watch

The Rams currently hold the top seed for the NFC playoffs. Now their greatest challenge might be shutting out the distraction of being deemed a favorite to win the Super Bowl.

“Humility is only a day away,” coach Sean McVay said. “Our guys understand that.”

On Sunday the Rams will play a potential trap game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers are 6-6 and coming off a 20-9 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

The Panthers are the Rams’ third NFC South opponent. The Rams already dispatched the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They play the struggling Falcons on Dec. 29 in Atlanta.

The Rams are 10-point favorites over the Panthers — and with good reason.

They have won six games in a row and scored at least 34 points in four of their last five games, including their 34-7 victory over the Buccaneers last Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

The Panthers feature quarterback Bryce Young, the top pick in the 2023 draft. Young has passed for 15 touchdowns with nine interceptions for a team that counts victories over the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys among its wins.

Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and outside linebackers coach AC Carter are former Rams assistants. The roster includes seven former Rams: defensive linemen Bobby Brown III and A’Shawn Robinson, offensive lineman Austin Corbett, cornerbacks Robert Rochell and David Long, linebacker Christian Rozeboom and safety Nick Scott.

It’s Raiders week.

Resist the urge to yawn.

What used to be an intense AFC West rivalry is now a bit muted with the Chargers limping into the fourth quarter of the season and the Raiders fumbling around in the dark, having lost nine of their last 10 games.

The Chargers, who began the season with three consecutive divisional victories, have a chance to pull off their first sweep of the season. The Raiders are looking to bounce back from a humiliating loss at home by two touchdowns to Cleveland.

Meanwhile, the Chargers are coming off their worst loss of the season — by 29 points to Jacksonville on the road.

Despite the Raiders’ record, the home team can’t get too comfortable.

“Raiders, it’s a rivalry,” Coach Jim Harbaugh said. “And we know they’re going to bring it.”

How the Raiders can win: Get in an offensive rhythm with interim play-caller Greg Olson, cleaning up the communication issues that were a problem in Chip Kelly’s system. Establish a ground game with Ashton Jeanty and mix in more Brock Bowers at tight end. Protect Geno Smith, who has been sacked 18 times in the past three games, including 10 times by Cleveland last week. Get after Justin Herbert, especially off the edges with Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce and Tyree Wilson.

How the Chargers can win: As usual, protect Herbert behind a cobbled-together and constantly-changing offensive line and get some traction with the ground game. The Raiders can bring pressure off the edge, but their linebackers struggle in coverage and they are vulnerable at corner opposite Eric Stokes. The Chargers have the receivers to get open, particularly Ladd McConkey and Oronde Gadsden II. The Raiders have some of the same offensive line problems as the Chargers. Smith could be in trouble.

Authorities also designate Anti-Corruption Foundation as ‘terrorist’ group and consider total ban on WhatsApp.

Russian authorities have outlawed Human Rights Watch as an “undesirable organisation”, a label that, under a 2015 law, makes involvement with it a criminal offence.

Friday’s designation means the international human rights group must stop all work in Russia, and opens those who cooperate with or support the organisation to prosecution.

HRW has repeatedly accused Russia of suppressing dissenters and committing war crimes during its ongoing war against Ukraine.

“For over three decades, Human Rights Watch’s work on post-Soviet Russia has pressed the government to uphold human rights and freedoms,” the executive director at Human Rights Watch, Philippe Bolopion, said in a statement.

“Our work hasn’t changed, but what’s changed, dramatically, is the government’s full-throttled embrace of dictatorial policies, its staggering rise in repression, and the scope of the war crimes its forces are committing in Ukraine.”

The decision by the Russian prosecutor general’s office is the latest move in a crackdown on Kremlin critics, journalists and activists, which has intensified since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In a separate statement on Friday, the office said it was opening a case against Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot that would designate the group as an “extremist” organisation.

Separately, Russia’s Supreme Court designated on Thursday the Anti-Corruption Foundation set up by the late opposition activist Alexey Navalny as a “terrorist” group.

The ruling targeted the foundation’s United States-registered entity, which became the focal point for the group when the original Anti-Corruption Foundation was designated an “undesirable organisation” by the Russian government in 2021.

Russia’s list of “undesirable organisations” currently covers more than 275 entities, including prominent independent news outlets and rights groups.

Among those are prominent news organisations like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, think tanks like Chatham House, anticorruption group Transparency International, and environmental advocacy organisation World Wildlife Fund.

Founded in 1978, Human Rights Watch monitors human rights violations in various countries across the world.

WhatsApp might be ‘completely blocked’

Meanwhile, Russia’s state communications watchdog threatened on Friday to block WhatsApp entirely if it fails to comply with Russian law.

In August, Russia began limiting some calls on WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms, and on Telegram, accusing the foreign-owned platforms of refusing to share information with law enforcement in fraud and “terrorism” cases.

On Friday, the Roskomnadzor watchdog again accused WhatsApp of failing to comply with Russian requirements designed to prevent and combat crime.

“If the messaging service continues to fail to meet the demands of Russian legislation, it will be completely blocked,” Interfax news agency quoted it as saying.

WhatsApp has accused Moscow of trying to block millions of Russians from accessing secure communication.

Russian authorities are pushing a state-backed rival app called MAX, which critics claim could be used to track users. State media have dismissed those accusations as false.

Nov. 28 (UPI) — Russia has designated Human Rights Watch as an “undesirable foreign organization,” the nation’s Ministry of Justice announced Friday.

This decision means the organization, which was founded in 1978, is banned from operating in Russia. HRW is in 78 nations.

“Designating rights groups undesirable is brazen and cynical,” Philippe Bolopion, executive director at Human Rights Watch, said in a news release. “It only redoubles our determination to document the Russian authorities’ human rights violations and war crimes, and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”

HRW has documented human rights violations in Russia and the military committing war crimes in Ukraine.

“For over three decades, Human Rights Watch’s work on post-Soviet Russia has pressed the government to uphold human rights and freedoms,” Bolopion said. “Our work hasn’t changed, but what’s changed, dramatically, is the government’s full-throttled embrace of dictatorial policies, its staggering rise in repression, and the scope of the war crimes its forces are committing in Ukraine.”

In 2015, Russia introduced the “undesirable” law to silence independent media, opposition groups and foreign organizations.

Russian authorities have designated at least 280 organizations as “undesirable,” including the Moscow Times. Courts have issued administrative and criminal sentences, including in their absence, against several hundred people, HRW said.

“Undesirable” organizations, as determined by the Prosecutor’s Office, undermine Russia’s security, defense or constitutional order.

The Prosecutor General’s Office banned HRW on Nov. 10.

Those who continue to engage with these organizations, in Russia or abroad, may face administrative and criminal penalties, including a maximum six-year prison sentence. The authorities interpret “engagement” widely and arbitrarily, HRW said.

The organization leaders risk up to six years, according to Russian law.

In 2021, Andrei Pivovarov, a political activist, was sentenced to four years in prison for social media posts, which the authorities said promoted Open Russia, a political opposition movement designated “undesirable.” Russian authorities released and expelled him from the country in 2024 as part of a prisoner exchange with Western nations.

In May 2025, a Moscow court sentenced Grigory Melkonyants, a prominent Russian rights defender and election monitor, to five years in prison after authorities wrongly equated the Russian election monitoring group Golos with the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, which were designated “undesirable” in 2021.

After the initial full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, HRW was among several international organizations and non-government organizations with offices shut down in Moscow.

HRW had operated in Russia since 1992 with the breakup of the Soviet Union. During the Soviet era, HRW began working there in 1978.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, a rapporteur for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Venice Commission, an advisory body to the Council of Europe, have criticized the legislation.

The first Democratic primary debate was surprisingly entertaining.

In between Lincoln Chafee leading with a boast about his lack of scandals and Jim Webb cheerfully referencing the time he killed a man, there were lots of good moments. But the highlight was definitely when Bernie Sanders weighed in on Hillary Rodham Clinton’s ongoing email saga.

After responding to a question from moderator Anderson Cooper about the email scandal, Clinton finished by saying, “Tonight, I want to talk, not about my emails, but about what the American people want from the next president of the United States!”

Sanders decided to jump in.

“Let me say this. Let me say something that may not be great politics,” he said. “But I think the secretary is right. And that is that the American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails!”

“Thank you,” she responded. “Me too. Me too.”

Sanders briefly pontificated on his campaign talking points before ending with “Enough of the emails” and reaching out to shake hands with his top opponent.

The crowd went wild. So did the Internet.

Our watch party at the Regent Theater also liked it:

Sanders’ campaign — which sent several fundraising emails throughout the night — wasted no time making the most of the positive response.

Will “enough about your damn emails” become a meme as enduring as Romney’s “binders full of women”? Perhaps.

And finally, a sentiment we can all agree with.

For more social media news, follow Jessica Roy on Twitter@jessica_roy

Nov. 23 (UPI) — A gold pocket watch owned by Isidor Straus, a first-class passenger who died with his wife when the famed ship sank, has sold for $2.3 million at auction.

Straus, a German-born American businessman and politician who co-owned the department store Macy’s, had been offered a seat on a lifeboat because of his age but chose to let others go first as his wife, Ida, stayed arm-in-arm by his side.

The Strauses were depicted in James Cameron‘s fictional retelling of the shipwreck, played by Lew Palter and Elsa Raven.

The 18-carat Jules Jurgensen watch was purchased in 1888 to mark Straus’ 48th birthday, the same year he and his brother became co-owners of Macy’s.

“The watch quite simply represents one of the finest and rarest objects from the Titanic story in existence, a piece which was a treasured personal possession from one of the most respected and high-profile men from the Titanic story,” the Henry Aldridge and Son auction house said in a statement.

“At the turn of the 20th century, a pocket watch was one of the closest things to the heart of a gentleman of the era, and this watch embodies this as a gift from one half of the most famous couple on the Titanic to the other.”

The watch was recovered from Straus’ body after the ship sank and remained in the family for more than a century before its sale Saturday at the auction house, which is located in the British town of Devizes. Ida’s body was never recovered.

The lot had been listed with a high estimate of more than $1.3 million but ultimately sold for nearly double that, becoming the highest price ever paid for Titanic memorabilia, according to the auction house.

While the watch sold at auction, it is currently being exhibited at The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Other items auctioned Saturday include a letter written by Ida aboard the Titanic, as well as a passenger list and other memorabilia.

The first time quarterback Baker Mayfield played at SoFi Stadium, he started for the Rams with only two days of practice.

On Dec. 6, 2022, the Rams claimed Mayfield off waivers from the Carolina Panthers to replace injured Matthew Stafford. A few days later, he led the Rams to victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on “Thursday Night Football.”

That performance, one of five games Mayfield started to finish that historic Super Bowl-hangover season for the Rams, jump-started Mayfield’s then-stalled career.

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Gary Klein previews Sunday’s game between the Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium.

In 2023, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him to a one-year contract, and he led them to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. In 2024, he signed a three-year contract that includes $55 million in guarantees and could be worth as much as $100 million, according to Overthecap.com.

And on Sunday, he returns to SoFi Stadium to face a Rams team that is 8-2 and looks very much like a Super Bowl contender.

“There is no way for me to sugarcoat it. … It was pivotal in my career and in my journey,” Mayfield, speaking about his time with the Rams, told Tampa Bay reporters this week, adding, “It helped me find the fun in football again. … It was instrumental in my career, something I am forever grateful for, and it will be fun to go back and see some familiar faces.”

During his short stint with the Rams, Mayfield brought “a spark” and displayed “pretty impressive mental stamina” to process and put into action so much information, Rams coach Sean McVay said.

“It’s one thing to absorb it, it’s a totally different thing to be able to bring it to life when the enemy has a say,” McVay said. “It was impressive. I think when you watch what he’s done and who he is, I think it’s probably more on par for what we expect of Baker than the outlier when you look at the totality of everything he’s done.”

Mayfield, 30, has passed for 17 touchdowns, with three interceptions this season for the Buccaneers (6-4), who lead the NFC South.

The game matches Mayfield, the top pick in the 2018 draft, against Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, the top pick in 2009.

“His ability to come in and play pretty darn well on a shortened timeline was really awesome,” Stafford said, adding, “He’s been through a lot and came out on the other side playing about as good as ball as anybody.”

The Rams are coming off a 21-19 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, a victory that extended their winning streak to five games and gave them sole possession of first place in the NFC West.

Stafford has passed for a league-leading 27 touchdowns, with only two interceptions. Davante Adams has a league-best 10 touchdown catches.

The Rams will be without three veteran starters — tight end Tyler Higbee, right tackle Rob Havenstein and safety Quentin Lake — who were placed on injured reserve this week.

Different team. Different time. But it’s back to the scene of the crime for the Chargers, who three years ago succumbed to a 27-point comeback in a playoff loss at Jacksonville.

This season’s Jaguars got off to a 4-1 start but have lost three of their last four to slip back into the pack. They don’t have star rookie Travis Hunter, who underwent surgery this week and will miss the remainder of the season.

The team plays hard for first-year coach Liam Coen, who said he wants quarterback Trevor Lawrence to “cut it loose and let it rip” when he sees opportunities down the field.

After opening the season 3-0, the Chargers lost three of four, but are now riding another three-game winning streak. Justin Herbert has been outstanding at times, despite being the most-hit quarterback in the NFL.

The Chargers defense is coming off a gem of a performance in a win over Pittsburgh. Aaron Rodgers looked every bit of 41 years old, and at one point the Steelers were 0 for 9 on third down.

How the Chargers can win: As usual, protect Herbert behind a patchwork offensive line. Jacksonville has struggled to pressure quarterbacks, especially with Travon Walker at less than full strength and a beat-up secondary. Get the ball to Ladd McConkey and Oronde Gadsden II, with some Keenan Allen mixed in. Don’t allow the Jaguars to control the game with the run.

How the Jaguars can win: Jacksonville can look like a playoff team when it wins at the line of scrimmage but tends to collapse when it gets pushed around. The Jaguars need to establish the run early and grind out some long drives because they do not get a lot of explosive plays. Get to Herbert quickly before he has a chance to attack that weakened secondary. Contain Herbert, too, because he can burn you with his feet.

Nov. 14 (UPI) — Rainstorms that are forecast to bring up to 8 inches of rain to Southern California through Saturday have triggered flood watches in fire-ravaged locales in Los Angeles, San Diego and nearby areas.

Two bouts of rainstorms are predicted to bring between 1 inch and 3 inches of rain on Friday to areas that are still affected by wildfires in January, NBC News reported.

More than 23 million people live in the risk zones as rain began falling on Friday afternoon and already created muddy conditions in areas due to the lack of ground cover because of the January wildfires that decimated many areas in and around Los Angeles and San Diego County.

Officials at Los Angeles International Airport reported about an inch of rainfall in an hour on Friday, and Highway 101 had up to 6 inches of mud accumulation that caused at least one vehicle to get stuck.

A second storm system that includes high winds and between 2 inches and 8 inches of rainfall is expected to impact the area through Saturday as the storms intensify.

Ventura County officials issued an evacuation warning for Thursday to Sunday in the area affected by the Mountain Fire in January.

Also under evacuation warnings are those in Camino Cielo, Matilija Canyon and North Fork.

The heaviest rainfall is expected late Friday night and into Saturday, which has triggered a flood watch from 4 a.m. PST to 10 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Mud flows and debris fields could impact burn areas from January’s wildfires in and near Eaton, Hurst, Kenneth, Palisades and Sunset.

The rainfall could cause extensive damage and possibly become life-threatening, but it also is expected to end Southern California’s annual fire season.

Nov. 12 (UPI) — Dozens of Venezuelans incarcerated in El Salvador’s notorious CECOT — terrorism confinement mega prison — after being deported from the United States were tortured and subjected to other serious human rights abuses, according to a report out Wednesday.

Titled “You Have Arrived in Hell,” the 81 page report by Human Rights Watch and regional human rights organization Cristosal details the treatment of 40 Venezuelans during four months of incommunicado detention in the maximum security facility this year.

The men were among 252 Venezuelans flown to El Salavador in March and April by U.S. authorities, most of them on the basis of allegations by the U.S. and El Salvadorean governments that they were “terrorists” in the Tren de Aragua organized crime gang, designated a foreign terrorist group by Washington.

Detainees told HRW of constant beatings from the moment they were taken off the plane, being held in inhumane conditions, insufficient food, poor hygiene and sanitation, limited access to health care and medicine and zero recreation or education provision.

Three said they suffered sexual violence and several reported being severely beaten, apparently as punishment for speaking with the International Committee of the Red Cross when the charity visited CECOT in May.

The ill-treatment did not constitute isolated incidents by rogue guards or riot police, but rather systematic violations “designed to subjugate, humiliate, and discipline detainees,” Human Rights Watch and Cristosal said.

“The brutality and repeated nature of the abuses also appear to indicate that guards and riot police acted on the belief that their superiors either supported or, at the very least, tolerated their abusive acts,” they added.

Human Rights Watch and Cristosal said that contrary to the allegations the men were terrorists, only 3% of them had U.S. convictions for violent or potentially violent offenses, half had no U.S. criminal record at all and many had clean records in their home country of Venezuela or other Latin American countries.

The report said the human rights abuses in El Salvadorean prison were well known — including by the State Department which had criticized security and law enforcement in the countrty — but the Trump administration sent the Venezuelans, including dozens of asylum seekers, there anyway.

“The Trump administration paid El Salvador millions of dollars to arbitrarily detain Venezuelans who were then abused by Salvadoran security forces on a near-daily basis,” said HRW Americas director Juanita Goebertus.

“The Trump administration is complicit in torture, enforced disappearance, and other grave violations, and should stop sending people to El Salvador or any other country where they face a risk of torture,” she said.

Cristosal executive director Noah Bullock, said the Trump administration was guilty of “hir[ing] the Salvadorian prison system as a prop in a theatre of cruelty.”

“They wanted to demonstrate and send a message of brutality. But I don’t know if they knew how far it would go and how terrible the horrors of torture are,” he said.

HRW and Cristosal also called for an independent investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and warned that U.S. complicity in the violations drew parallels with the human rights abuses meted out to Iraqis by U.S. military and intelligence personnel in Baghdad’s Abu Ghraqib prison in the Iraq War.

On one side, Justin Herbert. On the other, Aaron Rodgers. They’re two of the prettiest passers in NFL history, and they’ll be meeting Sunday night at SoFi Stadium.

Both the Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off victories, with the Chargers winning in Tennessee, and the Steelers forcing six turnovers to hand the Indianapolis Colts just their second loss.

The Chargers lost left tackle Joe Alt to a season-ending ankle injury and once again have to reshuffle an offensive line that has been in a constant state of flux.

Rodgers has rediscovered his spark in Pittsburgh and consistently puts the football in the right places.

How the Chargers can win: Protect Herbert with quick-developing pass routes that allow him to get the ball out of his hands. Pittsburgh’s edge rush of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig can create havoc if Herbert holds the ball too long. Attack the corners. Joey Porter Jr. has been penalty-prone, and Darius Slay isn’t as fast as he once was. The Steelers often struggle covering tight ends, so Oronde Gadsden II could be in line for a big game.

How the Steelers can win: Generate pressure and turnovers. When the Steelers force mistakes, they win. Let Watt and Highsmith collapse the pocket and make Herbert uncomfortable behind a patchwork Chargers line. Keep Rodgers clean and balanced with an efficient mix of Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren runs to control tempo. Defensively, stay disciplined in coverage with Jalen Ramsey and Kyle Dugger as the new safety tandem.

Laguna Beach’s football season came to an end on Friday night after the Breakers lost to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 44-28 in a Division 3 playoff opener. But if you saw the performances of three freshmen starters, you’d know how promising the future looks for Laguna Beach.

Luke Bogdan, 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, and Winston Darrow, 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, are 14 years old. Both start on the offensive line. Bogdan also played on the defensive line. Then there’s Charlie Christian, a running back and linebacker who is 15 and never wants to go down without a fight.

To have players so young holding their own on an offensive line in Division 3 was remarkable. Quarterback Jack Hurst was sacked once. Then there’s Christian, who caught five passes for 85 yards while also taking on Notre Dame’s huge offensive line on defense at his linebacker position.

When college recruiters see these freshmen on film and imagine how big and strong they might become in the coming years, they’ll be impressed.

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

CHAPPELL Roan was left gasping in horror when she dropped an F-bomb live on air at the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

The singer, 27, appeared on stage at the glitziest night in the rock and roll calendar in Los Angeles at the Peacock Theatre on Saturday evening.

She was tasked with introducing Cyndi Lauper, who was receiving the honour, but things went from bad to worse for Chappell as she struggled to read the prompter.

The songwriter, who sported a huge headpiece and glittery costume began: “I think we can all agree that the best art comes from the most authentic people.

“When artists stay true to themselves, even when some people say they’re too much, too loud, too eccentric, or all of the above, their honesty becomes their greatest strength.”

At this point, the Good Luck, Babe! singer began to squint as she went silent and attempted to read the prompter.

She then said: “I f**k,” before putting her hand over her mouth, in shock at what she had just said.

The audience began laughing and cheering as she attempted to compose herself after her blunder.

Chappell admitted: “I messed up so bad by refusing to get contacts. Holy cow.”

She attempted to carry on as she was clearly struggling to read what was written and said: “It’s that courage that not only creates incredible art, it gives everyone who experiences the permission to be themselves.

“It opens their hearts, it changes their minds and that is it’s power. Tonight we honor a woman who redefined what a pop star could look like, sound like, sing like and be.”

Putting the faux pas behind her and ending on a high note, Chappell concluded: “A music legend whose authenticity has inspired us for the last four decades with her four octave range and the amazingly fabulous Cyndi Lauper.”

Fans flocked to social media to share their reactions to Chappell’s F-bomb mic drop moment as one joked on Instagram: “Someone get her glasses.”

Another supportive fan commented: “Even with the difficulty to read, the speech was beautiful! @chappellroan is the best thing that happened to the music world lately!”

Somebody else enthused: “Her speech was the best part of the night hands down.”

Yet another said: “She looks like she’s doing some major multi taking with the speech and balancing that thing on her head.”

She made sure all eyes were on her for different reasons also as she a huge skirt made out of newspaper clippings which she paired with a glitzy bralette complete with chain detailing.

As if her look wasn’t dramatic enough, she donned a massive diamond headpiece reminiscent of a chandelier, on her head and opted for her signature heavy make-up with eyeshadow and a red lip.

Chappell has had a phenomenal year after playing her biggest headline show ever in August for 60,000 fans at Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Centre as part of Summer Sessions.

The two-night shows saw concert-goers attend in their thousands to see the songstress live, a stark difference to her UK debut two years prior, in which she performed for an intimate 600-person crowd in London.

Rams coach Sean McVay and San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan know each other — and each other’s schematic and play-calling tendencies — better than perhaps any two coaches in the NFL.

Close games between the teams are a constant.

Since they first squared off in 2017, nearly half of their 18 matchups have been decided by three points or fewer, including the 49ers’ 26-23 overtime victory on Oct. 2 at SoFi Stadium.

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Gary Klein breaks down what you need to know for Sunday’s matchup between the Rams and San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

So expect another game that could come down to the final possession when the Rams play the 49ers in an NFC West game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

“Two good teams with two good staffs that are familiar with each other,” Rams tight end Tyler Higbee said in explaining the tight nature of the matchup, “and then you throw the rivalry part into it.”

McVay is 7-11 against Shanahan, his former mentor, though the Rams had won three in a row before the Week 5 loss that ended when 49ers star linebacker Fred Warner stopped Kyren Williams on a fourth-and-one play at the 49ers’ 11-yard line.

Rams kicker Joshua Karty missed a 53-yard field goal attempt and had an extra-point attempt blocked in the defeat.

The Rams this week moved to improve their season-long kicking-game issues by signing rookie kicker Harrison Mevis and veteran long snapper Jake McQuaide to the practice squad. Both will be elevated to the roster and play on Sunday.

Mevis, 23, made 89 of 106 field-goal attempts at Missouri, including one from 61 yards. In the United Football League this past season, he made 20 of 21 field-goal attempts.

The 49ers wasted no time addressing their own kicking-game issues.

After a season-opening defeat that included a missed field goal and a blocked kick, they released Jake Moody and signed Eddy Pineiro.

Pineiro has made all 19 of his field-goal attempts and 14 of 15 extra points.

Well, it was fun while it lasted … wait, it’s not over?

There’s somehow at least four games left in a UCLA football season that feels like it’s already exhausted its story arc and run out of acts.

Act I: The fall of a proud Bruin.

Act II: The rise of a proud (Fresno State) Bulldog-turned-Bruin.

Act III: A 50-point implosion that sucked the air out of the season and didn’t please any Bruin.

What’s left after an 0-4 start that included the firing of a coach followed by a three-game winning streak and a 56-6 loss to one of the nation’s top teams? Somehow, there’s still at least a third of a season to go.

A victory over Nebraska on Saturday evening at the Rose Bowl could essentially put the Bruins right back where they were a few weeks ago, giving interim coach Tim Skipper another chance to reclaim the hearts of the college football world with an upset of top-ranked Ohio State the following weekend.

But first they have to get past a Cornhusker team missing its biggest kernel. Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola is out for the season with a broken leg, forcing the team to turn to a true freshman who was throwing passes for Orange Lutheran High this time last year.

Don’t expect TJ Lateef or any of his teammates to walk into the Rose Bowl waving a white flag.

“It would just be so average to go out there and be like, well, we’ve got a freshman quarterback and it is what it is,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule told reporters this week. “Like, no, we’re not doing that. We’ve got TJ Lateef and we’re going to rally around him.”

Here are five things to watch when the Bruins (3-5 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) face the Cornhuskers (6-3, 3-3) in a game that starts at 6 p.m. PST and will be televised by Fox:

Quarterback quandary

Nebraska quarterback TJ Lateef hands off the ball to running back Emmett Johnson during the second half against USC.

(Bonnie Ryan / Associated Press)

Lateef is about to become just the fourth true freshman quarterback to start a game for Nebraska since 1950.

Will it be a performance for the ages?

Lateef didn’t wow in relief of Raiola last weekend against USC. He completed five of seven passes as the Trojans rallied for a 21-17 victory, those completions going for a grand total of seven yards — 1.4 yards per completion. Lateef might be more dangerous as a runner than a passer, having averaged 4.5 yards and scored two touchdowns in his 11 carries.

Skipper said the Bruins would watch Lateef’s high school game footage to get a fuller understanding of his potential.

“We know we’re going to get some unscouted looks, unscouted plays,” Skipper said. “I’m sure there’s things that he does well that they’re gonna want to do that they haven’t really shown. He kind of had to do the game plan and scheming that they had up for Dylan and his reps [against USC], so we’ll have to adjust as the game goes.”

On the other hand . . .

Nebraska’s uncertainty at quarterback likely means more opportunity for its running game.

And the Cornhuskers have a good one.

Emmett Johnson has already topped 100 yards rushing in five games this season, totaling 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Against USC, he ran for 165 yards and a touchdown while averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

“We’re going to need to know where he is at all times,” Skipper said. “He does a great job of just making people miss, I’m really impressed by how he plays. You know, I come from a family of running back coaches, and I’ve watched a lot of backs, and he’s one of the top guys I’ve ever seen.”

Another mantra

Skipper could keep a custom T-shirt shop busy with all his slogans.

He’s told his players to strain. He’s asked them whether they were one-hit wonders. He’s implored them to uphold the standard they had established.

Over the two weeks that followed his team’s 56-6 loss to Indiana, he’s delivered a new message.

“We’re just getting back to the basics,” Skipper said. “It’s about fundamentals and little details. That’s kind of been what we’ve been really preaching.”

Linebacker Jalen Woods said plenty of time has been spent on tackling after the team experienced significant slippage in that area against the Hoosiers. Offensive tackle Garrett DiGiorgio said players ran between drills to quicken the tempo of everything they were doing.

With an extra week to prepare for the Cornhuskers after a bye, the Bruins have tried not to let the disappointment they experienced in their last game linger.

“Don’t let it carry over into the next game,” Woods said of the team’s collective mindset.

A line redrawn

Eugene Brooks celebrates a UCLA touchdown against Penn State.

(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

UCLA guard Eugene Brooks was back at practice this week, a significant development for an offensive line that had struggled in his absence.

The Bruins ran for just 88 yards — 60 by running backs — and allowed three sacks with Brooks sidelined against Indiana.

It appears they’ll be back at full strength against a Nebraska defense that’s allowing only 289.9 yards per game, ranking No. 13 nationally.

Skipper said the Cornhuskers create confusion using multiple defensive fronts with hybrid players who either rush the quarterback or drop into coverage.

“They’re going to create a lot of havoc that way with the people that they use,” Skipper said. “They create a lot of turnovers. They’re very good on third down. They don’t give up big plays in the passing game. They’re really good at keeping people in front of them.”

Another boost

Running back Anthony Woods also returned to practice after missing the Indiana game.

His ability to run the ball and catch passes out of the backfield could help an offense that did not score a touchdown for the first time this season when it faced the Hoosiers.

Running back Jalen Berger said the success UCLA had on the ground during its three-game winning streak, when it averaged 236.7 yards rushing per game, was largely a result of an increased emphasis on its ballcarriers.

“I’d say it’s more of a commitment,” Berger said of an approach the Bruins had to abandon after falling behind big against Indiana. “Just being run-first, you know?”

An estimated half a trillion dollars was wiped out from the financial markets this week, as some of the biggest tech companies, including Nvidia, Microsoft, and Palantir Technologies saw a temporary but sizeable drop in their share prices on Tuesday. It may have been just a short-lived correction, but experts warn of mounting signs of a financial market crash, which could cost several times this amount.

With dependence on tech and AI growing, critics argue that betting on these profits is a gamble, stressing that the future remains uncertain.

Singapore’s central bank joined a global chorus of warnings from the IMF, Fed Chair Jerome Powell, and Andrew Bailey about overvalued stocks.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore said on Wednesday that such a trend is fuelled by “optimism in AI’s ability to generate sufficient future returns”, which could trigger sharp corrections in the broader stock market.

Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley predict a 10–20% decline in equities over the next one to two years, their CEOs told the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit in Hong Kong, CNBC reported.

Experts interviewed by Euronews Business also agree that a sizeable correction could be on the way.

In a worst-case scenario, a market crash could wipe out trillions of dollars from the financial markets.

According to Mathieu Savary, chief European strategist at BCA Research, Big Tech companies, including Nvidia and Alphabet, would cause a $4.4 trillion (€3.8tn) market wipeout if they were to lose just 20% of their stock value.

“If they go down 50%, you’re talking about an $11tr (€9.6tr) haircut,” he said.

AI rally: Bubble or boom?

The US stock market has defied expectations this year. The S&P 500 is up nearly 20% over the past 12 months, despite geopolitical tensions and global trade uncertainty driven by Washington’s tariff policies. Gains have been strongest in tech, buoyed by optimism over future AI profits.

While Big Tech continues to deliver, with multibillion-dollar AI investments and massive infrastructure buildouts now routine, concerns are growing over a slowing US economy, compounded by limited data during the government shutdown. Once fresh figures emerge, they could rattle investors.

AI enthusiasm is most evident in Nvidia’s extraordinary stock gains and soaring valuation. The company is central to the tech revolution as its graphics processing units (GPUs) are essential for AI computing.

Nvidia’s shares have surged over 3,000% since early 2020, recently making it the world’s most valuable public company. Between July and October alone, it gained $1tr (€870bn) in market capitalisation — roughly equal to Switzerland’s annual GDP. Its stock trades at around 45 times projected earnings for the current fiscal year.

Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Much of this growth is backed by real financial progress, and despite the massive nominal increase in value, relative valuations don’t look overstretched.”

Analysts debate whether the current market mirrors the dot-com bubble of 2000. Nathan notes that many tech companies that failed back then never reached profitability, unlike today’s giants, which generate strong revenues and profits, with robust demand for their products.

Ben Barringer, global head of technology research at Quilter Cheviot, added: “With governments investing heavily in AI infrastructure and rate cuts likely on the horizon, the sector has solid foundations. It is an expensive market, but not necessarily a screaming bubble. Momentum is hard to sustain, and not every company will thrive.”

BCA Research sees a bubble forming, though not set to burst immediately. Chief European strategist Mathieu Savary said such bubbles historically peak when firms begin relying on external financing for large projects.

Investments in assets for future growth, or capital expenditures, as a share of operating cash flow, have jumped from 35% to 70% for hyperscalers, according to Savary. Hyperscalers are tech firms such as Microsoft, Google, and Meta that run massive cloud computing networks.

“The share of operating earnings is likely to move above 100% before we hit the peak,” Savary added. This means that they may soon be investing more than they earn from operations.

Recent examples of Big Tech firms turning to external financing for such moves include Meta’s Hyperion project with Blue Owl Capital and Alphabet’s €3 billion bond issue for AI and cloud expansion.

While AI investment growth is hard to sustain, Quilter’s Barringer told Euronews: “If CapEx starts to moderate later this year, markets may start to get nervous.”

Other factors to watch include return on invested capital and rising yields and inflation pressures, which could signal a higher cost of capital and a bubble approaching its end.

“But we’re not there yet,” said Savary.

Further concerns and how to hedge against market turbulence

Even as tech companies ride the AI wave, inflated expectations for future profits may prove difficult to meet.

“The sceptics’ main problem may not be with AI’s potential itself, but with the valuations investors are paying for that potential and the speed at which they expect it to materialise,” said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

A recent report by BCA reflects the mounting reasons to question the AI narrative, but the technology “remains a potent force”, said the group.

If investor optimism does slow, “a sharp correction in tech could still have ripple effects across broader markets, given the sector’s dominant weight in global indices,” Barringer said. He added that other regions and asset classes, such as bonds and commodities, would be less directly affected and could provide an important balance during a downturn.

According to Emma Wall, chief investment strategist at Hargreaves Lansdown, “investors should use this opportunity to crystallise impressive gains and diversify their portfolios to include a range of sectors, geographies and asset classes — adding resilience to portfolios. The gold price tipping up is screaming a warning again — a siren that this rally will not last.”

THERE was recently an awkward moment a huge popstar had her microphone the wrong way up.

She was even accused of lip-syncing in an embarrassing on-stage blunder, though some fans have defended her.

Canadian hitmaker Tate McRae, 22, was performing at a recent gig when she crooned into her microphone when it was the wrong way up.

Sparking major lip-syncing accusations, Tate has now been slammed for allegedly miming at her concerts.

Sharing a video of Tate “lip-syncing” on stage, an X account wrote: “Tate McRae caught lipsync during her show.

“Many fans are question if she ever sang live since the beginning of her career.”

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In the video, Tate could be seen dancing a high octane routine.

Flipping her hair backwards and forwards, the superstar rocked out on stage in some very tiny shorts.

Dancing around, Tate then moved her microphone up to her mouth.

Holding the microphone the wrong way up, Tate crooned into the bottom of the handle of the mic.

Tate quickly realised as her backing track played, and turned the mic so it was the right way up.

Ever the professional, the hitmaker then continued with her performance.

Fans have since reacted to the awkward on-stage blunder.

One person penned: “I don’t listen to Tate McRae but she literally started singing when she flipped the mic around, she’s singing over a track.”

Another said: “When she flips the mic around, you can hear her voice. It’s just that a backing track is there. Not lipsyncing.”

A third person added: “As someone who saw her recently in concert, she lip syncs like 80% of the concert because she’s more focused on dancing and theatrics and doesn’t try to hide it.

“The only time she actually sings is when she’s stationary for small periods but there’s always a backtrack no matter.”

While a fourth wrote: “I went to a show. There IS a lot of backing tracks since she dances so much, but she definitely sings live a ton as well. And you can tell when she does.”

And a fifth said: “That’s called a backing track you can clearly hear her singing.”

Tate is known for her hits such a Greedy, You Broke Me First, Sports Car and Revolving Door.

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She often storms stages at music festivals and her own concerts and puts on high energy shows.

Tate is famous for her dance routines and sexy image.

NEW YORK — Voters were casting ballots in high-stakes elections on both coasts Tuesday, including for mayor of New York, new congressional maps in California and governor in both New Jersey and Virginia, states whose shifting electorates could show the direction of the nation’s political winds.

For voters and political watchers alike, the races have taken on huge importance at a time of tense political division, when Democrats and Republicans are sharply divided over the direction of the nation. Despite President Trump not appearing on any ballots, some viewed Tuesday’s races as a referendum on him and his volatile second term in the White House.

In New York, self-described democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, 34, was favored to win the mayoral race after winning the Democratic ranked-choice mayoral primary in June. Such a result would shake up the Democratic establishment and rile Republicans in near equal measure, serving as a rejection of both former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a more establishment Democrat and Mamdani’s leading opponent, and Trump, who has warned that a Mamdani win would destroy the city.

On the eve of voting Monday, Trump threatened that a Mamdani win would disrupt the flow of federal dollars to the city, and took the dramatic step of endorsing Cuomo over Curtis Sliwa, the Republican in the race.

“If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home, because of the fact that, as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Monday.

A vote for Sliwa “is a vote for Mamdani,” he added. “Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!”

Mamdani, a Ugandan-born naturalized U.S. citizen and New York state assemblyman who already defeated Cuomo once in the primary, has promised a brighter day for New Yorkers with better public transportation, more affordable housing and high-quality childcare if he wins. He has slammed billionaires and some of the city’s monied interests, which have lined up against him, and rejected the “grave political darkness” that he said is threatening the country under Trump.

He also mocked Trump’s endorsement of Cuomo — calling Cuomo Trump’s “puppet” and “parrot.”

Samantha Marrero, a 35-year-old lifelong New Yorker, lined up with more than a dozen people Tuesday morning at her polling site in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn to cast her vote for Mamdani, whom she praised for embracing people of color, queer people and other communities marginalized by mainstream politicians.

Marrero said she cares deeply about housing insecurity and affordability in the city, but that it was also “really meaningful to have someone who is brown and who looks like us and who eats like us and who lives more like us than anyone we’ve ever seen before” on the ballot. “That representation is really important.”

New York mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo speaks to reporters as he marks his ballot in New York on Tuesday.

(Richard Drew / Associated Press)

And she said that’s a big part of why people across the country are watching the New York race.

“We’re definitely a beacon in this kind of fascist takeover that is very clearly happening across the country,” she said. “People in other states and other cities and other countries have their eyes on what’s happening here. Obviously Mamdani is doing something right. And together we can do something right. But it has to be together.”

Elsewhere on the East Coast, voters were electing governors in both Virginia and New Jersey, races that have also drawn the president’s attention.

In the New Jersey race, Trump has backed the Republican candidate, former state Rep. Jack Ciattarelli, over the Democratic candidate, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, whom former President Obama recently stumped for. Long a blue state, New Jersey has been shifting to the right, and polls have shown a tight race.

In the Virginia race, Trump has not endorsed Republican candidate Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by name, but has called on voters to “vote Republican” and to reject the Democratic candidate, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a 46-year-old former CIA officer whom Obama has also supported.

“Why would anyone vote for New Jersey and Virginia Gubernatorial Candidates, Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger, when they want transgender for everybody, men playing in women’s sports, High Crime, and the most expensive Energy prices almost anywhere in the World?” Trump recently wrote on Truth Social, repeating some of his favorite partisan attacks on Democrats from the presidential campaign trail last year.

At a rally for Spanberger in Norfolk, Va., over the weekend, Obama put the race in equally stark terms — as part of a battle for American democracy.

“We don’t need to speculate about the dangers to our democracy. We don’t need to wonder about whether vulnerable people are going to be hurt, or ask ourselves how much more coarse and mean our culture can become. We’ve witnessed it. Elections do matter,” Obama said. “We all have more power than we think. We just have to use it.”

Voting was underway in the states, but with some disruptions. Bomb threats disrupted voting in some parts of New Jersey early Tuesday, temporarily shutting down a string of polling locations across the state before law enforcement determined the threats were hoaxes.

In California, voters were being asked to change the state Constitution to allow Democrats to redraw congressional maps in their favor through 2030, in order to counter similar moves by Republicans in red states such as Texas.

Leading Democrats, including Obama and Gov. Gavin Newsom, have described the measure as an effort to safeguard American democracy against a power grab by Trump, who had encouraged the red states to act, while opponents of the measure have derided it as an anti-democratic power grab by state Democrats.

Trump has urged California voters not to cast ballots by mail or to vote early, arguing such practices are somehow “dishonest,” and on Tuesday morning suggested on Truth Social that Proposition 50 itself was unconstitutional.

“The Unconstitutional Redistricting Vote in California is a GIANT SCAM in that the entire process, in particular the Voting itself, is RIGGED,” Trump wrote, without providing evidence of problems. “All ‘Mail-In’ Ballots, where the Republicans in that State are ‘Shut Out,’ is under very serious legal and criminal review. STAY TUNED!”

Both individually and collectively, the races are being closely watched as potential indicators of political sentiment and enthusiasm going into next year’s midterm elections, and of Democrats’ ability to get voters back to the polls after Trump’s decisive win over former Vice President Kamala Harris last year.

Voters, too, saw the races as having particularly large stakes at a pivotal moment for the country.

Michelle Kim, 32, who has lived in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn for three years, stood in line at a polling site early Tuesday morning — waiting to cast her vote for Mamdani.

Kim said she cares about transportation, land use and the rising cost of living in New York, and appreciated Mamdani’s broader message that solutions are possible, even if not guaranteed.

“My hope is not, like, ‘Oh, he’s gonna solve, like, all of our issues,’” she said. “But I think for him to be able to represent people and give hope, that’s also part of it.”

Lin reported from New York, Rector from San Francisco. Times staff writer Jenny Jarvie in Atlanta contributed to this report.

The burst of energy was likely triggered when an unusually large star wandered too close to the black hole.

Scientists have documented the most energetic flare ever observed emanating from a supermassive black hole, a cataclysmic event that briefly shone with the light of 10 trillion suns.

The new findings were published on Tuesday in the journal Nature Astronomy, with astronomer Matthew Graham of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) leading the study.

The phenomenal burst of energy was likely triggered when an unusually large star wandered too close to the black hole and was violently shredded and swallowed.

“However it happened, the star wandered close enough to the supermassive black hole that it was ‘spaghettified’ – that is, stretched out to become long and thin, due to the gravity of the supermassive black hole strengthening as you get very close to it. That material then spiralled around the supermassive black hole as it fell in,” said astronomer and study co-author KE Saavik Ford.

The supermassive black hole was unleashed by a black hole roughly 300 million times the mass of the sun residing inside a faraway galaxy, about 11 billion light years from Earth. A light year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).

The star, estimated to be between 30 and 200 times the mass of the sun, was turned into a stream of gas that heated up and shined intensely as it spiralled into oblivion.

Almost every large galaxy, including our Milky Way, has a supermassive black hole at its centre. But scientists still aren’t sure how they form.

First spotted in 2018 by the Palomar Observatory, operated by the Caltech, the flare took about three months to reach its peak brightness, becoming roughly 30 times more luminous than any previously recorded event of its kind. It is still ongoing, but diminishing in luminosity, with the entire process expected to take about 11 years to complete.

Because of how far away the black hole is located, observing the flash gives scientists a rare glimpse into the universe’s early epoch. Studying these immense, distant black holes helps researchers better understand how they form, how they influence their local stellar neighbourhoods, and the fundamental interactions that shaped the cosmos we know today.

After going global for its second volume, “Star Wars: Visions” Volume 3 brings the anthology series back to its roots with a new slate of shorts all created by Japanese anime studios.

Each season of the Disney+ series, which launched in 2021, has infused fresh creative energy into the galaxy far, far away by giving international animation houses the freedom to explore ideas about the Force, the factions of the Galactic War and brand new planets and cultures outside of the constraints of the long-running franchise’s canon.

And while Volume 3, which premiered last week, revisits some characters that were introduced in Volume 1, it also shows how anime is a medium with range. From the gritty installment that explores the complexity of the dark sides of the Force through a battle between former Sith and Jedi (“The Duel: Payback”) to a more heartwarming story about a pair of resourceful orphans who decide to become family (“Yuko’s Treasure”), there are different types of anime for everyone.

Anée-san in “The Duel: Payback,” one of the shorts in “Star Wars: Visions” Volume 3.

(Lucasfilm Ltd.)

With movies like “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle” and “Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc” making waves at the box office, anime’s growing popularity is undeniable and its availability on major streamers has also made anime series and movies more accessible than ever. So for those whose curiosity about the medium has been piqued by “Star Wars: Visions,” here are some titles to check out based on the themes and stories of the nine shorts that comprise Volume 3.

Stunning fights (with some moral ambiguity)

Sagiri in an episode of “Hell’s Paradise.”

(©Yuji Kaku/Shueisha, Twin Engine, Mappa / Crunchyroll)

Let’s be honest: Lightsaber duels are awesome. So it’s no surprise that a number of shorts in “Star Wars: Visions” Volume 3 leaned into stories involving Jedi and/or the Sith, including “The Duel: Payback,” “The Lost Ones” and “The Bird of Paradise.”

For those who are looking for anime featuring stylish and stunning sword-fighting scenes, the ever popular “Demon Slayer” (Netflix, Disney+/Hulu, Crunchyroll), featuring a secret organization fighting to protect humans from demons, is an obvious choice. Another show featuring stylish combat between skilled warriors and supernatural monsters is “Hell’s Paradise” (Netflix, Disney+/Hulu, Crunchyroll). The series follows a ninja who is recruited by an executioner to join a party of death row inmates on a quest to find the elixir of life on a mythical island populated with mysterious deadly threats. The successful convict will be pardoned for all of their past crimes. The premise may remind some of the supervillain team-up “The Suicide Squad,” but the fighting scenes — and the island’s inhabitants — stand alone.

Master and apprentice dynamics

Frieren, left, and Fern from “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.”

(Crunchyroll)

Speaking of Jedi, “The Lost Ones” and “The Bird of Paradise” also touch on the relationship between a Jedi master and their padawan apprentice. If a story involving a lineage of student-teacher dynamics that’s about friendship, human connection, memory, mortality and legacy sounds intriguing, consider checking out “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” (Netflix, Disney+/Hulu, Crunchyroll). The fantasy series follows an elven mage, her young human apprentice and others they pick up along their years-long journey to visit the spirits of old friends. The show is part travelogue, part adventure quest with monsters, magic battles and dungeon exploration.

Lovable scoundrels

Kazuki, left, Miri and Rei in an episode of “Buddy Daddies.”

(©KRM’s Home / Buddy Daddies Committee / Crunchyroll)

The world of “Star Wars” is full of scoundrels that fans can’t help but love for their swagger and independent moral code, and “Visions” installments “The Smuggler” and “The Bounty Hunters” add to that legacy.

Well-known classics like “Cowboy Bebop” (Crunchyroll) and “Lupin the Third” (Tubi, Crunchyroll) and the long-running “One Piece” (Netflix, Disney+/Hulu, Crunchyroll) are good starting points for those first dipping their toes into anime and are interested in the adventures of a ragtag group of bounty hunters, thieves and/or pirates. For those looking for something new, consider “Buddy Daddies” (Crunchyroll), which follows a pair of assassin roommates who form a makeshift family after taking in a 4-year-old they encounter while out on a job. Think of it like “The Mandalorian,” if Mando had a recluse gamer co-parent and Grogu was a picky eater.

Political space wars and mech suits

Suletta Mercury in an episode of “Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury.”

(©Sotsu, Sunrise, MBS / Crunchyroll)

Some film and TV shows set in the galaxy far, far away are more political than others, but aspects of the conflict involving the Galactic Empire, Rebel forces and stray Jedi are touched on in a few of the shorts in “Visions” Volume 3 like “The Lost Ones,” “The Smuggler,” “Black” and “The Song of Four Wings,” with the latter featuring a young protagonist that dons a snazzy flying mech suit.

The mecha franchise “Gundam” is best known for its giant robots, but it’s a sprawling space opera that touches on political themes including the horrors of corruption, inequity and war. A recent standout is newcomer-friendly “Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury” (Crunchyroll). The show follows a shy new transfer student at a corporate military school where recruits train and settle disputes in giant mech suit combat. The series uses school drama and a budding teen romance as a backdrop to touch on themes such as class strife and prejudice, corporate greed and personal vengeance.

Emotionally resonant robots

Atom in an episode of “Pluto.”

(Netflix)

From the Skywalkers’ fussy protocol droid C-3PO to Hera Syndulla’s cranky astromech Chopper, lovable androids are a “Star Wars” signature. “Visions” Volume 3 installments “The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope” and “Yuko’s Treasure” each introduce loyal droids that tug viewers’ heartstrings.

The title androids in “Astro Boy” (also known as Atom) and “Doraemon” are kid-friendly household names in Japan akin to Mickey Mouse and Snoopy, but a more mature option is “Pluto” (Netflix). The gritty, sci-fi murder mystery series is based on a reimagining of a story arc from the “Astro Boy” manga, and is set in a world where humans live alongside robots — though the dynamic is a bit different than in “Star Wars.” The story follows a robot detective who is investigating a string of robot and human killings, and, like many sci-fi stories about androids and artificial intelligence, touches on themes like what makes humans human.

A scene from “Yuko’s Treasure,” one of the shorts in “Star Wars: Visions” Volume 3.

(Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Rambunctious kids

Plenty of “Star Wars” media is made with younger audiences in mind, but not many are about the adventures of children in the galaxy far, far away. “Vision” Volume 3’s “Yuko’s Treasure” puts a couple of orphan kids in the forefront — along with an adorable bear-like droid.

There’s no shortage of anime series about the (mis)adventures of rambunctious kids and one of the more heartwarming involves a “fake” family. “Spy x Family” (Disney+/Hulu, Crunchyroll) follows a secret agent working to maintain the fragile peace between neighboring nations and the faux happy family he constructed for his latest undercover mission. Unbeknownst to him, his adopted daughter is secretly a telepath and his fake wife is an assassin. As one might expect, a telepathic first grader with a wild imagination who lives with a spy and an assassin can get caught up in plenty of shenanigans. Bonus: The family also adopts a cute massive dog.

Kotaro in an episode of “Kotaro Lives Alone.”

(Netflix)

On the opposite end of the spectrum is “Kotaro Lives Alone” (Netflix), a more grounded show with just as outlandish a premise. The series follows a 4-year-old who moves into a rundown apartment complex alone — for reasons that are eventually revealed as his neighbors get to know him. The boy is unusually self-reliant and mature but also childish and understandably vulnerable. As viewers might assume, there are not many happy circumstances that could possibly lead to a 4-year-old child living on his own, but there’s more warmth than tragedy.

Musical, visual spectacle

One of the standouts in “Star Wars: Visions” Volume 3 is “Black,” a jazz-fueled, mind-bending fever dream of a Stormtrooper during a battle. The bold, music-driven 13-minute short is a visual spectacle that challenges viewers and there’s not much else out there that compares. Though it has a more structured narrative, the anime film “Inu-Oh” (Netflix) is a psychedelic rock opera that might scratch the same itch. Set in 14th century Japan, the film follows two young artists who forge a friendship because they are both outcasts — the musician is blind, and the dancer was born with monstrous deformities — and their dazzling performances drive the story.