Mike Blake

Pope Leo had a brief private meeting with Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny at Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium on Monday evening as both were touring Spain, the Vatican said on Tuesday, adding that it did not expect to release any photos of the meeting.

A United Airlines commercial airliner takes off Nov. 6 from Los Angeles International Airport in California.

Security fences and infrastructure are show at an entrance to SoFi Stadium as the venue prepares to host World Cup on June 4 in Inglewood, Calif.

The city of Ridgecrest Parks and Recreation Department has set up camps for the summer that include instruction in volleyball, basketball, tennis and fencing. Basketball and volleyball camps are presented in co-sponsorship with Immanuel Christian School.

Let’s talk sports. That’s how I start my column each week, changing the opening line to “Let’s talk baseball,” or “Let’s talk football,” or “Let’s talk the Olympics,” or “Let’s talk March Madness,” etc. because this column is all about sports and having some fun, some controversy, some opinion, some discussion, some observation and some highlights, but stressing facts, rather than opinion.

Last year’s Immanuel Christian High School football team had a magical season in which it exceeded expectations and adopted a new culture under new head coach Matt Bird. The Crusaders rebounded from a winless 2024 season to win their first 12 games, secure the Hi-Lo League title and compete for a CIF championship, losing in the finals.

A Tesla Cybertruck sits outside the SpaceX facility Friday in Hawthorne, Calif.

SpaceX soared in its Nasdaq debut on Friday, sending its value past $2 trillion, as investors jumped at the chance to get a piece of Elon Musk's sprawling empire spanning rockets, internet service and AI after a record-setting IPO.

Last year’s Immanuel Christian High School volleyball team went 16-18, but won the Hi-Lo League title with a stellar 10-2 record (tied with Lone Pine). To prep for the upcoming season, ICS volleyball coach Miriam Harmon-Young said, “Yeah, we have some summer stuff going on. We are doing some Summer League play which started June 11 at Rosamond. Our next Summer League events are June 25 and July 16 at Rosamond.”

Baseball is filled with lots of story trends, but one of this season’s most popular subjects is the lightning fastballs of Jacob Misiorowski. The Brewers’ right-hander is rewriting the record books, and his 104.5 mph fastball against the Phillies last weekend set a new record for a starting pitcher – breaking his own record of 103.7, which broke his own record of 103.6. While Aroldis Chapman still holds the accepted record of 105.8 mph for a pitch thrown in relief in 2010, Miz has the 139 fastest pitches thrown in baseball by a starting pitcher this year, and his 104.5 pitch was complemented by a 107.5 mph perceived velocity due to his release extension. During one standout first inning, he consistently threw nine pitches all exceeding 103 mph.