Recently, Castro was a featured guest on Vanity Fair’s Inside The Hive podcast. While on the show, he spoke on a number of political developments in Texas, including the 2022 Texas gubernatorial election. Castro stated that he believes O’Rourke has a chance to beat Abbott and become the next Governor of Texas due to Abbott losing the support of the GOP. Castro also stated that he believes “Texans are being held hostage” due to Abbott’s controversial decision-making regarding public health, mask mandates and the abortion ban....

Just look at the 61-year-old Franco standing in the batter’s box during a workout with the Lotte Giants of the KBO. He’s their hitting coach. Not the greatest bat speed, but come on, he’s 61 and he still has a professional-looking swing. He’s probably the most game-ready hitting coach in all of ball. MORE: ‘Old man’ Bartolo Colon wants a job at 47 Franco’s last MLB game was in September 2007, not long after he turned a mere 49....

Instead of being executed Thursday afternoon as expected, Jones will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole, Stitt’s office announced. “After prayerful consideration and reviewing materials presented by all sides of this case, I have determined to commute Julius Jones’ sentence to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole,” Stitt said in a statement shared with The Oklahoman. Jones was convicted in 2002 for the murder of Paul Howell, a white man who was killed in 1999....

That being said, his last few outings have been solid. Since returning in July from serving a six-month suspension for small traces of the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide, dos Santos has pulled off back-to-back wins over Blagoy Ivanov and Tai Tuivasa. Now, the hard-hitter from Brazil returns for the third time in eight months when he takes on fellow slugger, Derrick Lewis, in the main event at UFC Wichita on Saturday night....

“Oscar Wao” shows a novelist engaged with the culture, high and low, and its polyglot language. If Donald Barthelme had lived to read Díaz, he surely would have been delighted to discover an intellectual and linguistic omnivore who could have taught even him a move or two. To get the most out of “Oscar Wao,” you’d want to know about video- and role-playing games and old TV shows, about Tolkien, C....

“The last two years, I’ve been working very hard to be back in the big leagues,” Jurickson Profar says as a grin appears, “and when I finally got the call, it was a very good moment.” MORE: SN picks MLB’s 50 best players | Rising stars who could make the SN50 next year Profar spent all of 2014 on the disabled list with a shoulder injury. He spent the entire 2015 season on the DL, too....

In a filing made on Thursday, the jury found that they will reconvene on Monday, January 3, after deliberating for six days. The eight men and four women involved were already scheduled to be off on Friday, which is a federal court holiday for New Year’s Eve. No explanation for the extended holiday break was given. This break comes after a closed-door meeting was held that raised questions. The in-camera hearing was between Holmes attorneys Kevin Downey and Lance Wade, although she herself was not present....

The state’s legislative watchdog agency report warned that lawmakers should try to strengthen the commission through increased oversight and resources, and that not much has changed since the agency’s last report which noted that only 12 percent of calls are answered. “It’s clear that additional oversight and assistance is needed,” said project leader Lauren Axselle, who presented the report to lawmakers on behalf of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission....

That’s right. Not the defense that was supposed to carry the Josh Gordon-less squad this season — it’s the Browns’ offense that ranks its highest since 2007, the last time they finished a season above .500. MORE: Pettine’s rank among first-year coaches | Browns fan hate directed toward defense Cleveland’s offense ranked 21st in 2013 with a -38.7 overall rating from Pro Football Focus. After four games this year, that unit is ranked first — by far — with a 42....

Lincoln rout buys Wenger time “As quickly as you can make progress and look like you’re moving in the right direction, you can quickly go back the other way.” Not quite Michael Corleone’s “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in,” but not far off either. Clement is right; it doesn’t take long for things to turn around, and Saturday provided a close-up look at the scramble to avoid relegation....

With some notable exceptions. As its last hurrah of this latest term, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision that was hugely revolutionary when it ought to have been largely unremarkable. The majority of justices decided that private sexual conduct between consenting adults is not the business of the government and struck down state sodomy laws that criminalized homosexual acts. In the minority was Antonin Scalia, who read his dissent aloud to onlookers, some of them weeping gay men and lesbians overwhelmed by being recognized as full citizens of their own country....

This is the hook that first pulls you into Presumed Innocent, which Frank Pierson and director Alan J. Pakula have adapted from Scott Turow’s best seller. The movie, like the book, is something more than a simple whodunit: one man stands trial, but as the labyrinthine case widens to reveal an intricate network of municipal corruption, it seems the entire system of justice stands accused and is found wanting....

The Canadian pop star performed Tuesday night at Bell Centre, the home of the Canadiens, one of the stops on his Justice World Tour. The diehard Toronto fan began poking fun at the Canadiens and praising his Leafs, which resulted in a shower of boos raining down from around the venue. You can hear Bieber hyping his close friend and Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews by saying, “Auston Matthews is really doing some work here in Montreal,” in reference to the goal Matthews scored against Montreal over the weekend....

In that stretch, the Dodgers have also been at or near the top of MLB’s payroll list, but a large part of their success can be attributed to folks who joined the franchise under the cover of near anonymity. Those are the players we’re going to highlight today. MORE: Watch ‘ChangeUp,’ a new MLB live whiparound show on DAZN So a guy like Clayton Kershaw doesn’t make the list, of course, because the Dodgers made him the No....

Verlander made just one start in 2020, pitching six innings and allowing just two runs, before he was shut down with a forearm strain. In September, he said that he required Tommy John surgery, ending his hopes of pitching again in either the 2020 season or the 2021 campaign. While Verlander is 38 years old, he had shown no signs of aging prior to the surgery, and in returning to Houston, he is giving the team a potential ace ready to help the team return to the World Series....

Juve looked satisfied to play out a goalless draw at home to the Partenopei, a result that would have preserved their four-point advantage at the top with four rounds of the league season remaining. Kalidou Koulibaly’s 90th-minute header, though, saw Maurizio Sarri’s visitors snatch a dramatic late victory to move one point adrift of the reigning champions. Addressing the media after the disappointing result, Allegri offered a damning verdict on the quality of the contest at Allianz Stadium, but issued a reminder his players still control the final destination of the Scudetto....

Mario Pasalic sealed victory for Milan after Donnarumma had spurned Dybala, who also missed a gilt-edged extra-time chance. Juve’s Mario Mandzukic also missed from 12 yards, with Gianluca Lapadula reprieved having failed to convert for Milan. In the match itself, captain Giorgio Chiellini put Juve ahead 18 minutes, but Giacomo Bonaventura levelled with a header prior to half-time. Alessio Romagnoli hit the bar for Milan as Vincenzo Montella’s men shaded the second half, before having to withstand heavy Juve pressure as 30 minutes of extra time failed to produce a winner....

Chelsea readying £100m Juve raid Goal understands the right-back has agreed a two-year contract with City and Chelsea have also shown interest, with only his contract in Italy delaying a deal in the Premier League. But Juve have revealed they will not stand in the 34-year-old’s way as he aims to leave Turin with a year still left on his contract. The Brazil international had angered fans of the Italian champions last week by stating star striker Paulo Dybala would need to leave to fulfil his potential....

The 17-year-old scored his first Serie A goal in the champions’ final game of the season, nodding a stoppage-time winner away to Bologna. And thoughts have now turned to how Kean will continue his development in the coming campaign, with Raiola keen for the player to avoid another year on the fringes after making four appearances for the first team. “The Bologna goal did not surprise me - Moise has become a real phenomenon,” the agent told Corriere dello Sport....