoundly missed, yet he will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew him, like a cherished character in the timeless narrative of their lives.”

“House of Cards,” which premiered on Netflix in 2013 as the first scripted drama produced for the streaming giant, starred Ziskie as Vice President Jim Matthews. He appeared in six episodes from 2013 to 2017, acting alongside stars including Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. “House of Cards” won several Primetime Emmys and secured dozens of nominations.

Ziskie also notably appeared in HBO’s drama “Treme,” as New Orleans banker and reconstruction financier C.J. Liguori. The series aired from 2010 to 2013 and featured an ensemble cast of Khandi Alexander, Rob Brown, Kim Dickens, Melissa Leo, Lucia Micarelli, Clarke Peters, Wendell Pierce, Jon Seda and Steve Zahn.

Ziskie also had minor roles in “The Equalizer,” “Newhart,” “L.A. Law,” “Quantum Leap,” “ER” and “Law & Order: SVU,” among other series. His final credit was a role in the miniseries “The Bite” in 2021 and he was set to appear in the film “Very Close Quarters,” according to IMDb.

Daniel A. Ziskie was born Aug. 13, 1944, in Detroit and had a knack for athletics, pursuing track and football in his high school days. Ziskie studied at the University of Michigan, where he excelled in track and field and struck up an interest in performing arts. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English, he took on a variety of jobs including as a crewman on a Great Lakes freighter before finding an outlet for his talents at improv hub Second City in Chicago. He began his screen career in the 1980s, landing a steady stream of acting jobs until the 2020s.

Beyond television, Ziskie also appeared in stage productions including “After the Fall” and “I’m Not Rappaport,” and the films “Adventures in Babysitting,” “Eight Below” and “War of the Worlds,” among others.

Ziskie’s family remembered him as a “gifted” photographer who shared his work in the photo book “Cloud Chamber.” He was also a travel enthusiast and took an interest in “complex” topics including the cosmos and quantum physics.

“Dan’s legacy extends beyond his family, as his colleagues and friends will remember him as a creative, thoughtful, and interesting man whose presence enriched their lives,” the family said.

Ziskie is survived by his brother David, wife Cynthia, nephews Jesse, Brett and Austin and their six children, the obituary said.