We can only hope you’re reading this under a beach umbrella with a refreshing beverage in hand. After all, summer is best spent outside! But if your outdoor space doesn’t quite match your warm-weather goals, don’t worry: We’re breaking down the outdoor upgrades that make summer hosting, yard maintenance, and DIY projects easier — without a contractor-level budget. READ MORE...

Real Madrid have confirmed the signing of Ibrahima Konate on a free transfer after the France centre-back decided to leave Liverpool upon the expiry of his contract.The 27-year-old defender's departure from Anfield had already been announced by the Premier League club, with Real saying on Thursday that they “have reached an agreement for him to become a Real Madrid player for the next four seasons, until June 30, 2030.”Konate becomes the third player in the past week to line up a move to Real from the Premier League, following a £52m deal for Spain left-back Marc Cucurella from Chelsea on Monday and Bernardo Silva’s impending arrival as a free agent from Manchester City. The recently re-elected Florentino Perez has promised to rebuild the squad following a second straight trophyless season and he is also bringing Jose Mourinho back for a second spell as head coach. Real, however, have been unable to sign Argentina forward Julian Alvarez from neighbours Atletico, who hit back sarcastically when rejecting a bid of £129m.Konate won a Premier League, FA Cup and two League Cups during his time at Anfield having been signed from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2021. He made 183 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals, but confirmed in May that he would be moving on once his contract concluded on 30 June.Talks had taken place over a new deal and it was expected midway through the season that an agreement would be reached before negotiations broke down.Instead he follows star forward Mohamed Salah, left-back Andrew Robertson and head coach Arne Slot out the Anfield door as the club aim to bounce back from a disappointing campaign in which they finished fifth in the Premier League, 25 points behind champions Arsenal. Andoni Iraola was quickly appointed as Slot’s replacement, while Liverpool had previously agreed a deal to sign the 20-year-old French centre-back Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes in a £60m deal.In a statement last month confirming the departure of Konate, Liverpool said: "Konate will depart with our gratitude and appreciation for the contribution he made, and everyone at the club wishes him the best for the future."Konate was an unused substitute as France got their World Cup 2026 campaign underway with a 3-1 win against Senegal on Tuesday with Didier Deschamps’ preferring a partnership of Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano and Arsenal’s William Saliba.

How to get live match updates on your lockscreen [BBC Sport]Friday is a big day for fans of Premier League clubs, with the fixtures for 2026-27 coming out.And the new season brings with it a new BBC Sport feature, meaning you can follow all of the football, wherever you are and whatever you're doing, with scores live on your lock screen.Follow your favourite team - we'll do the restAll you need to do is make sure you have the BBC Sport app downloaded on your phone and with just a few taps, you'll receive real-time updates on your lock screen. Simply follow your favourite team and we'll do the rest.On Apple devices, live match updates will appear automatically when your team is playing, keeping you up to date as the match unfolds.On Android, you'll need to opt in to notifications in your settings in order for live match updates to appear*.You will receive updates from about an hour before kick-off and they will disappear automatically from your lock screen after the match has finished.You can turn off live match updates at any time without needing to unfollow your favourite teams.*Live Match Updates are not yet available on every Android deviceFollow your Premier League team for live match updatesHow to turn on live match updatesApple users simply need to follow a team while signed into the BBC Sport app to opt in for live match updates.To do that, navigate to Football within the BBC Sport app, tap Follow Your Team in the black navigation bar at the top of the page, then choose a team. Once you've tapped on the team name, hit +Follow on the next page.For Android users, you will need to follow the steps above while also ensuring notifications for BBC Sport are turned on in your device settings.For more information, read through our FAQ page.How to turn off Live Match UpdatesYou can dismiss a live match update when it appears on your lock screen, or to disable them, simply head to your device settings to turn notifications off.Get news, insight and fan views on your Premier League teamAll your football quizzes in one place

The 2025-26 Knicks championship run, aside from being euphoric, historically impressive and unifying, was validating. It validated Leon Rose, who built a team like a family and made good moves to reach this pinnacle.It validated Mike Brown and Karl-Anthony Towns, two talents who could never get over the hump. But maybe more than anybody, it validated Jalen Brunson, an all-time great playoff performer who was a championship shy of pantheon status.Now he’s got it, and despite the best efforts of the naysayers and rewriters of history, he’s ascended from gutsy underdog to legend. It’s time we talk about him that way.First, a refresher on his resume to this point. After his first regular season as full-time starting point guard in 2022-23, he led the Knicks to the second round by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, ultimately losing to the Finals-bound Miami Heat in six.He averaged 27.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 47.4 percent shooting from the field. In a desperate stand against the Heat, he put up 32 points and 11 assists, 38 points and 41 points in consecutive closeout games, playing at least 45 minutes in each.Turns out that was only a preview of how dominant Brunson could be in carrying a team despite the defensive gameplan being focused on him. He’d average 28.7 points and 6.7 assists the following season, losing his co-star, Julius Randle, halfway through, and finishing top five in MVP voting. With little but high-skilled role players and the power of friendship, he clawed the Knicks past the Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey-led Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 41.8 points and 10.3 assists on 54.7 percent shooting from two and 35.3 percent from three over the last four games of the series. He opened Round Two with another 43-point outburst, becoming the first player since Michael Jordan to record four straight 40-point games in the postseason, joining only Bernard King,Jerry West and him.Injuries and wear-down would nix that run, but Brunson came back prepared last season, averaging 26 points and 7.3 assists (a career high) and winning Clutch Player of the Year thanks to his countless fourth quarter takeovers. He’d carry that over into the playoffs, averaging 29.4 points and seven assists on 51.4 percent shooting from two and 35.8 percent from three.Brunson led his Knicks to two wins shy of an NBA Finals berth, icing the Pistons on a game-winning step-back three and pulling off a major upset of the defending champion Boston Celtics. Of course, this year he followed up a relatively muted regular season with the playoff run of his life. He averaged 28.4 points and 6.1 assists on 51 percent shooting from two and 36.3 percent from three, numbers burdened by multiple blowouts wins that saw him sit for entire fourth quarters. After a Towns-centric first round, Brunson led the Knicks past Philadelphia and Cleveland in dominant fashion, and took control of the NBA Finals against the frisky Spurs. He put up 32.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in the championship round, clutching Games 1 and 2, leading a 29-point comeback in Game 4, and dropping a masterclass 45 points in the Game 5 clincher, all while being the center of attention against the league’s top defense.In this four-year span, Brunson’s scored 300 more playoff points than any other NBA player and became the second-fastest point guard in history to 2,000 postseason points after Stephen Curry. He became one of six players to notch 26 points per game and 50 playoff wins before the age of 30, joining Curry, Jordan, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Shaquille O’Neal.He’s tied for the most postseason wins over the last four seasons. His 45 points to win the Finals tied Jordan for an NBA road clincher record, and his 10.3 points in fourth quarters was the highest since Jordan in 1997.Much of this was invalidated by the critique the Knicks couldn’t win a championship this way, or with a player of Brunson’s stature at the lead. Those critics were wrong, and while many will double down or move goalposts, the evidence speaks for itself at this point.Brunson isn’t just a heartwarming second-round come-up story, he isn’t just the Knicks’ savior or an All-Star tier player. He is one of the greatest guards this game has ever seen, and the time for such discussion is over.

Jun. 18—ATHENS — Wyatt Wallace was poised for a breakout season.After Wallace's solid freshman year, Lindsay Lane expected big things from him as a sophomore, and he delivered.The 2026 Decatur Daily Class 1A-4A baseball Player of the Year delivered a dominant season on the mound, posting a 7-0 record with a 1.43 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 75 strikeouts. He was also a force at the plate, batting .384 with 59 runs scored and 45 RBIs."I put in a lot of work in the offseason, and I know what I could do," Wallace said. "When I first came to Lindsay Lane, I knew big things were going to happen."Lindsay Lane head coach, Charles Morrison, The Daily's Class 1A-4A Coach of the Year, said it's always been evident how talented Wallace is but that it's his mindset that sets him apart."He's a bulldog," Morrison said. "He wants the ball in his hand, he wants to be at the plate in the game's most important moments.""He's a silent leader, he takes everything very serious. When he's on the field, it's about taking care of business, and it sets the tone for the rest of the team," Morrison added.—The Lion's roaredWallace wasn't the only one at Lindsay Lane who had a breakout year.The Lions put together one of the best seasons in school history; winning a school-record 33 games, reaching the Class 2A quarterfinals and being ranked No. 1 in the final ASWA poll of the season. The team also finished with four all-state selections.Morrison, who expected big things from his team this season, said even he was shocked by how good the Lions were,"I can't say I expected us to win 33 games because that's an extremely difficult thing to do with the limit on how many games you're allowed to play," Morrison said. "We had a lot of young talent with only two seniors, so this isn't the crescendo. The trajectory of our program is still growing, and we still plan on bringing home a state championship. That being said, I don't know if 33 wins will ever be topped, although we're certainly going to try."While Lindsay Lane may not have reached its goal of a state championship this season, Wallace said the players weren't taking the year they had for granted, nor were they viewing it as disappointing. Instead, having their names down in the school's history books is something he said the Lions will remember forever."It's really cool to be a part of a team and a season that you know might not ever happen again," Wallace said. "It's also extra motivating because we saw just how good we can be; you know we broke records and yet we can still be better. I don't know how many teams can set a school-record for wins and can say they still haven't reached their peak."With just two seniors, Lindsay Lane returns the bulk of its team next year. That includes three of its four all-state players, including Wallace and Cooper Abernathy, the ASWA's Class 2A Hitter of the Year.Thirty-three wins may be a school-record, but with so much talent and experience returning, Morrison believes his team is only scratching the surface."It doesn't matter if its in Class 2A of the AA private-school division, ultimately our goal is to win that blue map," Morrison said. "We had a lot of young guys this year that got a taste of it, that got so close. I think they're going to have that hunger next year to finish it."Lindsay Lane's path to a state title next year won't be easy. The Lions are set to share an area with top teams like Mars Hill, which ended the Lions season this year and advanced to the state finals, in the new private-school classification. The Lions are also beefing up their non-area schedule with schools from larger classifications such as Class 7A's Bob Jones.These games may make the road tougher, but the Lions know it's the price of now being viewed as one of Alabama's top baseball programs."I think we're getting a lot more recognition as the years go on. We're growing as a program, we're gaining respect, and I think Lindsay Lane is a team to keep your eye on going forward," Wallace said.— caleb.suggs@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2395. Twitter @CalebSuggs2

Joon Lee (Courtesy of Joon Lee)For most former ESPN employees, continuing their careers after leaving The Worldwide Leader in Sports is challenging. A lucky few land jobs at other media companies, and even fewer succeed on their own.Joon Lee is in the latter category. In true entrepreneurial spirit, he is working for himself as an independent sports journalist. Three years after being laid off from ESPN, he said his YouTube channel is thriving. He launched it in spring 2025 and now has more than 60,000 subscribers, aiming to reach 100,000 by summer’s end.We recently caught up with Lee to discuss his YouTube business and life after ESPN.Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity. What is it like being your own boss?Joon Lee: “It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been the most fun I’ve ever had in my career. I have the independence to talk about the topics I want to, the editorial freedom of being my own boss, and the ability to make those decisions. If I want to put together a documentary on Knicks fans and what they’ve been going through, I can just go out and shoot it. The turnaround from having an idea to publishing and putting it out there is very creatively invigorating and a lot of fun. I think that because I’m having fun, the audience is responding to it as well.”What else do you enjoy?“On top of having complete control over the editorial, I have complete control over the business. I own 100% of the business. I’ve got a contract sales team that’s helping me with sponsors and that kind of stuff. But having full control over the entire thing and over my future has been very empowering and very different from working for a publication as I did at ESPN or Bleacher Report.”What has been your favorite story so far?“I think having the opportunity to drive a NASCAR was definitely something that not only pushed me out of my comfort zone by literally doing it, but also by diving into a sport I haven’t necessarily followed super closely in the past. That was a lot of fun. I think it put me in a headspace to try a bunch of different stuff in the new year and take a new approach to handling the editorial and creative decisions behind the videos we’re making this year. I thought that was probably the most exhilarating, challenging thing I’ve done.”Why go the YouTube route?“If you look at my YouTube channel, you can see videos I made as a high schooler. I was reviewing tech products back in the day. This was in 2011 and 2012, when YouTube was blowing up. When I got to college, in my freshman year in 2013, I reached a fork in the road. I was like, OK, I’m either going to go all in on this tech-reviewing thing because it was starting to blow up, or I was seeing my friends in the space start building legit production companies, careers, and businesses out of their YouTube channels. This was in the early days of YouTube, before the idea of influencer or creator even existed. I was torn between ‘Should I try to pursue this tech YouTube thing, or should I try to pursue sports journalism?’ I just cared more about sports journalism, and I figured that YouTube would come back around.”So this was always part of the plan?“YouTube has always been my endgame. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do primarily, for the rest of my career. When I was a Bleacher Reporter at ESPN, it was what I cared about most in the long term because it combined my interests in long-form writing, video production, and all that. That was my goal, more than any of the numbers or view counts: to figure out how to make sure I could do sports on YouTube for the rest of my professional career and to give myself the foundation to do so. There are short-term goals, making sure I hit certain view counts and that a certain amount of revenue comes in so I can pay the bills. For me, it was always the big picture of trying to build a production company and eventually help other sports journalists make a similar leap that I’ve made.”Three years ago I got laid off from ESPN.Now I’m running a YouTube channel: profitable, 175K views a video, closing in on 60K subs.Goal: 100K by end of summer.If you believe sports journalism can be more — with no gambling ads — I’d love to take this journey together — Joon Lee (@joonlee) June 16, 2026What are some of the ways you prepared before launching last year?“When I got laid off from ESPN in 2023, I had two years left on my contract. ESPN enforced a non-compete clause. I wanted to launch a YouTube channel after I got laid off, but I wasn’t allowed to. I reached out to a lot of my tech YouTube friends and got a sense of how they were running their businesses. One particular person who called me was tech YouTuber Austin Evans. He and Ken Bolido run a channel under Austin’s name. I went out to Los Angeles and Anaheim to get a sense of how they run their business. I think they’ve got a community of almost 20-something people now. I was talking to them. I got some great advice from other journalists who had made the leap.”For people who haven’t experienced it, what is it like to be laid off?“It was my dream job. It was earth-shattering. I got to ESPN at 23, and I got laid off at 26. It was a dream I held for a decade of my life. It was in my grasp, and then it slipped through my fingers because of a layoff. When you combine how much I worked toward being at ESPN for such a long time, how much I sacrificed in terms of my personal life to get to a position where I could do that at the time I did in my career.“Thankfully, it gave me time to reinvest in my relationship, my fiancé, my family, and my friends. It was one of those moments that put life into perspective. In many ways, I think it prepared me to take a leap, to launch a small business and a YouTube channel, and to take on the financial and professional risks I’ve taken over the past 14 months or so.”Did anyone in particular reach out to you to offer support?“I would say, my family. I’m very much in debt to my therapist as well. From a professional standpoint, the three people who probably helped me the most are Tony Reali, Josh Bard, who was a producer on Around the Horn and a close friend of mine, a talented producer, and Bob Costas. A few months ago, Bob mentioned me on Brodie Brazil’s YouTube channel. Bob is someone I’ve started to lean on for advice and has given me a lot of perspective on navigating this career and on how to find balance between life and doing work that you’re passionate about and care about.”Surreal hearing the GOAT Bob Costas say this about my independent sports journalism on YouTube.He’s a huge inspiration for what we’re building. pic.twitter.com/RNgVyGrPcS — Joon Lee (@joonlee) March 11, 2026Can you explain your reasons for not accepting money from gambling or prediction markets?“As a sports fan, as someone who watches sports night to night on my couch, there were just so many gambling ads. I saw the way it was not only changing the way people were talking about sports. They were talking about sports almost exclusively through the lens of odds and over/unders, that kind of stuff, but also the stories that it forced out the door and weren’t getting covered. Thinking about the advice that I got from my friends who were already successful on YouTube and had made the leap from a more traditional journalism background, I saw an opportunity to cover a lot of stories that weren’t being covered because of the conflicts of interest on the business side that a lot of corporate sports media were encountering over the last few years.”What advice would you offer to someone who has been laid off?“I spent many years financially planning to eventually go independent and launch a YouTube channel. So when I was laid off, I was prepared because I had been preparing to launch a YouTube channel and a production company, and to do all the work I’m doing right now. I think the industry is in such a shaky place in terms of job security that you see people who were at major companies, where layoffs previously seemed impossible. All these major institutions are wobbling right now. I think it’s important to be able to plan financially for that.”The post Joon Lee: going independent has ‘been the most fun I’ve ever had’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.

There is no tailgating at MetLife Stadium, which is surrounded by swampland and highways. But there is a three-million-square-foot megamall nearby.

Gary Lineker said Harry Kane is “the greatest English striker we’ve ever had” after the England captain equalled his tally of World Cup goals for the side.Kane scored twice as England beat Croatia 4-2 in their Group L opener in Dallas on Wednesday, with Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford also on the scoresheet.The Bayern Munich star’s brace saw him move level with Lineker on 10 World Cup goals.Lineker quipped he reached double figures in two tournaments – 1986 in Mexico and 1990 in Italy – while Kane needed to reach his third World Cup to do so, after featuring in 2018 in Russia, when he won the Golden Boot, and 2022 in Qatar.But the former BBC Match of the Day host was unequivocal about where the England captain and all-time leading goal-scorer ranks among the nation’s strikers.“I’m absolutely delighted that Kane equalled my record,” Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast.“Welcome to the double-figures club. It’s great. I mean, it may have taken him a World Cup more.“In all seriousness, Harry Kane is, I think, the greatest English striker we’ve ever had. I genuinely think that now.“His all-round game is, for me, what separates him from all the others.”Kane making his impact felt straight away comes after Lionel Messi starred in Argentina’s win over Algeria with a hat-trick, while France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland have also hit the ground running in North America with two goals each.Lineker’s co-host and former England captain Alan Shearer said: “Harry Kane has seen Messi, Mbappe and Haaland all come on straight away and get the goals.”Addressing Lineker, Shearer added: “It’s only a matter of time before he breaks your record.”Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, controversially overlooked for a squad place by England head coach Thomas Tuchel, was also full of praise for Kane.Maguire said: “H is our best player, he’s one of the best players in the world. You can’t speak highly enough of him. On the pitch, he’s unbelievable, but off the pitch, he’s a massive leader.”

When John McGinn scored Scotland's first men's World Cup goal in 28 years in the 1-0 win over Haiti, the Aston Villa midfielder celebrated in customary fashion. Mimicking goggles with his hands turned upside down, the toast of the Tartan Army is raising awareness for his nephew Jack, who needs goggles to play football because of his poor eyesight.McGinn and his goggles have gone worldwide in recent days, with his name ringing out on the streets of Boston and on the Fenway Park bleachers. And the 31-year-old does not want any kids in Scotland - or indeed anywhere - to be put off being themselves, hence his iconic celebration. "It was for the last major tournament when I didn't score," McGinn told ITV Sport, when asked for the meaning behind the goggles.McGinn 'beaming with pride' - and hopes kids around Scotland are tooThe rise and rise of 'Meatball' McGinn"It was at the time where Jack was having serious discussions about his eye sight. It's probably as strong a lens as you can get for a child. When he takes his glasses off, you can see how much he struggles."But it's not just the reaction from him, and allowing him to be more comfortable playing football with his pals. It's the awareness for young kids all around Scotland, all around the world."McGinn, 31, says he harbours regrets about sometimes teasing other kids in his own youth for wearing glasses, now that he appreciates how challenging it can be.And he also told how parents have got in touch with him about the positive impact it has made on their children's lives."A lot of parents have got in contact and said 'you've inspired my son to keep his goggles on' or 'you've inspired my kids to have their eyes tested'."If my celebration brings awareness to that then that's the main thing. To do it on the world's biggest stage was special."World Cup fixtures and group standingsHow to watch the World Cup on the BBCEverything you need to know about the World Cup

Tom Bailey has taken 20 wickets in six Championship games in 2026 for Lancashire [Getty Images]Tom Bailey has signed a new one-year contract to stay with Lancashire for the 2027 county season.Bailey, 35, has spent his entire career with the Red Rose since making his debut in 2012.The Preston-born right-arm seamer has played 129 first-class matches and taken 444 wickets at an average of exactly 25, while he has taken 50 Championship wickets in a season on four occasions."I am delighted to extend my time with Lancashire and stay at Emirates Old Trafford for a 15th season in 2027," he told the club's website."It is special to still be able to call my boyhood county home."

Canada saw thousands of football supporters gather in Toronto on 17 June as Ghana claimed a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama in a FIFA World Cup Group L match. The winning goal came in the 95th minute when Caleb Yirenkyi found the net, sparking celebrations inside and outside Toronto Stadium. The result gave Ghana a valuable three points and prompted jubilant scenes among fans who had travelled from across Canada and beyond to support the team.Earlier in the day, supporters from both countries filled parks and streets across Canada's largest city. Ghanaian fans organised rallies featuring music, flags and community events before marching to the stadium, while Panamanian supporters gathered with drums and banners.Fans described the occasion as an opportunity to celebrate their heritage and connect with fellow supporters. The festive atmosphere lasted long after the final whistle, with the late winner turning an already colourful World Cup day in Toronto into a memorable occasion for Ghana's football community.

[BBC]The Proclaimers, AC/DC, Daft Punk and Lynard Skynard all have something in common this summer - and it’s because of the 2026 World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico.All four are among the artists whose songs have been selected by national teams to be played after every goal scored as their dedicated goal song.England supporters, particularly those with a soft spot for darts, had the privilege of listening to Planet Funk's ‘Chase the Sun’ four times on Wednesday night during England's 4-2 win over Croatia in their opening match.That was because the song, played regularly during major darts events such as the World Darts Championships and Premier League Darts, was chosen by the Football Association as England's dedicated goal song to be played following every goal they score during the tournament.It was quickly adopted by England fans both in Dallas and back home. Sections of the crowd could be heard singing along during parts of the game, even when it was not being played.Scotland opted for I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers. Other choices have included AC/DC's ‘Thunderstruck’ by Australia, Daft Punk's ‘One More Time’ by France, while co-hosts the United States opted for a remixed version of ‘Free Bird’ by Lynyrd Skynyrd.Fans of Germany and Curacao had the dubious honour of hearing ‘Major Tom‘ by Peter Schilling - song inspired by David Bowie - seven times during Germany’s thrashing of the debutants.Goal songs are becoming increasingly popular across the world of football. Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Crystal Palace are example of clubs who currently use them.During the first full round of group stage fixtures, 40 of the 48 nations scored at least one goal, meaning all sides have had their dedicated goal song played at least once.Who picks the songs are what are the rules?England fans were singing along to Planet Funk's Chase the Sun in Dallas during their 4-2 win over Croatia [Getty Images]The process of song selection is very simple.Football associations from each of the 48 nations were asked to select two songs each.One of those is the song to be played every time they score a goal, the other is played at the conclusion of a match in the event that the team wins.England fans got to sing along to ‘Three Lions’ by David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and The Lightning Seeds in Dallas after beating Croatia.Australia used ‘Land Down Under’ by Men At Work as their dedicated victory song following their 2-0 win over Turkey.What have been some of the surprise picks?A lot of song choices have immediately made sense, given their popularity in their home nations.But there have been some other selections that have been a bit more on the unusual side.‘Maria (I Like It Loud)’ by dance artist Scooter was chosen as Austria’s goal song.The Czech Republic selected a version of popular football fan anthem Seven Nation Army’ originally made famous by The White Stripes. Their modernised and more upbeat selection was released by Mickie Krause.Less unusual, but perhaps still a surprise that they picked it, is Gala's ‘Freed From Desire‘ as the selection from Switzerland.This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.More questions answered...Why has Erling Haaland added 'Braut' to Norway shirt?Who are the World Cup's record holders?Who are the oldest players to feature at a World Cup?BBC or ITV? Inside how World Cup broadcast picks are made

Millions of LBGTQ+ Americans and allies will march, cheer, and celebrate at Pride events this weekend. The Onion looks at the key facts and figures behind Pride. 120,000% Increase in monthly nipple tassel sales from May to June 16.3 mph Top speed of Pride parade float when hunting 294 Moms who are trying to be supportive but wish the music was less vulgar $15 Cost of a so-called “Special Pride Margarita” that tastes suspiciously like a regular margarita 3 Homophobic slurs weaponized, reclaimed, weaponized, then reclaimed again 7 Exes spotted $14.29 Price of a Chick-fil-A combo meal that no one will know about if you stay in your car and eat it really fast 3 Pats on the back your dad gets for having a gay friend The post Pride By The Numbers appeared first on The Onion.

WASHINGTON—Hailing the exclusive gathering as an opportunity to usher in an era of peace and goodwill, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hosted a lively meet-and-greet Thursday with a variety of the world’s infectious diseases. “In the spirit of friendship and mutual understanding, the United States is proud to welcome some of the most contagious bacteria and viruses ever to infect the human biome,” said Kennedy, who, following his opening remarks, waded into a reception room at his department’s headquarters and allowed over 10 billion of the invited microbes to spread through his lungs, digestive tract, and brain as a gesture of trust and a symbol of hope for the future. “Sadly, until now, ignorance has often prevented us from occupying the same space as hantavirus, Ebola, malaria, and so many other pathogens. But today marks a new day—in this room and very soon throughout America. While we can’t go back in time and infect those who lived their lives without tuberculosis, we can commit, together, to making sure future generations are more fortunate.” Kennedy concluded his greeting to his guests with a poignant remembrance of the eradicated disease smallpox. The post RFK Jr. Hosts Meet-And-Greet With Infectious Diseases appeared first on The Onion.

The Food and Drug Administration approved bemotrizinol, the first new sunscreen ingredient to be permitted since 1999, bringing the U.S. closer to other countries who have allowed the UV-blocking compound for decades. What do you think? “I’ll stick with mud wallows, thank you very much.” Hilda Withiam, Horn Tuner “Thank God. My bemotrizinol dealer’s apartment smells like wet dog.” Dominic Santos, Biscuit Slicer “We dare not provoke mighty Ra.” Walker Mulligan, Goat Wrangler The post FDA Approves First New Sunscreen Ingredient In Over 25 Years appeared first on The Onion.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL—Calling the move a long-overdue fix for one of the sport’s most glaring flaws, PGA tour officials announced plans Thursday to begin stationing goalies in front of every golf hole. “For far too long, golfers have faced virtually no resistance when trying to put the ball in the cup, and fans have grown tired of watching players sink the ball on literally every hole,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, explaining that the addition of 6-foot-5 netminders in full pads would finally force players to earn each birdie instead of simply knocking the ball toward an entirely unprotected hole. “At some point, we had to ask ourselves: How is this a real competition if the hole just sits there and lets everything in? There’s no challenge. These guys have been getting away with tap-ins for decades, but now let’s see them try that with a 240-pound goalie dropping into a butterfly stance.” At press time, several top golfers were reportedly practicing dekes after being informed the new goalies would not be fooled by players reading the break. The post PGA Tour Introduces Goalies appeared first on The Onion.

ST. LOUIS—Immediately ruining decades of graceful maneuvering to avoid discussion of the specific details of her upbringing, area woman Marissa Allen’s accidental mention of her guest house Thursday reportedly blew years of subterfuge to conceal her family’s wealth from friends. “No, no, it’s really more of a pool house, actually,” said Allen, unsuccessfully attempting to walk back the momentary slip that completely burned years of precisely worded text messages, emails, and conversations about her family life. “We honestly just rent it out as an Airbnb most of the time—you know, for extra passive income. Plus, we converted most of the guest house into a stable for the horses. I promise I’m middle-class just like you guys. Upper-middle-class at best.” At press time, Allen was heard frantically attempting to rebuild her humble, down-to-earth image by clarifying that her family owned a very modest castle in the Swiss Alps. The post Accidental Mention Of Guest House Blows Years Of Subterfuge To Conceal Family’s Wealth From Friends appeared first on The Onion.

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BOSTON, MA - MARCH 4: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his goal against the New York Rangers during the third period at the TD Garden on March 4, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins won 4-2. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) | Getty Images In a move that was merely a matter of time, the Bruins announced Thursday morning that they’ll be retiring Patrice Bergeron’s #37 during the 2026-2027 season.Bergeron’s jersey retirement comes on the heels of the B’s retiring Zdeno Chara’s #33 last season, and the Bergeron honor likely isn’t the last one from that golden (modern) era of Bruins hockey.The B’s released the graphic below along with their announcement, one that they’ll use to promote the retirement in the run-up to the actual ceremony:The graphic has plenty of nice details, including a silhouette of the Selke Trophy at the top and six gold stars, a nod to his six Selke Trophy wins.The image of Bergeron used in the graphic comes from a famous photo of what was arguably Bergeron’s most memorable Bruins goal, the game-winning OT goal in Game 7 against Toronto back in 2013.Bergeron was a lifetime Bruin, spending his entire 19-season NHL career in Boston. He was drafted by the B’s in 2003, making his NHL debut at just 18 years old.Over the course of his career, Bergeron played 1,294 regular season games for the Bruins, recording 427G-613A-1,040PTS totals.It’s worth noting that those totals would likely be significantly higher had Bergeron not missed the equivalent of just about a full season between 2007-2009 as he dealt with the effects of multiple concussions, most notably the one that came via a dirty hit by Randy Jones of the Philadelphia Flyers.Bergeron also had 119 points (44G-75A) over the course of 163 playoff games.One of the most complete two-way players of his generation, Bergeron was recently inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame, and an induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame isn’t far off.From a press release from the Bruins:“To have my number retired by the Boston Bruins is an honor that is difficult to put into words,” said Patrice Bergeron. “When I arrived in Boston as an 18-year-old, I could never have imagined receiving this recognition one day. I have always believed that any success I had was only possible because of the people around me. I was fortunate to play alongside incredible teammates, learn from outstanding coaches and staff and be supported by an organization that believed in me from the very beginning. I am especially grateful to my family for the sacrifices they made that allowed me to pursue my dream. This honor belongs to all of them as much as it belongs to me. To Bruins fans across New England, thank you for welcoming a young French Canadian and making this place feel like home. Every time I stepped onto the ice, I felt the privilege and responsibility that comes with wearing the Spoked-B, and I always tried to represent this organization and community the right way. I am deeply humbled and grateful to be connected to the history of the Boston Bruins. To know that No. 37 will forever be part of that history is something I will cherish for the rest of my life.”Bergeron’s #37 will be the 14th number retired by the Bruins.The date and time for the retirement ceremony hasn’t been set yet, but will likely be announced as we get closer to the start of next season.If you want to experience a wave of nostalgia, here’s a sampling of highlights from Bergeron’s storied career:

Heavy fog shown around the clubhouse at Shinnecock halted play for two hours before lifting to allow the 126th US Open to resume (Warren Little)Play resumed in Thursday's first round of the 126th US Open after heavy fog halted the competition for two hours at Shinnecock.The fog shrouded the 7,440-yard course and stopped golfers after only 30 minutes with just 18 players on the course.Americans Caleb Surratt and James Nicholas had parred the first two holes to share the early lead.Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, needing a victory to complete a career Grand Slam, was set for a revised 10:14 a.m. (1414 GMT) start off the first tee with second-ranked Rory McIlroy going off the 10th tee at 9:52 a.m.The delay makes it unlikely the first round will be completed before sunset.js/ea

Real Madrid identify two key players as candidates for summer exitReal Madrid are preparing to spend big this summer, but in order to do this, funds must be recouped from sales. They’re about to receive €20m as part of Victor Munoz’s move from Osasuna to Liverpool, but more will be needed to ensure that they can afford to bring in all of their desired targets during the upcoming transfer window.One way to guarantee this is for a big sale to be made. Mourinho wants a fresh start at the Bernabeu after two dismal seasons in a row, and the consequence of this could be that one or two familiar faces are moved on – and Real Madrid are already preparing for this, with candidates having already been lined up.According to Diario AS, Real Madrid would be prepared to entertain offers for French midfield pair Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga. Both players are no longer considered to be non-transferable, with various factors having worked against them in recent months.Why are Real Madrid willing to sell Camavinga and Tchouameni?Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty ImagesIn Camavinga’s case, he had a very poor 2025-26 season. When he wasn’t injured, he struggled for any sort of form, and that meant he was regularly left out of the starting line-up. If Mourinho continues this, it would make sense to cash in on while his value is still high.As for Tchouameni, his fight with Fede Valverde at the end of last season has left his future with an asterisk. The pair have since made up, but Real Madrid cannot afford a similar incident to occur in the future, which gives them a reasons to sell the 26-year-old, especially as he is attracting interest from Chelsea.It’ll be interesting to see whether moves are made towards selling Camavinga or Tchouameni, but right now, neither player is assured of their place at Real Madrid next season.

Fermin Lopez central midfield of Barcelona and Spain celebrates the victory after winning the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Spotify Camp Nou on May 10, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images Barcelona star Fermin Lopez has sent out a positive message on social media as he continues his recovery from a fractured metatarsal that saw him miss out on World Cup 2026 with Spain.The midfielder sustained the injury against Real Betis and was forced to undergo surgery. Lopez admitted at the time it was a tough blow to take but is now feeling more positive.He’s posted a compilation of some great moments from last season on Instagram and added the words: “Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”View this post on InstagramLopez is expected to miss a couple of months with his injury, with Barcelona confirming this week that their first pre-season match will take place against Birmingham City on July 31st.Hansi Flick’s side are due to start pre-season training on July 13th and will then travel to England and be based at St George’s Park from 27 July to 3 August.

New York Knicks owner James Dolan is willing to write “as big a check as possible” to keep his championship roster intact this offseason … but only to a certain point. Dolan said he’s unwilling to put the team into the second apron despite its championship, according to ESPN.Dolan made those comments during an appearance on WFAN in New York, directly saying, “We cannot go into the second apron.” He repeated that sentiment multiple times during the appearance, calling the second apron “suicidal” and saying he “can't write a check into the second apron.”The second apron is a financial threshold that triggers harsh penalties for any team that exceeds it. Since the NBA operates with a soft cap, teams can exceed the salary cap. But doing so comes with penalties. There are two aprons NBA teams can fall into if they exceed the cap. The first is appropriately called the first apron, and is for teams that slightly exceed the salary cap. The punishment for doing so involves restrictions on sign-and-trades, signing mid-level exception players and salary matching in deals. If a team goes over that first limit, it enters the second apron. Teams in the second apron face even harsher penalties from the league. In addition to all the restrictions from the first apron, teams that reach the second apron cannot pick up mid-level exception players, lose the ability to trade their first-round pick for seven years and are not allowed to include cash in trades, among other restrictions. Teams generally try hard to make sure they don’t wind up in the second apron. It was the reason the Boston Celtics offloaded both Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis last offseason. The Knicks came exceptionally close to exceeding the second apron last season, falling just $200,000 below that limit, per ESPN. That could make it extremely hard for the team to retain its entire championship roster this offseason and stay below the second apron.If there’s good news for Knicks fans, the team’s starting lineup isn’t in danger of leaving. All five members of the starting lineup are under contract for next season. If the Knicks are going to lose players, it will be rotational pieces. Players like Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet will hit the market. Jose Alvarado could too depending on whether he opts into his $4.5 million option. While losing those players would be a blow, the Knicks should remain a highly-competitive team next season. Dolan said he was willing to “write as big a check as possible” to retain talent, so it will be up to team president Leon Rose to best prioritize how to spend that money without reaching the second apron.

Adam Trapski had his first brush with motorsports in the 1990s in New Zealand, when he was a young flag marshal. That’s one of the race officials you see along the track waving flags at drivers to share critical road conditions. Trapski’s family had a problem with that, and more. Related “Singing activist” Gregory Marks had a long career helping LGBTQ+ people mourn “When I was growing up, my parents were homophobic and anti-motorsport. They didn’t like me being involved in the sport. So it was not a great family environment in that respect,” he told LGBTQ Nation.They kicked the queer early-twentysomething out of the house on both accounts. Trapski didn’t race cars as a kid, as if that was a possibility. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today “My first car was a horrible lime green-colored Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback called Kermit, followed by a four-door 1980 Ford Escort RS2000.” Neither car was ready for the racetrack. It wasn’t until almost 30 years later that the one-time flag marshal settled in behind the wheel of a racecar. “I was 52 years old when I first started circuit racing in 2023, with no prior karting or racing experience,” Trapski says. He calls race day “sheer adrenaline.” “It’s the most rewarding, fun-filled, and exciting thing that you can ever possibly do,” he says. Not to keep the excitement to himself, Trapski set out on a mission to give back by assembling a young, all-LGBTQ+ racing team. Trapski had spent the intervening years between his racetrack forays volunteering with LGBTQ+ organizations, such as the New Zealand AIDS Foundation, the country’s first gay and lesbian Dragon Boat group, and its first gay rugby team. He wanted to give young, queer motorsports enthusiasts like him the chance to share in the fun in his new home in Australia. “I wanted to provide a safe space and team environment for anyone who was LGBTQ+ to get involved in motorsport,” he says. None had previous experience racing or otherwise. The result was the first all-LGBTQ+ motorsports team in the land Down Under. “All current members of my team are from the LGBTQ+ community, which is fantastic,” Trapski says. “I have not heard of another purely LGBTQ+ race team anywhere in the world.” Trapski also knew the right sponsorship was important for what would be a highly visible LGBTQ+ sports team. His “sponsors” are one homegrown nonprofit and a major LGBTQ+ sports advocacy organization. Trapski finances the team himself. “The Rainbow Shoelace Project was created by then-12-year-old Abbie Jane, who was getting bullied at school because of her sexuality. They supply my team with beads and marketing material from their project, and I get to promote an amazing idea, created by someone passionate about fighting back against homophobia.” “I even wear Rainbow beads on my race boots!” Trapski shares. Proud2Play helps promote LGBTQ+ inclusion and understanding in all forms of sport in Australia and around the world. The team enters “as many track events, club ‘sprint’ days, and race meetings” as they can, primarily around Victoria, which includes Melbourne in Australia’s southern-most state. Four volunteers make up Trapski’s team, in roles covering “everything from simple repairs, tire changing, and temperature monitoring to refueling, in-car camera set-up, and answering questions from the public regarding our team and our sponsors.” At the center of it all is a major upgrade from Trapski’s first two beaters: a right drive 1990 BMW E30 325i, with a 5-speed manual gearbox and top speed of 124 mph, maybe higher after some recent modifications. The team’s latest E30 Championship outing in 2025 saw them place 7th out of 21 entries. Trapski calls his “rainbow crew, sponsors and supporters” three of his favorite things about his late-in-life racing career, aside from the sheer thrill of the driving. Those supporters include Michael Goode, Australia’s first openly gay top-tier racing driver. “The biggest reward,” however, “has been meeting the parents of my pit crew, and others who have thanked me for creating hope for their children, by creating a safe LGBTQ+ race team and opportunities for young people to get involved in the sport that I love.” Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

There is no tailgating at MetLife Stadium, which is surrounded by swampland and highways. But there is a three-million-square-foot megamall nearby.

In this latest installment of the popular franchise, Woody and Buzz Lightyear are back and must contend with Bonnie’s mesmerizing new toy.

Elye Wahi denied entry to Canada ahead of Ivory Coast’s World Cup clash with GermanyIvory Coast striker Elye Wahi has been denied entry to Canada ahead of his country’s second World Cup group-stage match against Germany.The 23-year-old will miss Saturday’s fixture in Toronto after failing to obtain the administrative authorisations required to enter Canadian territory.The development comes just days after Wahi featured in Ivory Coast’s opening World Cup victory over Ecuador in the United States.The forward started the match in Philadelphia and played an important role before being substituted during the second half.However, he will now remain in the United States while the rest of the Ivory Coast squad travels to Canada for their next Group E encounter.The Ivory Coast Football Federation confirmed the situation in an official statement on Thursday.The federation stressed that it has not received any formal notification of judicial or administrative proceedings involving the player and reiterated its support for him.“Elye Wahi remains an important part of the national team of Ivory Coast,” the statement read.The federation also confirmed that Wahi would stay in the United States while officials continue to monitor developments.The news follows reports that Wahi is the subject of an ongoing investigation in France.It was reported on Wednesday that the striker was arrested by French police on May 29 as part of an inquiry into alleged fixing offences.The investigation is reportedly examining whether Wahi deliberately received a yellow card while playing for Nice in a Ligue 1 match against Metz on May 17.French authorities have confirmed that an investigation is ongoing, although Wahi has not been charged with any offence.After being questioned, the striker was released from police custody and subsequently travelled to North America to join Ivory Coast for the World Cup.The Ligue de Football Professionnel later confirmed that proceedings were underway following reports of unusual betting activity linked to a booking received by Wahi during the match in question.The practice, commonly referred to as spot-fixing, involves the alleged manipulation of specific incidents within a game rather than the final result itself.Despite the investigation, Wahi was permitted to take part in Ivory Coast’s opening World Cup fixture and remains eligible to represent his country.His absence against Germany, however, represents a significant setback for the African side as they look to build on their opening victory.Ivory Coast currently sit in a strong position in Group E after their win over Ecuador and will be hoping to secure qualification for the knockout stages.Whether Wahi will be available again later in the tournament remains unclear, with the federation stating only that it will continue to monitor the situation while the player remains in the United States.

The Boston Bruins announced Thursday that they will raise Patrice Bergeron’s iconic No. 37 to the rafters — cementing his legacy as one of the greatest to ever wear the Black and Gold.Bruins Owner Jeremy Jacobs called Bergeron “an all-time legend.”“Patrice was the kind of rare, generational talent that every team wanted,” Jacobs said in a statement announcing the retirement ceremony. “He was a deftly skilled playmaker and the undeniable greatest defensive forward in the NHL’s history. But it was the leadership he provided on the ice and in the locker room that made him truly stand apart and an all-time legend of the Boston Bruins.”Bergeron, who was selected 45th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, debuted with the Bruins on Oct. 8, 2003, and went on to spend his entire 19-season career in Boston before retiring in July 2023.Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs described Bergeron as “the ultimate professional.”“Throughout his 20 years with the Boston Bruins, Patrice Bergeron was the ultimate professional, demonstrating a unique blend of leadership, integrity, humility, and class,” Jacobs said. “Patrice consistently set the standard on and off the ice, becoming one of the best players in the game while demonstrating for the next generation what it meant to be a Bruin. As one of the greatest to ever wear the Black and Gold, it is only fitting that his No. 37 makes its way to the Garden rafters.”Bergeron appeared in 1,294 career games, recording 427 goals and 613 assists for 1,040 points, becoming the fourth player to record 1,000 points for Boston.Bruins President Cam Neely praised Bergeron as “one of the greatest two-way forwards the game has seen.”“Across his remarkable 20-year career, Patrice Bergeron established himself as one of the greatest two-way forwards the game has seen and as a cornerstone to one of the most successful periods of Bruins hockey in our franchise’s history,” Neely said. “But what elevates Patrice even further is that he made us proud each and every time he pulled on the Spoked-B. He led with humility, integrity, and respect for everyone around him, setting a tone of inclusivity and collaboration that was vital to our success. Patrice remains someone that our organization, our fans, our city, and our sport can look up to. And now, we will all get to look up to the rafters and see No. 37 for generations to come, securing Patrice’s legacy as one of the very best to ever don the Black & Gold.”Bergeron won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011 and appeared in two additional Stanley Cup Finals in 2013 and 2019. The L’Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec, native ranks third in franchise history in games played, goals, and points, and fourth in assists. He also ranks third in game-winning goals, fifth in power play goals, and multi-assist games, and third in overtime points.Bergeron, who leads Boston skaters with 15,182 faceoff wins, notably won the Selke Trophy a record six times, an award given annually to the forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game.He said having his number retired is something he’ll “cherish for the rest of my life.”“To have my number retired by the Boston Bruins is an honor that is difficult to put into words. When I arrived in Boston as an 18-year-old, I could never have imagined receiving this recognition one day. I have always believed that any success I had was only possible because of the people around me. I was fortunate to play alongside incredible teammates, learn from outstanding coaches and staff, and be supported by an organization that believed in me from the very beginning,” Bergeron said. “I am especially grateful to my family for the sacrifices they made that allowed me to pursue my dream. This honor belongs to all of them as much as it belongs to me. To Bruins fans across New England, thank you for welcoming a young French Canadian and making this place feel like home. Every time I stepped onto the ice, I felt the privilege and responsibility that comes with wearing the Spoked-B, and I always tried to represent this organization and community the right way. I am deeply humbled and grateful to be connected to the history of the Boston Bruins. To know that No. 37 will forever be part of that history is something I will cherish for the rest of my life.”Bergeron’s No. 37 will be the 14th number retired by the organization.The Bruins said that details on the date and time of the number retirement ceremony, as well as ticket information, will be shared at a later date.Bergeron is expected to speak about the plan to retire his number during a 12 p.m. news conference at Warrior Ice Arena.Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

New York City is in full celebration mode Thursday — as the New York Knicks will make their way down the Canyon of Heroes for a victory parade unlike any the city has seen in decades, if ever. The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win their first NBA title since 1973. Jalen Brunson picked up the MVP honors, though OG Anunoby was a strong contender off of his iconic tip-in basket to secure the Knicks’ historic comeback win in Game 4. Millions of New Yorkers are already lining the parade route, which the NYPD has said is now full. The parade will culminate at City Hall, where Mayor Zohran Mamdani will present the team with keys to the city in a ceremony at 2 p.m. ET. The festivities will take place throughout the morning and afternoon. Watch above, via the New York Post. The post WATCH LIVE: NY Knicks Celebrate NBA Championship Win With Massive NYC Parade first appeared on Mediaite.

Oban Elliott has a professional record of 12 wins and four losses [Getty Images]Welsh welterweight Oban Elliott will return to action against Brazil's Michael Oliveira in Belgrade, Serbia on Saturday, 1 August.Elliott is on a two-fight losing streak following a submission defeat to Australian Jonathan Micallef in January.The 28-year-old from Merthyr Tydfil won his first three bouts in the promotion and will be hoping to return to winning ways against Oliveira.Oliveira is making his full UFC debut after earning a contract on Dana White's Contender Series in October 2025, a feat matched by Elliott in August 2023.The Brazilian holds an unbeaten professional record of nine wins and no losses, with eight of his wins coming by way of stoppage.It is the first time the UFC is hosting an event in Serbia with home favourite Uros Medic fighting American Daniel Rodriguez in the main event at the Belgrade Arena.Machado Garry to face Makhachev for UFC titleAspinall ready for September return against GaneMMA schedule and results 2026

Pirates Named As Fit For Former 31-Home Run Catcher Ahead Of Deadline originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Pittsburgh Pirates are battling for a playoff spot and could be buyers ahead of the August 3 MLB trade deadline.Pittsburgh was aggressive this offseason to bolster the roster and that could continue on the trade front. The Pirates could look to add an impact bat and ESPN’s Jeff Passan named the Pirates as one of the top fits for Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers.“Jeffers should return from a hamate bone fracture well before the deadline, and he's clearly the best catcher available,” Passan wrote in an article published on Wednesday. “Few contending teams are actively interested in acquiring a catcher, which muddies the situation slightly. The Yankees are the obvious match. Other options could emerge, including the Pirates if Endy Rodriguez doesn't continue raking and the same for the Padres and Luis Campusano. “And Jeffers certainly has the bat to carry at DH. This one might take time to develop as Minnesota seeks leverage. Best fits: Yankees, Rays, Rangers, Diamondbacks, Pirates, Padres.”Although Jeffers is still injured, if he can return before the deadline and prove he’s healthy, he will be sought after. Jeffers can start at catcher for the Pirates and be an impact bat for the team.Jeffers is hitting .295 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs this season. His best year was in 2024, as he had 21 home runs and 64 RBIs. The 29-year-old is a pending free agent, so the cost to acquire him likely wouldn’t be that high.More MLB: Ryan O'Hearn Believes He's 'Trending In The Right Direction' After 6 RBI Game

Resident Samih Haidar reacts as he inspects his burned apartment damaged in Israeli strikes in the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)2026-06-18T12:31:44Z TYRE, Lebanon (AP) — Adnan Kaour returned on Thursday to check on his home in southern Lebanon ‘s coastal city of Tyre — once known as an idyllic summer getaway spot — just a week after Israel issued warnings for all of its residents to evacuate. The warnings were followed by sweeping airstrikes on the city, which Israel said targeted the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group. What Kaour found back in Tyre, shattered his hopes — his dream family apartment overlooking the shimmering Mediterranean Sea was a heap of rubble and shattered glass. His return coincided with the announcement of an agreement between the United States and Iran to end the war in the Middle East. The deal also calls for an end to the war in Lebanon, where Israel has been fighting Hezbollah, but it’s unclear what that means in practice.Israel and Hezbollah are not parties to the agreement. Iran insists Israel must withdraw from the large swath of southern Lebanon it is occupying, but the wording of the interim deal doesn’t explicitly require that and only ensures Lebanon’s “territorial integrity.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to comment following the signing of the deal though Israel has vowed to keep its troops in Lebanon while Hezbollah says it’s committed to resisting Israel. Fighting between the two sides, which was still underway on Wednesday in villages and towns of southern Lebanon, could derail the deal. Many hope the US-Iran deal signals better timesFor residents in the south of crisis-battered Lebanon, hopes of better times are mixed with skepticism —there had been too many ceasefire announcements that had failed to halt the fighting.Kaour lives in Germany, but spends most of the summer in Tyre. Last month, when an Israeli strike hit their street without warning, he was a abroad with his family.When he returned, he saw his building, with a popular sweets shop and an electronics store on the ground floor, was still standing, unlike surrounding structures — buildings that were all leveled to the ground. Read More But the walls and the windows of his apartment had been blasted out. He was relieved his family had not been there, he said. They all survived. “I’m hopeful for peace, and God willing this is the end of the war, and everyone can go back to their homes,” he said. “We are living abroad, but our minds are here in our country.” Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Outside, the street filled quickly with people trying to clear the rubble. Kaour’s neighbor one floor above, Samih Haidar had also just returned and found his door bolted by wooden boards. He tried to kick them down, but failed, then anxiously waited as two men who had been clearing rubble on another floor came and unscrewed the bolts.Through a gap, Haidar climbed in. He didn’t know what to expect — he had rented the apartment out to a family displaced from another area in the south, people who were close to a trusted friend of his.Then his anxiety turned into shock: broken furniture, shattered glass, rubble and a burned out kitchen. Neighbors told him the kitchen caught fire after the strike. He slowly walked through each room, quietly filming with his phone. He doesn’t know what became of the family — displaced from Tyre like scores of others, he presumed. He wants to hope, he said. “We want things to work out and live in safety, so there can be stability for us and everyone else,” Haidar said.Morning strikes pierce a tenuous ceasefireLebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported several Israeli drone strikes on Thursday morning in the country’s south, including one on a car in the town of Kfar Tebnit that killed one person and critically wounded another.Israel did not comment on the strikes.To the north, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) away, displaced families huddled along the waterfront in Beirut, Lebanon’s capital. Most of them have sleeping in tents for months, living day-to-day in limbo. For others, it’s a bench or a mattress on the ground. Many said they’re not convinced that the U.S.-Iran deal will hold or that they will be able to return to their homes — if they still have homes to return to. In the border area close to Israel, many Lebanese villages have been almost completely demolished. “I haven’t felt relieved at all,” said Mohammed Ashmar, displaced from the border village of Deir Seryan, holding a cup of coffee and sitting near his tent on the waterfront. “Until I get back to my home ... I won’t be convinced of anything.”The Israel-Hezbollah war has displaced more than 1 million people in Lebanon, and killed nearly 3,900, according to Lebanese officials. About 30 Israeli soldiers and a defense contractor have been killed in or near southern Lebanon, and two civilians have been killed in northern Israel, according to Netanyahu’s office.Speaking during a visit by foreign dignitaries on Thursday, Lebanon’s Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed said the country faces urgent humanitarian needs but also the daunting task of planning for the return of displaced families and reconstruction of the destroyed areas. “The Lebanese people deserve peace,” she said. “They deserve to return safely to their homes, rebuild their communities, and look to the future with confidence and hope.”___Associated Press journalist Fadi Tawil in Beirut contributed to this report. KAREEM CHEHAYEB Chehayeb is an Associated Press reporter in Beirut. twitter instagram mailto

An Israeli soldier occupies a military position overlooking the so-called Yellow Line in the central Gaza Strip, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)2026-06-18T11:49:48Z JERUSALEM (AP) — Over the past two and a half years, Israel has taken control of swaths of Gaza, Lebanon and Syria that amount to its biggest expansion of militarily occupied lands in decades.It is an area larger than many major cities — roughly 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) — and Israel has said it plans to stay indefinitely. The land seizures began in the aftermath of Hamas’ 2023 cross-border attack, which ignited wars on multiple fronts. The Israeli military took over large portions of Gaza as part of a broad invasion, and later seized control of chunks of Lebanon and Syria.Israel calls these areas “buffer zones” and says they are needed to prevent future attacks by militant groups.In Gaza and Lebanon, Israeli land seizures and evacuation warnings have pushed out more than 3 million people, and troops have demolished towns and neighborhoods, creating large, depopulated zones. The “buffer zones” — equivalent to roughly 5% of Israel’s area soon after its founding — are not new borders, which require an agreement between two countries. But many fear these changes could become long-lasting. Iran has made Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon a condition for ending its war with the U.S. Since its founding in 1948, Israel has never had clear borders. Its boundaries have shifted through wars, annexations, ceasefires and peace agreements.Here is a deeper look at the Israeli expansions: Read More LebanonIsrael and Hezbollah have fought multiple wars since the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group was formed in 1982.Israel occupied much of southern Lebanon between 1982–2000, saying it was necessary to protect northern Israeli communities. After Israel’s withdrawal in 2000, the U.N. drew up a boundary between the two countries.A year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah ended with an October 2024 ceasefire. That truce collapsed in March, days into the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Following missile and drone attacks by Hezbollah, Israel launched a ground invasion into Lebanon. When fighting was halted in April, Israel said the military would occupy an area up to 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Israel now holds 608 square kilometers (234 square miles) in Lebanon, according to experts with the Carnegie Middle East Center.Evacuation warnings have forced about 1.2 million Lebanese to flee, and Israel has warned civilians against returning.Hezbollah has condemned Israel’s presence inside Lebanon, and the Lebanese government has called for Israel to withdraw.GazaIsrael seized the Gaza Strip from Egypt in the 1967 Mideast War. It unilaterally withdrew troops and settlers from the territory in 2005.Hamas militants overran the territory two years later, and their Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel launched the devastating war in Gaza.When the Gaza ceasefire went into effect in October 2025, Israel withdrew its troops to a zone demarcated by the so-called “yellow line,” giving it control of just over half the strip.Almost the entire population of Gaza, more than 2 million people, has been squeezed into vast, squalid tent cities dependent on international aid. The military has bulldozed or demolished wide swaths of the zone, and the area, where most of Gaza’s agricultural land lies, is inaccessible to Palestinians. Israeli forces are meant to complete a fuller withdrawal under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire. But the U.S.-backed diplomat overseeing the truce says progress is deadlocked over the central sticking point of disarming Hamas.With the ceasefire process stuck, Israel has since moved the line west and expanded its control to more than 60% of Gaza — 194 square kilometers (75 square miles), according to rights group Gisha. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli control of Gaza will increase to 70%. SyriaIsrael captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it -- a move not widely recognized by the international community.After the 1973 Mideast war, the U.N. created a buffer zone in southern Syria next to the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, patrolled by a U.N. force of about 1,100 troops.In December 2024, after the surprise downfall of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Israel moved its troops into the U.N. buffer zone, saying it was concerned that Syrian rebels could attack Israel. It also wanted to disrupt Iran’s ability to smuggle weapons through Syria to Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.The U.N. and other critics say the seizure of land violates a 1974 ceasefire agreement. Civilians in the area have not been instructed to evacuate but have faced checkpoints and tension, with occasional clashes between Israeli soldiers and villagers.Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has called on Israel to withdraw from the area that the U.N. says is 235 square kilometers (91 square miles). West BankSince capturing the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war, Israel has built well over 100 settlements across the occupied territory.The government has approved 47 new settlements and formalized or expanded 55 existing settlements just since 2022, according to Peace Now.After the war in Gaza began, Israel expanded its military operations in the West Bank, displacing tens of thousands of Palestinians from their homes. Some of the new settlements approved recently are retroactive legalizations of tiny outposts, while others are neighborhoods of existing settlements.The precipitous growth of settlements stems from settler leaders and supporters holding key positions in Israel’s government and a U.S. administration that is largely pro-settlement. The international community considers them illegal. The expanded settlements have put enormous restrictions on the daily lives of Palestinians, who view them as the main barrier to a lasting peace agreement because they are built on lands they seek for a future state.___Jarrett reported from London. MELANIE LIDMAN Lidman is an Associated Press reporter based in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)2026-06-18T13:10:48Z BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has reached out to Moscow in a tentative bid to open a line of communication so the continent is not sidelined in any potential talks to end Russia’s grinding war in Ukraine, officials said Thursday.The news emerged as Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone attacks since Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor more than four years ago, Russian officials said Thursday. A major Moscow oil refinery was hit for a second time in a week and commercial flights at Moscow airports were disrupted.Against the backdrop of conflict, the EU has been quietly seeking to reopen communications with Moscow even as it doubles down on its support for Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, has tried to cut out Europe and Kyiv and negotiate Ukraine’s future with Washington.“⁠In the past few weeks, brief contacts were made at diplomatic level to open communication channels but nothing was discussed on substance,” an EU official with knowledge of the approach said on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive move. A second official, also speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on the matter, confirmed the Russia outreach is taking place but declined to comment further. “In any future scenario, the EU has specific interests that will need to be defended, therefore it is important to have established diplomatic channels with Russia. The EU is not a mediator. It supports Ukraine in its efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace,” the first official added. The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Putin has repeatedly said Europe cannot play any kind of mediation role in settling the conflict but has not ruled out speaking to the EU. Read More “We have never refused contacts with representatives of the European Union in any format,” he said earlier this month. “We are not rejecting contacts. If they want to talk, they know how to reach us. They can pick up the phone and call. If they want to come, they are welcome to do so. It is not Russia that is refusing engagement.” According to the officials, European Council President Antonio Costa “has been coordinating closely with European leaders on possible engagement with Russia and the issues to be discussed when the right moment comes.” Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. News of the moves came as EU leaders were heading to Brussels for their summer summit, where Ukraine will be high on the agenda. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to address the 27 leaders, who are seeking closer ties with Kyiv.On Monday, Ukraine officially opened negotiations to join the EU, launching a process that will require its government to commit to years of political reforms even as it fights the Russian invasion.It also closely follows this week’s meeting of the world’s seven leading industrialized nations in the French spa town of Evian-Les-Bains, where Europeans managed to get Trump to join G7 leaders in offering “unwavering support for Ukraine.”Zelenskyy said his country won key pledges of further support from world leaders attending the G7 summit in France, including the United States.___Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands. MIKE CORDER Corder is a reporter in the Netherlands who covers international courts in The Hague, Dutch politics, news and sport. He has worked at The AP for more than 30 years, including seven years in Australia covering the Asia-Pacific region. mailto 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A customer readies to pump gas at this Ridgeland, Miss., Costco, Tuesday, May 24, 2022. s. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)2026-06-18T12:06:29Z NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. gas prices fell below $4 a gallon on average Thursday, but just barely. It is the first time since March that the average cost for a regular gallon has been that low. Prices fell overnight after President Donald Trump signed an agreement with Iran that calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and waives U.S.-backed sanctions on the country.Gas prices are at $3.999 on average in the U.S., according to motor club AAA. The drop below $4 follows a 15% decline in the price of U.S. crude this month.But fluctuations in gas prices remain across the country. In California, gas prices are averaging $5.64 per gallon, while in South Carolina it’s $3.58 per gallon.The agreement between the U.S. and Iran calls for a permanent end to hostilities and starts a 60-day negotiating clock to reach a final deal on the future of Iran’s nuclear program, though Trump left the door open to resume attacks. It appears to offer Iran several benefits up front while extracting little in return. Oil prices fell Monday to about $80 for a barrel of U.S. benchmark crude. That compares to $67 per barrel before the war and the price of over $120 a barrel reached earlier in the conflict. Even as gas prices start to decline, it is anticipated to take weeks or months for oil to start flowing through the Strait of Hormuz again.Before the war, the strait carried a fifth of the world’s crude oil. Now, it will take time for hundreds of ships trapped in the Persian Gulf to exit through the narrow strait. And Gulf oil producers that throttled back production will need time to get the oil moving again. Analysts also say ship captains may take their time to decide if passage is safe and that the threat of attack from Iran has truly receded. Read More In addition, refineries typically pay for crude oil a month or more in advance, so even after oil prices drop, they won’t immediately be processing cheaper products.Fighting over the Strait of Hormuz disrupted not only supplies of crude and refined fuel but also the supply chains for fertilizer, food and even footwear. Businesses expect higher costs to linger, which means their customers might need to prepare for that too.

Salesforce has an internal dashboard which tracks each team’s use of AI, including which teams are using specific tools such as ChatGPT and how much, with the company also handing out digital badges that describe its employees as a “Champion,” “Innovator,” and “Legend” depending on the AI training courses they’ve completed, according to screenshots seen by 404 Media. A leaderboard includes an option to view which teams haven’t yet earned the badges, saying, “click to see who 👀,” with employees concerned that use of AI is going to be tied to their performance reviews.The leaderboard shows only around a third of all employees have completed the lowest level course. The dashboards also show that use of Salesforce’s own agentic AI product, called Agentforce, has dramatically decreased across many teams, falling as much as 65 percent recently.💡Do you work at a company with an AI leaderboard? Do you work at another Big Tech company? I would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message me securely on Signal at joseph.404 or send me an email at joseph@404media.co.News of the leaderboard comes as Salesforce has attempted a huge pivot to AI, laid off thousands of employees as part of that, and its stock is down more than 20 percent this year. As 404 Media has reported, other tech companies have similar leaderboards, including Amazon which shut down its own after employees cheated to climb its ranks, sometimes to score better on performance reviews. “People at the company [definitely] pay attention to it,” a current Salesforce employee told 404 Media, referring to the AI leaderboard. “There hasn't been much transparency around the actual expectations for employees in terms of what keeps us off the radar and therefore still employed, but we are all aware that AI usage already is or will soon be tied to performance ratings.” 404 Media gave the source anonymity as they weren’t permitted to speak to the press.The badges employees can earn start with employees being able to explain agentic AI, up to building advanced customizations, according to a page on Salesforce’s website. Champions can “Confidently explain Agentforce concepts and business impact”; Innovators “Implement Agentforce solutions to drive measurable business outcomes”; and Legends “Understand advanced concepts and design complex strategies.”Technically anyone, even those outside Salesforce, can earn these badges. The leaderboard tracks people inside the company, though. According to the leaderboard, around 30 percent of all employees have earned the Champion status this year, followed by just over 15 percent for the Innovator badge, and under 10 percent with the Legend status. The leaderboard is sorted by executive, with the teams underneath them contributing to the leaderboard, the employee said. It shows President and Chief Engineering and Customer Success Officer Srinivas Tallapragaca at the top of the Champion leaderboard, for example. Followed by President and Chief Strategy Officer David Schmaier and President and COFO Robin Washington. President & CEO of Government Cloud at Salesforce Kendall Collins leads both the Innovator and the Legend leaderboards.“Execs are pushing everyone hard to use AI tools. If we get a new tool, we are told to start using it. Generally, everyone is supposed to be using AI daily and is supposed to be using all the AI tools made available for their role,” the Salesforce employee said.One part of the dashboards viewed by 404 Media shows that use of Agentforce, Salesforce’s own platform for building AI agents, is down dramatically across various teams. Various teams all dropped use of the tool by more than 60 percent, and sometimes 70 percent. Slackbot, the AI agent in Slack, which Salesforce owns, use is much higher though, according to the screenshots. ChatGPT is also more popular with many teams than, say, Gemini, according to the screenshots.404 Media agreed to speak with a Salesforce spokesperson on background because they said they would also provide an on the record statement. In the background call, the Salesforce spokesperson said the boards are not set up to encourage competition nor are they related to performance. All employees have until this summer to earn the badges. At the end of the call, the spokesperson said the company won’t actually provide a statement.In February 2025, Salesforce laid off more than 1,000 people while it hired salespeople for AI, Bloomberg reported at the time. Then earlier this month, Salesforce laid off employees working, ironically, on the company’s Agentforce AI product, as well as its Mulesoft IT integration tool and its Marketing Cloud software, Business Insider reported.

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PREVIEW: Czechia look to get up and running against South AfricaJack Buchanan, Chief EFL EditorCzechia will be hoping to get their tournament up and running today when they take on South Africa, with both sides having lost their opening game against South Korea and Mexico, respectively.Czechia will be the firm favourites going into this, having only narrowly lost to South Korea, whilst South Africa were convincingly outclassed by Mexico, even when taking their two red cards into consideration. Bafana Bafana’s central midfielder, Sphephelo Sithole, was the first to be dismissed, just four minutes into the second half, and then Themba Zwane followed in his footsteps in the 84th minute, both were straight red cards, which means the pair will be unavaiable for the remainder of the group stage.The FIFA World Rankings back up the fact that Czechia are the favourite; they are currently ranked 40th, whilst South Africa find themselves 60th. South Africa are winless in their last five matches, which they will need to change tonight if they wish to keep their World Cup dream alive. By contrast, Czechia were unbeaten in eight matches before their clash with South Korea last week.The game is scheduled to kick-off at 5pm (UK time).

It was another rough night on the Pharm, with only one team getting a win. Jersey Shore seemed to have just about all of the organization’s offense for the evening. Here’s how the games shaped up.Lehigh Valley 4, Worcester 7 F/10The ‘Pigs came back from an early deficit, but fell to the WooSox for the second night in a row. Down three runs in the sixth, the ‘Pigs hit three consecutive two-out hits to tie the game at 4, including a two-run homer by Bryan De La Cruz. Worcester scored three in their half of the tenth and the IronPigs failed to match it.Notable performances: Rangel (5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K); Gates (1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, L); De La Cruz (1-for-4, 2 RBI, HR); McIntosh (1-for-4, RBI, HR); Anthony (1-for-4, 2B, RBI), Kemp (1-for-3, BB, 1 R, 1 SB)Reading 2, Hartford10A three-hit, six-RBI night for Yard Goats outfielder Conner Capel was too much for the R-Phils to overcome in this game. Brayden Tucker gave up his first two home runs in over a month and was charged with his first loss since May 19. Bryan Rincon extended his on base streak to 16 games with a walk in the seventh inning. The R-Phils stranded 13 runners on base. (Yes, you read that correctly- 13!)Notable performances: Tucker (5.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 3 HR, L); McFarlane (1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 HR); Escobar (2-for-3, 2 BB, 1 RBI); Ritter (2-for-3, 2B, 1 BB, 1 RBI)Jersey Shore 11, Greenville 2Just about everything went right for Jersey Shore on Wednesday in their dominant win over the Drive. Offensive explosions in the third and eighth innings sealed the deal for the BlueClaws, who had 16 hits in the game by seven different batters. Nick Biddison led the way with two hits and 4 RBI.Notable performances: Graves (4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K); Biddison (2-for-4, 4 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB, SB); Davis (3-for-5, 2 RBI, 2B, HR); Farquhar (3-for-4, 2 R, SB); Pettorini (3-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 R)Clearwater 1, Bradenton, 4A one-out solo home run by Alirio Ferrebus in the ninth inning was the only offense of the night for the Threshers, who faced a deficit they couldn’t overcome in the first inning. The bottom third of the order combined for three of the Threshers’ four hits. Peyton Havard has struck out six in both games he has pitched against Bradenton.Notable performances: Obermueller (3.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, L); Havard (3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 6 K); Ferrebus (1-for 4, 1 RBI, 1 HR)

Motherwell have announced the appointment of Alfred Johansson as their new manager, utilising the same data-driven recruitment strategy that brought his successful predecessor, Jens Berthel Askou, to Fir Park a year ago. The 35-year-old Swede arrives after two and a half years as head coach of Norwegian club Rosenborg, a tenure that concluded last month following a challenging start to their current campaign.Johansson steps into the role vacated by Askou, who was headhunted by Toulouse after guiding Motherwell to an impressive fourth-place finish in the Premiership during his fruitful first season, marked by an eye-catching brand of football.Chairman Kyrk Macmillan explained the club's decision, stating on the Well website: "Following the same data-driven process that we undertook to appoint the previous two managers of the football club (Michael Wimmer and Askou), we believe Alfred is an excellent fit here at Motherwell." Johansson is replacing Jens Berthel Askou (pictured) (PA)He added: "The data plays a key role to ensure the game model aligns with how we want to play and continues our evolution, but the process is also blended with ensuring we bring good people to the club."Macmillan further elaborated on Johansson’s selection: "We met with Alfred on a number of occasions, and he stood out as the best candidate to continue our journey at the club. There is a strong belief that Alfred has the correct characteristics to lead and deliver on his ideas. “He is a determined and ambitious young manager who wants to continue the success we had last season." The chairman also acknowledged the timing, noting: "It was important for the squad that we completed our detailed process of recruiting a new manager, but we were also conscious of time. “With the players back in for pre-season this week, Alfred can begin working with his new squad ahead of a busy and exciting period for the football club."Expressing his enthusiasm, Johansson said: "This is a huge honour for me. To work at this football club and to lead is a privilege. I’ve analysed the club closely, and the direction that it’s going in is of huge importance to me." He continued: "Last season was hugely successful, and I want to be able to carry this success forward. The squad of players we have is exciting, and we will get to work straight away. There is no time to waste with European football next month and the league season starting in a few weeks."Despite not having a professional playing career, Johansson began coaching in his twenties, starting as a youth coach with Swedish clubs Enkopings and Djurgardens. He later held more prominent academy roles at AIK and Danish club Copenhagen before his appointment at Rosenborg in December 2023 at the age of 33.During his full seasons at Rosenborg, Johansson oversaw fourth and seventh-placed finishes before his dismissal in May, when the club found themselves near the bottom of the table after a poor start. His first competitive fixture for Motherwell will be a Conference League second qualifying round tie against Havnar Boltfelag of the Faroe Islands next month.

New York City is set to erupt in a classic ticker-tape parade Thursday, celebrating the Knicks’ long-awaited NBAchampionship, a victory that has finally ended a 53-year drought and electrified generations of fans. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has predicted the event could be one of the largest in the city’s storied history and viewing areas were already full three hours before start time as thousands of jubilant fans flooded into the city hours before the procession.Viewing areas opened at 6 a.m. and fans had already been lined up for hours to get a spot. The crowd was heard chanting “Let us in!” after the New York Police Department announced that all viewing pens were full. “No one else will be allowed in the viewing area,” the NYPD said at around 7:30 a.m., long before the parade was scheduled to start at 10 a.m.The sheer scale of anticipation underscores the significance of this moment for New Yorkers and the parade itself marks a historic first. Despite the Knicks securing two championships in the 1970s, the city did not host a ticker-tape celebration for either win. Then-Mayor John Lindsay, citing financial and other concerns, opted for more subdued tributes, including a reception at the mayoral mansion in 1970 and a packed ceremony outside City Hall in 1973. This time, however, the city is pulling out all the stops.Thousands of fans line Broadway in lower Manhattan for the New York Knicks Championship ticker tape parade and victory rally (Getty Images)They began lining up hours before the viewing areas opened (Getty Images)"There will be performances, there will be New Yorkers, there will be the team and there will be history," Mayor Mamdani declared Monday, setting the stage for a monumental celebration.The festivities are set to kick off near Battery Park, with the parade winding its way up Broadway through the iconic "Canyon of Heroes," a route flanked by towering skyscrapers. The procession is slated to culminate at City Hall, where the team will receive another traditional honor: keys to the city. Knicks legends Walt "Clyde" Frazier, a member of the 1970s championship teams, and Patrick Ewing are expected to join the parade, according to an anonymous source familiar with the plans. Mike Breen, the Knicks’ play-by-play announcer for MSG Network, is set to emcee the City Hall ceremony.Adding to the star power, Grammy-winning singer Alicia Keys, known for her collaboration with Jay-Z on the New York anthem "Empire State of Mind," has been tapped to perform. "How could I not?" Keys remarked Wednesday in a social media video, featuring her on a call with Knicks forward OG Anunoby.The New York Knicks celebrate with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after their victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals (Getty Images)They defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series (AP Photo/Darren Abate)The emotional resonance of the victory was palpable among fans. State Senator Zellnor Myrie, a devoted Knicks supporter, was seen beaming in Knicks gear outside City Hall early Thursday. He described the championship as a moment of "generational catharsis" for his family, particularly his father, after years of frustration. "I remember calling him right after we won — because he’s out of the city now — and he said, ‘I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders,’" Myrie recounted. "And as he said that, I got so emotional and felt it. I think all of us have memories like that, and that’s why today’s so special."Ensuring public safety, police plan to deploy 10,000 officers for the event. This extensive security presence follows some chaotic street celebrations and isolated incidents of violence during the Knicks’ playoff run to victory over the San Antonio Spurs. "We want people to enjoy this moment," Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated at a planning meeting Wednesday, "but public safety comes first."Police said they were deploying 10,000 officers for the event (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)The Knicks’ celebration marks the city’s 210th ticker-tape parade, following a similar event for the WNBA’s New York Liberty in 2024 (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)In anticipation of the aftermath, approximately 650 sanitation workers have been assigned to clean up what could amount to tens of thousands of pounds of debris, drawing on lessons from past large-scale events. Ticker-tape parades, named for the narrow strips of paper once used by telegraph-era "stock ticker" machines, originated in the late 19th century when New York brokerage firm workers would toss the paper from their office windows, creating a swirling spectacle.Historically, New York has hosted such parades for a variety of occasions, from honoring foreign leaders to celebrating feats in aviation, war, sports, and space travel, particularly up to the mid-1960s. The Knicks’ celebration marks the city’s 210th ticker-tape parade, following a similar event for the WNBA’s New York Liberty in 2024.

The opening round was suspended at 12:05, just 30 minutes after getting under way - all times BST [Getty Images]The opening round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills in New York was postponed by heavy fog just 30 minutes after the action got under way. The United States Golf Association (USGA) halted play at 07:05 local time (12:05 BST) with only 18 players out on the course.The suspension came before 2011 champion Rory McIlroy and world number one Scottie Scheffler started their rounds.Play resumed at 14:05 with all subsequent tee-times subject to a two-hour delay.Six-time major winner McIlroy, playing alongside Ryder Cup team-mates Tommy Fleetwood and Ludvig Aberg, will now start at 14:52. Scheffler, who will become the seventh man to complete the career Grand Slam if he wins this week, is playing with defending champion JJ Spaun and set to tee off 22 minutes after McIlroy.England's Aaron Rai, who won last month's US PGA Championship, is among the later starters and will tee off at 20:14 on Thursday alongside fellow major champions Collin Morikawa and Jason Day.Matt Fitzpatrick, who won this title in 2022 is out with two-time winner Bryson DeChambeau and Norway's Viktor Hovland in another marquee group (20:25)Three more previous US Open champions - Justin Rose (2013), Jordan Spieth (2016) and Jon Rahm (2021) - head out after them at 21:14.Scotland's Robert MacIntyre is also in the later wave and will begin at 20:58.Round one: Thursday, 18 June (all times subject to two-hour delay)Starting on hole one:11:35 James Nicholas (US), Taylor Montgomery (US), Caleb Surratt (US)11:46 Ethan Fang (US*), Jayden Schaper (SA), Jackson Suber (US)11:57 Chase Kyes (US*), Matthew Jordan (Eng), Alejandro Tosti (Arg)14:08 Carl Yuan (Chn), Brandon Wu (US), Jimmy Stanger (US)14:19 Padraig Harrington (Ire), Miles Russell (US*), Cameron Smith (Aus)14:30 Brooks Koepka (US), Cameron Young (US), Chris Gotterup (US)14:41 Daniel Berger (US), Keegan Bradley (US), Rickie Fowler (US)14:52 Patrick Reed (US), Andrew Novak (US), Kurt Kitayama (US)15:03 Harris English (US), Adam Scott (Aus), Nick Taylor (Can)15:14 Mason Howell (US*), Scottie Scheffler (US), JJ Spaun (US)15:25 Sahith Theegala (US), Jackson Koivun (US), Michael Kim (US)15:36 J.B. Holmes (US), Filippo Celli (Ita), Jackson Ormond (US*)15:47 Jake Peacock (US), Vaughn Harber (US*), Kaito Onishi (Jpn)19:30 Niklas Norgaard (Den), Rocco Repetto Taylor (Spa), Sudarshan Yellamaraju (Can)19:41 Laurie Canter (Eng), John Parry (Eng), Bryan Lee (US*)19:52 Chris Kirk (US), Max McGreevy (US), Jake Knapp (US)20:03 Harry Hall (Eng), Michael Brennan (US), Andrew Putnam (US)20:14 Davis Thompson (US), Preston Stout (US*), David Puig (Spa)20:25 Ryo Hisatsune (Jpn), Corey Conners (Can), Ryan Fox (NZ)20:36 Ryan Gerard (US), Russell Henley (US), Ben Griffin (US)20:47 Justin Thomas (US), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Xander Schauffele (US)20:58 Nicolai Hojgaard (Den), Nicolas Echavarria (Col), Robert MacIntyre (Sco)21:09 J.T. Poston (US), Patrick Cantlay (US), Billy Horschel (US)21:20 Arni Sveinsson (Ice*), Taihei Sato (Jpn), Marcelo Rozo (Col)21:31 Nick Hardy (US), Cole Hammer (US), Jack Schoenberger (US)21:42 Marek Fleming (US*), TK Kim (US), Giuseppe Puebla (US*)Starting on hole 10:11:35 Chandler Phillips (US), Harry Higgs (US), Hamilton Coleman (US*)11:46 Nathan Kimsey (Eng), Jackson Herrington (US), Cooper Dossey (US)11:57 Peter Uihlein (US), Eric Lee (US*), Sam Stevens (US)14:08 Adrien Dumont de Chassart (Bel), Ben Silverman (Can), Emiliano Grillo (Arg)14:19 Patrick Rodgers (US), Keith Mitchell (US), Graeme McDowell (NI)14:30 Sungjae Im (Kor), Lucas Herbert (Aus), Kristoffer Reitan (Nor)14:41 Sam Burns (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Si Woo Kim (Kor)14:52 Rory McIlroy (NI), Ludvig Aberg (Swe), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng)15:03 Alex Noren (Swe), Maverick McNealy (US), Sepp Straka (Aut)15:14 Max Greyserman (US), Brian Harman (US), Jacob Bridgeman (US)15:25 Alex Fitzpatrick (Eng), Tom Kim (Kor), Benjamin James (US)15:36 Brandon Holtz (US*), Ryuichi Oiwa (Jpn), Dylan Wu (US)15:47 Greyson Leach (US), Logan Reilly (US*), Robbie Higgins (US)19:30 William Mouw (US), Ryder Cowan (US*), Hennie Du Plessis (SA)19:41 Adrien Saddier (Fra), Jackson Van Paris (US), Ugo Coussaud (Fra)19:52 Neal Shipley (US), Matthias Schmid (Ger), Bud Cauley (US)20:03 Pierceson Coody (US), Zac Blair (US), Kevin Roy (US)20:14 Aaron Rai (Eng), Collin Morikawa (US), Jason Day (Aus)20:25 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Viktor Hovland (Nor), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng)20:36 Dustin Johnson (US), Wyndham Clark (US), Gary Woodland (US)20:47 Joaquin Niemann (Chi), Alex Smalley (US), Shane Lowry (Ire)20:58 Akshay Bhatia (US), Carlos Ortiz (Mex), Min Woo Lee (Aus)21:09 Justin Rose (Eng), Jordan Spieth (US), Jon Rahm (Spa)21:20 Ben Kohles (US), Johnny Keefer (US), Matt McCarty (US)21:31 Angel Hidalgo (Spa), Mateo Pulcini (Arg*), Spencer Tibbits (US)21:42 Matthew Robles (US*), Jake Sollon (US), Manav Shah (US)Round two: Friday, 19 JuneStarting on hole one: 11:35 William Mouw (US), Ryder Cowan (US*), Hennie Du Plessis (SA)11:46 Adrien Saddier (Fra), Jackson Van Paris (US), Ugo Coussard (Fra)11:57 Neal Shipley (US), Matthias Schmid (Ger), Bud Cauley (US)12:08 Pierceson Coody (US), Zac Blair (US), Kevin Roy (US)12:19 Aaron Rai (Eng), Collin Morikawa (US), Jason Day (Aus)12:30 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Viktor Hovland (Nor), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng)12:41 Dustin Johnson (US), Wyndham Clark (US), Gary Woodland (US)12:52 Joaquin Niemann (Chi), Alex Smalley (US), Shane Lowry (Ire)13:03 Akshay Bhatia (US), Carlos Ortiz (Mex), Min Woo Lee (Aus)13:14 Justin Rose (Eng), Jordan Spieth (US), Jon Rahm (Spa)13:25 Ben Kohles (US), Johnny Keefer (US), Matt McCarty (US)13:36 Angel Hidalgo (Spa), Mateo Pulcini (Arg*), Spencer Tibbits (US)13:47 Matthew Robles (US), Jake Sollon (US), Manav Shah (US)17:30 Chandler Phillips (US), Harry Higgs (US), Hamilton Coleman (US*)17:41 Nathan Kimsey (Eng), Jackson Herrington (US*), Cooper Dossey (US)17:52 Peter Uihlein (US), Eric Lee (US*), Samuel Stevens (US)18:03 Adrien Dumont de Chassart (Bel), Ben Silverman (Can), Emiliano Grillo (Arg)18:14 Patrick Rodgers (US), Keith Mitchell (US), Graeme McDowell (NI)18:25 Sungjae Im (Kor), Lucas Herbert (Aus), Kristoffer Reitan (Nor)18:36 Sam Burns (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Si Woo Kim (Kor)18:47 Rory McIlroy (NI), Ludvig Aberg (Swe), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng)18:58 Alex Noren (Swe), Maverick McNealy (US), Sepp Straka (Aut)19:09 Max Greyserman (US), Brian Harman (US), Jacob Bridgeman (US)19:20 Alex Fitzpatrick (Eng), Tom Kim (Kor), Benjamin James (US)19:31 Brandon Holtz (US*), Ryuichi Oiwa (Jpn), Dylan Wu (US)19:42 Greyson Leach (US), Logan Reilly (US*), Robbie Higgins (US)Starting on hole 10:11:35 Nicklas Norgaard (Den), Rocco Repetto Taylor (Spa), Sudarshan Yellamaraju (Can)11:46 Laurie Canter (Eng), John Parry (Eng), Bryan Lee (US*)11:57 Chris Kirk (US), Max McGreevy (US), Jake Knapp (US)12:08 Harry Hall (Eng), Michael Brennan (US), Andrew Putnam (US)12:19 Davis Thompson (US), Preston Stout (US*), David Puig (Spa)12:30 Ryo Hisatsune (Jpn), Corey Conners (Can), Ryan Fox (NZ)12:41 Ryan Gerard (US), Russell Henley (US), Ben Griffin (US)12:52 Justin Thomas (US), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Xander Schauffele (US)13:03 Nicolai Hojgaard (Den), Nicolas Echavarria (Col), Robert MacIntyre (Sco)13:14 JT Poston (US), Patrick Cantley (US), Billy Horschel (US)13:25 Arni Sveinsson (Ice*), Taihei Sato (Jpn), Marcelo Rozo (Col)13:36 Nick Hardy (US), Cole Hammer (US), Jack Schoenberger (US)13:47 Marek Fleming (US*), TK Kim (US), Giuseppe Puebla (US*)17:30 James Nicholas (US), Taylor Montgomery (US), Caleb Surratt (US)17:41 Ethan Fang (US*), Jayden Schaper (US), Jackson Suber (US)17:52 Chase Kyes (US*), Matthew Jordan (Eng), Alejandro Tosti (Arg)18:03 Carl Yuan (Chn), Brandon Wu (US), Jimmy Stanger (US)18:14 Padraig Harrington (Ire), Miles Russell (US*), Cameron Smith (Aus)18:25 Brooks Koepka (US), Cameron Young (US), Chris Gotterup (US)18:36 Daniel Berger (US), Keegan Bradley (US), Rickie Fowler (US)18:47 Patrick Reed (US), Andrew Novak (US), Kurt Kitayama (US)18:58 Harris English (US), Adam Scott (Aus), Nick Taylor (Can)19:09 Mason Howell (US*), Scottie Scheffler (US), JJ Spaun (US)19:20 Sahith Theegala (US), Jackson Koivun (US*), Michael Kim (US)19:31 JB Holmes (US), Filippo Celli (Ita), Jackson Ormond (US*)19:42 Jake Peacock (US), Vaughn Harber (US*), Kaito Onishi (Jpn)* denotes amateur

Frederick Crist Trump Jr. (Fred Trump Jr.) was born on October 14, 1938, in Queens, New York City. The eldest son of Mary Anne MacLeod Trump and real estate developer Fred Trump Sr., as well as the older brother of Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) and sisters Elizabeth and Maryanne, Fred Trump Jr. became an airline pilot rather than enter his father’s business like his younger brother, Donald Trump. Fred Jr. struggled most of his life with the disease of addiction, largely with alcohol, a condition that contributed to his fatal heart attack at the young age of 43. On several public occasions, Donald Trump related the tragic story of his brother’s life as an alcoholic. Related Rachel Maddow details “stunning” Trump disapproval ratings: “We’re gonna need a bigger boat” He said in a 2017 speech that his brother had a tough life and told him many times not to drink or smoke. “And to this day, I’ve never had a drink,” he said. “I have no longing for it. I have no interest in it. To this day, I’ve never had a cigarette.” The president seemed to believe that in heeding his brother’s advice, he has escaped the destructive effects of addiction. But as we know from medical and psychological research, the disease of addiction expresses itself in many ways. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today As one definition of the word makes clear: “Addiction is when you have a need or urge to do something or use something, even if it causes harm.” If continued over time, addictions cause long-lasting changes in brain structures, thus making the disease of addiction both a brain disorder and a mental illness. The types of addiction include “substance addiction” (such as alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and food) and “non-substance addiction” or “behavioral addiction” (such as compulsive shopping, gambling, sex, social media, or video games). The risk of developing an addiction depends on a combination of genetic, environmental, and developmental factors. The more factors a person has, the greater the chance of developing an addiction. Signs of an addiction include obsessive thoughts and compulsive use or engagement in the rewarding stimuli (substances or behaviors) for immediate gratification. It is also characterized by increasingly continued use or engagement, even after experiencing negative consequences. What is power? In a 1968 speech given to striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee, Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. defined power as “the ability to achieve purpose and effect change.” A dictionary definition views “power” (a noun) in general as: “The ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something.” In this definition, “capacity” is seen as a synonym of “power.” Another definition of “power” is as a “great or marked ability to do or act; strength; might; force. In this definition, “energy” is a synonym. A third definition is “the possession of control or command over people,” with the synonyms of authority and influence. A final definition for our purposes here defines “power” as the “political ascendancy or control in the government of a country, state, etc.” by “overthrowing the legal government” with the synonyms sovereignty, rule, sway, and ascendancy. We can place how leaders use their power on a spectrum from “With” on one side to “Over” on the other. “Power With” refers to a leader or leaders utilizing their power collaboratively to empower those they lead. It involves a mutual appreciation and respect for autonomy to accomplish shared goals. For the leaders, getting it right has priority over being right. By contrast, “Power Over” refers to an undemocratic or authoritarian approach where the leader or leaders exert their dominance by dictating the actions to be taken, often using coercion or fear in which power is gained at another’s expense. Leaders give the orders, and they expect to be obeyed without challenge. For the leaders, being right has priority over getting it right. Power as addiction History has shown a vast array of leaders and ordinary people who have become addicted to power. While people are initially attracted to power for a variety of reasons – like promoting social change, seeking personal admiration, or wanting to control others – as they accumulate power, some experience euphoria or a sense of fulfillment. Over time, as in all forms of addiction, people develop dependency, with a need to maintain and even increase their power. This dependency dominates other aspects of life, including personal relationships and previously held values. Addictions in general, and in the case of power addiction, often lead to unethical behaviors, isolation, and even paranoid thoughts that others are coming to take what is yours. Enabling the addict “Enabler” is the term given to those who fail to act to help addicts and stop them from harming themselves and others around them. “Passive bystander” or “bad Samaritan” is the name for someone who is conscious of bad actions developing around them but fails to intervene. Enabling and passively standing by take many forms, including literally offering an addict substances, conspiring with an abuser in a sinister plot, contributing to denial by asserting that they don’t have a problem, downplaying the seriousness and making excuses for their behaviors, translating for others what the person “really meant,” downright lying, and so on. How many times have we heard, “He didn’t mean it that way. What he really meant to say was…” and “You are misunderstanding her” or “I got this black eye by walking into a door.” The Trump enablers Though Donald Trump has followed the warning of his elder brother to refrain from addictive substances like alcohol, tobacco, and drugs, one can make a strong argument by observing his behaviors that he certainly displays the classic signs of addiction – in Trump’s case, non-substance addictions. These include wealth, power, and sex. He stakes his personal value on the amount of wealth and power he can accumulate, and by how many notches he can carve on his bedpost representing his sexual conquests. Trump’s enablers include members of the Republican Party in Congress and Republican politicians in state governments, in addition to the six Republican-nominated Supreme Court justices who seem to have relinquished their constitutional roles to serve one man. They have, therefore, aided and abetted Trump’s need to consume as much power as he can and to act on his compulsive paranoid need to persecute his supposed enemies. An all-consuming lust On January 9, 1961, then-President-elect John F. Kennedy addressed a joint convention of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In his speech, he presented a touchstone by which history should evaluate a leader. Beginning with his now-famous statement that “For of those to whom much is given, much is required” (a paraphrase of Luke 12:48), Kennedy enumerated four essential criteria in assessing a leader. “And when at some future date the high court of history sits in judgment on each one of us,” he stated, “recording whether in our brief span of service we fulfilled our responsibilities to the state – our success or failure, in whatever office we may hold, will be measured by the answers to four questions.” “First, were we truly men of courage…. the courage to resist public pressure, as well as private greed?” “Secondly, were we truly men of judgment…. with enough wisdom to know that we did not know, and enough candor to admit it?” “Third, were we truly men of integrity…. men whom neither financial gain nor political ambition could ever divert from the fulfillment of our sacred trust?” “Finally, were we truly men of dedication – with an honor mortgaged to no single individual or group, and compromised by no private obligation or aim, but devoted solely to serving the public good and the national interest?” I have enough conclusive evidence to rank Trump as a true danger to our nation and to the world community in his all-consuming lust for material riches and sexual conquests over the common good of the people who trusted him with their vote. How do you judge him? How do you think history will judge him? Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

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Earlier this offseason, the Miami Dolphins made the decision to move on from starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and bring in former third-round pick Malik Willis on a three-year, $67.5 million deal as his replacement.Shortly after his release, Tagovailoa found a new home with the Atlanta Falcons, where he's competing with fellow lefty and former first-round pick Michael Penix for the starting job.While the Dolphins wrapped up their minicamp earlier this month, Atlanta held theirs this week, with the final session coming on Wednesday. After the practice wrapped up, ESPN's Marc Raimondi opined about the day that Tagovailoa had."Tua Tagovailoa had arguably one of his best practices of the spring Wednesday -- the Falcons' final day of minicamp," Raimondi wrote. "In an 11-on-11 team session in the red zone, the quarterback went 3-for-3 with a touchdown pass over the middle to running back Bijan Robinson. He also had completions during that series to rookie wide receiver Zachariah Branch and free agent acquisition Jahan Dotson..."The Falcons' coaching staff has made it clear that the competition between Tagovailoa and [Michael] Penix is not really a competition at all -- until Penix is 100% and cleared for 11-on-11s. Penix, of course, is just seven months removed from left ACL surgery. While Penix might be on track and maybe even ahead of schedule, he still is not healthy enough to truly compete at this juncture.Tagovailoa had some really high moments during his time in South Florida, including in 2022 when he led the league in passer rating and 2023 when he led the league in passing yards.However, it was clear that his time in Miami was up after he led the team to a 6-8 record in 2025 while completing 67.7% of his passes for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.There's a strong chance that he's starting for the Falcons in Week 1, and that will be a great moment. This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Former Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa continues to shine in Falcons camp

Saints should finally make roughly $141 million decision on star receiver for Tyler Shough originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The New Orleans Saints made a big decision in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, taking wide receiver Jordyn Tyson to help out second-year quarterback Tyler Shough.Based on that draft pick, and their other selections down the board in the draft, along with their two big free agent moves of signing Travis Etienne Jr. and David Edwards, it's clear this team is building around Shough.With all of those QB-centric moves, ESPN's Aaron Schatz believes the Saints should finally make a long-term decision on star receiver Chris Olave, with an expected deal around the $141 million that the rival Atlanta Falcons paid to Drake London.Saints urged to extend Chris Olave to $141M-plus deal"Extend wide receiver Chris Olave," Schatz writes. "... He was second-team All-Pro and probably deserves an extension similar to the one Atlanta just gave Drake London, who was drafted three picks ahead of Olave in 2022."The Saints might've gotten some insurance by drafting Tyson in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft in the WR room in case Olave doesn't sign an extension.But, if they get to the point where Olave is leaving soon because the two sides couldn't come to terms on a deal, it would be a disaster.MORE: Bears need Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland to step up with DJ Moore tradedOlave is too integral to this team not to spend a lot of money on him. He proved it this past season, putting up 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns on 100 receptions in a career-year that earned him second-team All-Pro honors.With a young QB in Shough, the Saints should really be investing in the infrastructure surrounding him, and an Olave extension would be a great way of doing so.While a deal similar to that of London would be expensive at roughly four-years, $141 million, it's worth it for a star receiver like Olave, especially with a QB on a rookie deal.More NFL news:Stefon Diggs linked to Rams, Chiefs, Commanders after Patriots releaseHarold Fannin Jr. will need to prove his worth in Todd Monken’s Browns offenseBengals fans should worry about second-year linebackers in 2026Seahawks’ Nick Emmanwori can be an All-Pro if he plays better in pass coverageESPN analyst says if Cade Klubnik gets on the field for Jets it would mean something went wrong

Second in a series of remembrances by former Cardinals about iconic Crawford Gym.If not nearly as magnificent as those dimes he fed Bobby Turner through traffic as a high profile, eerily impassive freshman, it was still “Assist Scooter McCray.”I was on my way out to chat him up and had misremembered the exact location of his La-Z-Boy store on Hurstbourne Parkway.“Sorry,” I apologized upon arrival after he guided me in over my cell, “just an old man with a bad memory and aches and pains.”“Tell me about it,” he responded pointing to his legs, “I have to wear compression socks.”“It’s the tenth anniversary of the summer they tore down Crawford, just wondering what you remember about practice and those summer nights?”“There were no ticky tack fouls.“The games were very competitive. We all just wanted to win. You were really pushed if you wanted to keep playing and not sit out. Really quality players.”Remember this is a fellow who grew up competing in the City. For the Trio Crusaders in the Bronx. For the famous Riverside Church team. Summers in the Rucker.“Those crowds in the summer meant a lot. You were really pushed to be better. It was a continuation of my New York experience.”Everybody who played did so to the max. Some were more in your face than others. None more than Derek Smith.“There was a time soon after Charles got here. Derek was showing no mercy. Once he stood over Charles screaming. He went and called his mother, he didn’t think he would make it here.”The Crawford Gym experience forged steel.Playing against former players — he mentioned Wes Cox, Rick Wilson, Phil Bond — and others, “I learned what you had to do to be a pro.” * * * * *McCray never visited Crawford during his recruitment.“I was supposed to come in for a game, same time as Wiley. But the game was cancelled. He came anyway and committed. Tried to talk me into it. I wasn’t quite ready.”Scooter was recruited hard by Marquette. “My next door neighbor, literally, was Earl Tatum. But Al McGuire was leaving and I wasn’t sure about Hank Raymond.”He visited Kentucky.“Joe B kept trying to get me to sign right then. But they kept showing me horse farms.”His HS coach was going to Wichita State.He finally visited during the postseason banquet. He sat next to Alice Houston. She helped close the deal.“How long are you going to keep chasing around the country?”He’d also struck up a friendship with Jerry Eaves, when they played a HS All-American game together.He cancelled his visit to Larry Brown and UCLA. * * * * *I was curious what it was like for him, given his injury, to be around the ’80 title team?“I realized what it was like when basketball is taken away.“It changed my focus on the rest of my life.“I did recover enough and started practicing with the team. I could have come back that year but decided to redshirt.” * * * * *The ’83 team?My opinion, which I told him, “I’ve always believed that was U of L’s best team ever.”“We were really in sync. Mature.“Coach Crum did a lot less hands on coaching that season. He trusted us.”Ever the competitor, he offered this about the Houston loss in Albuquerque at altitude : “If the game was at sea level, we’d have won. They were just deeper than us.”Of Knoxville: “It gave the fans a chance to brag. Remember we were set to play them the year before in Nashville, but they lost to Middle Tennessee.“We were not going to lose that game.” * * * * *McCray didn’t need context to answer my last question.**If there are readers here who really don’t know what I’m referring to, I’ll answer in the comments.“Who tipped it in, you or Charles?”“I did. Not Charles. Every once in awhile he’ll say it was him. He knows better.”— c d kaplan

‘I’d be absolutely delighted’ – Antonio Rudiger backs Real Madrid move for Bundesliga starEver since his arrival at Real Madrid, Antonio Rudiger has been one of the leaders of the Merengue team. This is not only the case in the dressing room, but also on the pitch, where his experience, mentality, and commitment to the team are clearly visible in every game.His importance in the dressing room is going to increase even more next year, as the whites have already lost two other leaders at the end of the last season, i.e., Dani Carvajal and David Alaba. He presence at Real Madrid for the next season is already guaranteed as his one-year renewal was officially announced two days ago.Currently, he is playing for Germany in the World Cup, and as MARCA has reported, he addressed a presser in which he also talked about several aspects of his club career.The center-back talked about the arrival of Jose Mourinho on the bench, and expressed his excitement on finally being able to play under him:“I can’t say too much, but I can say that I’m extremely excited. At last, I’m going to get the chance to play under him. In the past, there were many conversations with him, but for one reason or another it never happened. That’s why I’m even happier now to welcome him to our team.”The defender also opened up on his struggles with physical problems during the last season:“I had a difficult year last season, especially physically. I had to fight through a lot of injuries and managed to come back. Madrid is practically my home. I feel very comfortable there, and so does my family, which is why I never really thought about anything else. I just wanted to get fit again and earn my new contract. And I did.”Furthermore, he also made it clear that he never thought about leaving the club:“Madrid is my home; I never thought about leaving.”When asked about Nico Schlotterbeck, Rudiger was clearly excited to have him at Real Madrid:“First of all, good players are always welcome. I can’t really say much more than that. I’d be absolutely delighted.”“Especially on offensive set pieces, he was always a danger to the opposition. In one-on-one duels he was very intense and fully focused. And with Nico, you also have to highlight his excellent distribution from the back. Honestly, his left foot is pure gold. You have to give him credit for that.”“I don’t know much about the situation, but I’d be absolutely delighted if Schlotterbeck signed for Real Madrid.”Despite the last two seasons going trophyless, the German was confident that the Merengue team has enough decisive players to win the biggest trophies:“The last two years at Real Madrid have been tough. We haven’t been successful. But if you look at the profile of players we have there, players like Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, or Vinícius are exactly the kind of footballers who step up when you need decisive players in the biggest moments.”If Real Madrid ultimately end up signing Nico Schlotterbeck, he can form a very good defensive pairing with his compatriot Antonio Rudiger in the backline. Thus, it is easy to understand why the latter would be happy with his arrival, in addition to the Borussia Dortmund center-back’s other virtues that he highlighted in this presser.However, with the likes of Dean Huijsen, Eder Militao, Ibrahima Konate, and Raul Asencio all being available for center-back duties, it would be very difficult to predict which two players would start for Jose Mourinho next season.

Jun 17, 2026; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers receiver Quentin Johnston (1) during minicamp at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Good morning, Chargers fans!You know what to do!And now for today’s links.Chargers News:Here’s how Mike McDaniel has focused on Justin Herbert’s footwork this offseason (Chargers.com)A pair of rookies stood out on the first day of minicamp (Chargers Wire)This Chargers rookie is already turning heads at minicamp (Bolt Beat)Albert Breer discusses how Mike McDaniel can get Justin Herbert into the MVP conversation (Sports Illustrated)NFL News:These four NFL teams do not have a mascot and they prefer it that way (Sports Illustrated)One last offseason move to be made by all 32 NFL teams (ESPN)The best- and worst-case scenarios for every NFL team in 2026 (CBS Sports)Jayden Daniels says he still has a long way to go in learning the Commanders’ new offense (NFL.com)Quinnen Williams believes he’ll be better in 2026 than he was in 2025 (Pro Football Talk)Deion Sanders believes the Browns need to do more to help Shedeur at quarterback (Bleacher Report)