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During trips to Europe, the American painter developed a fascination with how 15th- and 16th-century artists and architects had designed their work to evoke specific feelings

For its “Irreplaceable America” list in honor of the 250th birthday of the United States, the World Monuments Fund chose endangered historic sites of innovation, creativity and spirituality to publicize and support

This combination of images show, from left, Zendaya at "The Odyssey" premiere in New York on July 14, 2026, Demi Moore at the 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, on May 16, 2026, and Lady Gaga at the 68th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo)2026-08-07T10:05:26Z The brand name behind recent showstopping fashion moments isn’t quite as delicate as their romantic and otherworldly looks. When asked what an ethereal Zendaya was wearing for the “Odyssey” premiere in New York, her stylist Law Roach responded: “Fecal Matter.”Zendaya’s angelic strapless gown with feathered white wings was the work of Matières Fécales — yes, in English, Fecal Matter — the Paris-based, high-end fashion house founded in Montreal over a decade ago that’s, seemingly suddenly, everywhere.Why Matières Fécales is called ... thatThe design duo behind Matières Fécales, Steven Raj Bhaskaran and Hannah Rose Dalton, have aimed to subvert beauty with their own alien-like personal style, including dramatic white makeup, shaved heads and eyebrows, and skin boots made to look like realistic feet.Bhaskaran and Dalton started the brand as students at Collège LaSalle Montréal, going from selling designs on the secondhand shopping platform Depop to showcasing collections at Paris Fashion Week. The designers have said the name reflects their view of the fashion industry, a perspective they initially summed up with a more vulgar word. “There’s no other word for it, but how can we say it in a glamorous way? So we’re like, ‘fecal matter’ is the scientific word for it,” Dalton recalled to Vogue last year, adding they translated it into French, which “sounds way more glamorous.” Bhaskaran told the “Fashion Neurosis” podcast in March that the name was also intended to “challenge the wasteful side of fashion.” A representative for Matières Fécales said the designers were not available for comment. Despite the visceral name, tastemakers from Lady Gaga to Kylie Jenner are embracing their designs. Read More “There is this beautiful tension in their work between the finesse and the decaying, and the strong and the soft,” celebrity stylist Brad Goreski told The Associated Press.And after years of building a cult following, they were taken under the wings of Dover Street Market in 2024, after first meeting its president, Adrian Joffe, backstage at a Madonna show. The global retail and concept stores offer emerging brands development support, from production and distribution to sales.Kristen Bateman, a longtime fashion and culture writer who has attended all three of the designers’ Paris Fashion Week shows, said their rise is driven by the industry’s desire to see something new.“If you’re looking at the high-fashion brands like Chanel and Dior, it all sort of starts to blend together,” she said. “And this feels like it’s in its own category. ... You can’t replicate it.” From cult status to Paris Fashion WeekMilan Tanedjikov, a Collège LaSalle Montréal design teacher, had a front-row seat to Dalton and Bhaskaran’s rise and says they have finally found the balance between their art and fashion.“They have created this, like, very interesting organism together,” he said.The designers were invited onto the official calendar for Paris Fashion Week last year, debuting “The Other,” a collection they described as an ode to being fearless with identity. It featured a collaboration pairing their striking curved-heel design with Christian Louboutin’s signature red sole.“At their very core, what drives them is absolute freedom of expression, and they want to push the boundaries of what is human,” Tanedjikov said. In March, during Paris Fashion Week, the duo unveiled “The One Percent,” with models theatrically strutting with red paint on white opera gloves and wearing eye masks made of dollar bills. The collection showcased how “power affects us all,” they wrote on Instagram. “What they were able to build in such a small amount of time is really insane in terms of world building and creating their world,” Augustin Maunier, Dover Street Market’s director of brand development, said. “There’s real storytelling behind it.” The show’s theme was a stark contrast to the billionaires who had been sitting front row at other fashion week shows. At this year’s Met Gala, where Jeff Bezos was an honorary chair, actor Sarah Paulson wore a voluminous, gray, distressed ball gown from the collection, paired with the eye-covering money mask.Goreski pulled from “The One Percent” for Demi Moore’s wardrobe as a Cannes Film Festival jury member, telling the AP he wanted something new for Moore. Moore’s frayed, full-volume, Barbie-pink ball gown with a distressed bow was a break from her usual structured looks. In 20 years of dressing Moore, Goreski said she hardly ever chooses a full-skirt “cupcake” shape, but that she fell for the designers’ artistic vision and storytelling.“They’re designing clothes for themselves,” he said. “That’s authentically them, but they’re bringing it to like a whole other audience.” Find their clothes on Lady Gaga and a Dunkin’ adEarly supporters of the brand fittingly included boundary-breaking performers Madonna and Lady Gaga. Madonna even invited them to DJ on her tour in 2023 and they’ve designed custom looks for Gaga’s live performances, including Coachella. At this year’s Grammys, Gaga wore a high-neck, feathered, black gown from the designers, a dark angel to Zendaya’s heavenly “Odyssey” look. Now, though, their bold designs are going beyond red carpets. In a television ad for Dunkin’, Kylie Jenner wore a blush-pink, satin, structured blazer with over-the-top shoulder pads, a designer choice that generated some amusement online from those previously unfamiliar with the brand’s name.The designers created a distressed Victorian-style dress for model Gabbriette Bechtel’s wedding to musician Matty Healy, a first for the brand. With their next Paris Fashion Week show set for September, fashion connoisseurs are eagerly waiting to see what’s next.“We’re rooting for them because they’re younger designers who have something to say,” fashion commentator Hanan Besovic, who posts online as @Ideservecouture, said. BEATRICE DUPUY Dupuy is a newsgathering producer based in New York for The Associated Press. She specializes in breaking news reporting and verifying video. twitter mailto

A girl cools off in a plastic pool in the street in Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)2026-08-07T10:05:02Z HAVANA (AP) — A 20-minute burst of electricity is a small miracle in Havana nowadays — a miracle that sometimes comes at 3 a.m. That’s when 72-year-old Leidis Rodríguez frantically cooked beans after the lights switched on this week following hours of uninterrupted blackouts.“The power has come back on, everyone go!” Rodríguez shouted.In the wake of sometimes dayslong blackouts in Cuba — fueled by the oil blockade imposed by the Trump administration in January — Cubans are planning their lives around the lights turning back on. Those small bursts of relief last a few minutes or a few hours. They come at any time, day or night. Increasingly, electricity flicks on when Rodríguez and her 41-year-old daughter, Yaimara Matos, would normally be asleep.When the power comes on, the family stops everything they’re doing.“You want to do everything at the same time — wash clothes, iron, cook, tidy the rooms, because it’s impossible in the dark, and even get a little relief from the heat,” Matos said. “What we used to do in 10 hours, we now have to do in two.” Life transformed by crisisThat’s the case for Cubans across the island, whose lives have been transformed by one of the worst crises the island has seen since the Cuban revolution. Daily life has turned into a tangle of compounding crises families have to unravel.Public transportation and cultural events have come to a standstill. So has tourism, the country’s economic engine, especially as tourism companies have withdrawn, leaving 25,000 hospitality jobs vacant. Flights to the island are regularly canceled and workdays have been shortened to adjust to the new reality of a Cuba without power. Medicine shortages have worsened and food rots in fridges without power.“If there’s no electricity, there’s no water because it doesn’t get pumped to the tank. When there’s water, there’s no electricity,” Rodríguez lamented. Power outages are nothing new to the Caribbean nation. Endemic blackouts began to worsen five years ago as a result of a crumbling energy grid, decades-long U.S. sanctions and failed economic reforms by the communist-run government. Read More But the quality of life began to rapidly deteriorate when U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose a tariff on any goods from countries that sell or provide it with oil, Cuba’s main source of power. The move, combined with even more rigid sanctions, was aimed at pressuring Cuba’s government into political change. The worst effects have been felt by average Cubans.Previously, most blackouts were scheduled by the government to save power, so each family knew how long they would be without electricity — usually two or three hours. Now there is no longer any predictability: an outage can last 12 hours, 30 hours or longer. Increasingly, the entire island goes dark. Last weekend’s grid collapse marked the sixth time this year. ‘I try to carry on with life’Cubans like Rodríguez and Matos, long accustomed to adapting to crisis, have found ways to cope. The family bought a small power generator, which they’re only able to run a few hours a day. Others install solar panels — often sent by relatives abroad. Some purchase rechargeable fans or solar-powered vehicles since gasoline is also unavailable. 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. Lianet Barroso once cooked with a gas stove. Now she cooks over a wood fire. Unsure of when she will next get water when the power does go on, she fills up as many plastic bottles as she can.“Life for Cubans has become difficult, harsh and sad,” Barroso said. In several municipalities, particularly in Havana, residents staged neighborhood protests after blackouts lasting more than 48 hours, banging pots and pans and burning garbage piled up on street corners. Meanwhile, with inflation surging as Cuba’s currency is increasingly devalued against the dollar, many people are struggling to even pay for food that could later go bad in a blackout.At 10 p.m. on Tuesday, 64-year-old Caridad Delgado was preparing food for her cat during a blackout under the light of a rechargeable lamp, something the family bought with remittances from her three children, who had emigrated from the island.Months ago at this hour, she said, “ I’d probably be watching a soap opera. Now I can’t even dream of it.” “There’s just too much anguish, too much desperation,” she said. “I try to carry on with life.” ——Associated Press writers Megan Janetsky in Mexico City and Milexsy Durán and Ariel Fernández in Havana contributed to this report.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shake hands during a welcome ceremony, in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici, File)2026-08-07T09:52:19Z ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are expected to sign a defense agreement on Friday, deepening cooperation between the three regional powers at a time of growing security concerns, Turkish and Pakistani officials said.The agreement will be signed during a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Saudi Arabia, according to a Turkish security official.In Pakistan, two officials familiar with the preparations said diplomats from the three countries were fine-tuning a draft agreement covering defense cooperation and other areas that could be endorsed by the leaders of the three countries.All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the talks publicly.There were no immediate details of the agreement, which brings oil-rich Saudi Arabia together with nuclear power Pakistan as well as Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a rapidly growing defense industry. Turkey’s Haberturk television said it is likely to allow joint military exercises and training, technology transfers and the sharing of intelligence. Other unconfirmed reports suggested the agreement would state that any aggression against either of the countries would be considered an aggression against all.Saudi Arabia, whose critical infrastructure and oil facilities have come under attack as part of the war in Iran, has been looking to diversity its defense partnerships. In September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense pact that defines any attack on either nation as an attack on both. Read More The agreement also comes amid rising tensions between Turkey and Israel over Gaza and other regional conflicts, including the war in Iran and Lebanon. Sharif arrived in Jeddah on Thursday for a three-day visit accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.In addition to discussing ways to help defuse tensions between the United States and Iran, the three leaders are expected to explore expanding trade, economic ties and broader security cooperation, the officials said. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said that while Sharif’s visit took place against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Gulf, it extends beyond the immediate crisis and is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and boosting coordination on regional and international issues. 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. __Ahmed reported from Islamabad.

Tennessee’s primary elections on Thursday came after Republican legislators carved up the state’s only majority-Black district in a bid to win all nine of the state’s House seats.

Fans of the late writer and chef are cultlike in their devotion. But have they misunderstood his message?

The disaster has put yet another spotlight on the government’s inability to provide basic services, deepening frustration among residents already plagued by regular power outages.

In interviews, more than 20 people who tried to break an Israeli blockade described beatings, electric shocks and other abuse after being captured. Israel denied the accusations.

The legal principle prevents a person from being tried twice for the same crime. But Mr. Mangione’s situation shows how complicated the judicial system can be.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are ranked inside the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, checking in as the country's No. 22 team.Iowa joins Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, USC, Michigan, Penn State and Washington as one of the Big Ten's ranked teams entering the 2026 college football season.But, the Hawkeyes aren't without question marks. Iowa is facing some serious turnover both offensively and defensively, including the departure of quarterback Mark Gronowski. The Hawkeyes are in the midst of a quarterback battle that Kirk Ferentz indicated at Big Ten media days could even stretch into the season itself.But, that's not the direction USA TODAY Sports looked when examining its one lingering question for Iowa football. USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg asked if special teams is still an area of strength for Iowa:High-level special teams play has been one of the hallmarks of the Kirk Ferentz era. This year’s team faces a unique challenge to meet that standard. Iowa lost four-year starting kicker Drew Stevens and All-America returner Kaden Wetjen to graduation. Longtime special teams coach LeVar Woods left for the same position under Pat Fitzgerald at Michigan State and starting punter Rhys Dakin followed Woods to East Lansing as a transfer. - Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY SportsThose that know and understand Iowa well are well aware of the emphasis that Ferentz places on his special teams units.Iowa named Chris Polizzi as its new special teams coordinator, promoting him from his role as one of the Hawkeyes' defensive analysts in 2025.Ferentz didn't run from the reality that it could be a bit of a work-in-progress to start 2026 on special teams."Probably the most significant portion of our football team that is going to bear watch, our special teams phase, point being there that we lost every specialist that we had. We lost our placekicker. He certainly had a great career, Drew Stevens, did an unbelievable job. We lost our deep snapper. Have a new punter. Contention there, a battle going for that position. Then Kaden Wetjen is the best return guy I've ever been around in my career. He graduated too."Some of the advantages we gained through special teams over the last couple years, we're going to have to ride the train a little bit this year and exhibit some patience. With new specialists, there's always going to be a little bit of an up-and-down factor. At least that's been my experience. That's an area we're keeping our focus on as well," Ferentz said at Big Ten media days on July 28.Kicker Eli Ozick transferred in from North Dakota State after connecting on 16 of 18 field goal tries last season, including a long of 54 yards.Iowa added D-III All-American punter Tanner Philpott from Simpson College, who punted 90 times for an average of 40.3 yards per punt across two seasons at Simpson. Philpott pinned 31 punts inside the 20-yard-line.Iowa also signed Australian punter Boston Everitt, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound native of Melbourne.Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnHawksThis article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: USA TODAY shares 1 lingering Iowa football question

Photo by Rich Storry/Getty ImagesLionel Messi, as most soccer fans would have expected, has dominated the MLS since moving to Inter Miami.The Argentine took a break from club football over the summer to compete at the World Cup, but he returned with a bang this week.Miami competed in the Leagues Cup against Atletico de San Luis and came away with a 4-2 win after Messi netted twice.His first goal was especially impressive, and after he found the back of the net in that game, he is now being predicted to reach over 1,000 goals by the time he is due to leave Inter Miami.Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesLionel Messi could have over 1,000 career goals once his Inter Miami contract is upMessi signed a contract extension with his current team in October 2025 that will keep him tied down until the end of the 2028 MLS campaign.At present, the South American has a career record of 1,116 games, 921 goals and 419 assists.In comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo has played 1,330 games, scored 976 goals and assisted 261.While Messi is already ahead of Ronaldo on the assists front, he could well end up overtaking the 41-year-old on the goal front as well.In a post shared by Winna F.C. on X/Twitter, they explained that ‘At this pace, Messi at the end of his Inter Miami contract in 2028 will have 1,000+ goals and 1,500+ G/A’.It is suggested he will score 1021 goals and provide 484 assists, which could be enough to surpass Ronaldo, who is two years older than him.Read more:Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem ‘proud to announce’ ownership stake in Premier League soccer clubKevin De Bruyne considering MLS interest, but he won’t be joining Lionel Messi at Inter MiamiLionel Messi’s first goal for Inter Miami post-World Cup compared to Picasso painting

Bayern bosses urge more Bundesliga clubs to schedule international toursBayern Munich president Herbert Hainer and marketing executive Rouven Kasper have called upon Bundesliga clubs to take a more active role in promoting German football internationally. Speaking during Bayern’s summer tour of Asia, Hainer argued that the German champions cannot be expected to carry the Bundesliga’s international profile almost single-handedly.“The Bundesliga is clearly, clearly in the background compared to the Premier League,” Hainer said. “It cannot be the case that Bayern Munich alone shoulders the burden. We need significantly more active support from the entire Bundesliga.”“Internationalization cannot be a solo effort by one individual club,” the Bayern president continued. “We have to do this together throughout the Bundesliga, and the Bundesliga clearly needs to catch up.”Kasper criticizes lack of Bundesliga engagementKasper offered an even sharper assessment. Bayern’s marketing executive noted that all Bundesliga clubs benefit from international broadcasting revenues, including those that do not participate in European competition.“When we travel abroad and create relevance, everyone participates,” Kasper said.“It cannot be that we, together with one or two others, steer the entire international ship,” Kasper continued. “The others also have to pack their football boots and realize that traveling abroad is a responsibility.”“You have an annual meeting and only 19 of 36 clubs attend,” Kasper concluded. “That already demonstrates that many simply have no interest.”Bayern claim approximately 560 million followers across Asia, including more than 140 million in China. The club believes sustained international engagement remains essential if the Bundesliga hopes to close the commercial and visibility gap to the Premier League.GGFN | Peter Weis

Brenden Aaronson: It has been a good summerAfter the productive pre-season tour of the US drew to a close with the impressive 4-2 victory over Liverpool, which saw Brenden Aaronson’s goal kickstart the comeback, attentions now turn to the next triple header of exciting clashes.Linking up with the squad after his World Cup exploits with the States, the American can’t wait to be back out there on the Elland Road pitch and give supporters a glimpse of the progress made over the last month, starting with the visit of Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.“We have a lot of really good friendlies coming up,” the 25-year-old said. “Of course, we have Manchester United in Dublin. We have Leipzig at the weekend coming up. We have Augsburg after that.“It is crazy to say that we are only halfway through pre-season! We are looking forward to these next three games to get some more minutes under our legs and then get us ready for the new season.“It has been a good summer where I got to work on a lot of things. I got to get better. That is my goal to transfer what I have been doing this pre-season so far and then, yeah, bring it into the year.”While yet to train with England international goalkeeper James Trafford, who this week joined the Whites from Manchester City in a club record deal, another new signing has particularly impressed Aaronson as he spoke glowingly about defender Tarik Muharemović.“Oh, he is top! Everything that I have seen so far – top. I really, really enjoy the player that he is. He wants to play; he wants to get on the ball. He has got a great left foot and is not afraid to get into a challenge.“I feel like he has got everything in a centre-back that you want, especially to play with. I am someone who likes to get on the ball in between lines and drive with the ball. He is always looking for these passes so, yeah, it is a pleasure to play with him. He is going to bring so much quality to the team.”With the Premier League curtain raiser with Nottingham Forest just over a fortnight away, Brenden is thrilled about returning to competitive action and believes the foundations are there to build on a fine maiden season back in the top-flight previously this time around. “It is a very tough league to play in. You know, week in, week out, against the best players in the world. For me, it is the best league in the world. To compete there had always been my dream.“I want to continue to have success from the league and success with Leeds because I love the club and I love being a part of this team. I love all the guys on the team. It is amazing to be part of this club.”

The IndyCar Series starts a five-week, six-race sprint to the finish at Portland International Raceway for Only Bulls Grand Prix of Portland, a 110-lap race on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course. With five race wins, Alex Palou owns a healthy championship points lead as he seeks a fourth consecutive championship.\n Here's what you should know about the race: \n When does the IndyCar Series race at Portland? IndyCar Series schedule for Only Bulls Grand Prix of Portland\n (All times ET; all IndyCar sessions are on IndyCar Live, IndyCar Radio and Sirius XM Channel 218)\n Friday, Aug. 7 \n 4:30 p.m.: Indy NXT practice, FS25:30 p.m.: IndyCar practice, FS1\n Saturday, Aug. 8\n Noon: Indy NXT practice, FS11 p.m.: IndyCar practice, FS13 p.m.: Indy NXT qualifying, FS17 p.m.: IndyCar qualifying, FS1\n Watch IndyCar with a Fubo trial\n Sunday, Aug. 9\n 1 p.m.: IndyCar warm-up, FS12 p.m.: Indy NXT race, FS14 p.m.: IndyCar race, Fox (green flag at 4:27 p.m.)\n Watch auto racing with a Fubo trial\n IndyCar TV schedule this weekend: How to watch the race at Portland International Raceway?\n TV: Coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, on Fox. Green flag is scheduled for 4:27 p.m. Will Buxton is the play-by-play voice, with analysts James Hinchcliffe and Townsend Bell. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters.\n Predictions for the IndyCar race at Portland from IndyStar's Zion Brown\n David Malukas, the runner-up in the points standings, has five podium finishes without a win. Can he rise to the top this weekend? "Because of the fiasco that sent Malukas to the hospital in Nashville, he'll still have to serve a six-spot grid penalty that was scheduled for Nashville because of an excessive engine change. I think starting three rows back will keep Malukas from breaking through in Portland."Christian Lundgaard's average finish on road courses is 1.5. Where will he finish this weekend? "I say Lundgaard wins again. He finished second in Portland last year and has only upped his game since. That would be three road-course wins for Lundgaard this year."\n How much are Portland tickets? How much are tickets for the IndyCar race Only Bulls Grand Prix of Portland?\n IndyCar tickets for Portland\n Who won the IndyCar race at Portland in 2025? Will Power has three Portland Grand Prix wins\n Will Power won, with Christian Lundgaard and Alex Palou completing the podium. Power also won there in 2024 and '19, all for Team Penske. He is now with Andretti Global.\n \n Who is leading IndyCar? 2026 IndyCar points, standings, results\n Alex Palou has won five races, Josef Newgarden and Christian Lundgaard two each, and Kyle Kirkwood, Felix Rosenqvist and Pato O'Ward one each. (Points are for full-season entrants)\n Alex Palou, 457 pointsDavid Malukas, 374Kyle Kirkwood, 370Christian Lundgaard, 353Pato O'Ward, 336Josef Newgarden, 310Felix Rosenqvist, 296Scott McLaughlin, 295Marcus Ericsson, 250Rinus VeeKay, 237Scott Dixon, 236Graham Rahal, 229Marcus Armstrong, 225Will Power, 220Kyffin Simpson, 216Alexander Rossi, 197Santino Ferrucci, 196Louis Foster, 173Nolan Siegel, 164Dennis Hauger, 157Romain Grosjean, 155Christian Rasmussen, 151Caio Collet, 137Mick Schumacher, 132Sting Ray Robb, 123\n How can I stream the IndyCar race at Portland? How to stream the Portland IndyCar race?\n FoxSports.com, Fox Sports app\n Watch IndyCar action on Fubo\n How can I listen to IndyCar race at Portland?\n IndyCar Nation is on SiriusXM Channel 218, IndyCar Live and the IndyCar Radio Network (check affiliates for each race). Mark Jaynes is the anchor, with driver analyst Davey Hamilton.\n Will it rain during the IndyCar race at Portland? Weather Portland, Oregon, forecast for IndyCar race\n Friday: Sunny with highs in the upper 80s.Saturday: Sunny with highs in the upper 80s.Sunday: Sunny with highs in the low 80s.\n IndyCar schedule 2026; when is the Washington DC IndyCar race?\n (*-street course; ^-road course; #-oval; all races on Fox, SiriusXM Channel 218; times are start of TV coverage, ET)\n March 1: St. Petersburg, Fla. * (Winner: Alex Palou)Saturday, March 7: Phoenix # (Winner: Josef Newgarden)Sunday, March 15: Arlington, Texas * (Winner: Kyle Kirkwood)Sunday, March 29: Birmingham, Alabama ^ (Winner: Alex Palou)Sunday, April 19: Long Beach, California * (Winner: Alex Palou)Saturday, May 9: Indianapolis road course ^ (Winner: Christian Lundgaard)Sunday, May 24: Indianapolis 500 # (Winner: Felix Rosenqvist)Sunday, May 31: Detroit * (Winner: Alex Palou)Sunday, June 7: Madison, Illinois # (Winner: Josef Newgarden)Sunday, June 21: Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin ^ (Winner: Christian Lundgaard)Sunday, July 5: Lexington, Ohio ^ (Winner: Pato O'Ward)Monday, July 20: Lebanon, Tennessee (Winner: Alex Palou)Sunday, Aug. 9: Portland ^, 4 p.m.Sunday, Aug. 16: Markham, Ontario *, noonSunday, Aug. 23: Washington, D.C. *, 1 p.m.Saturday, Aug. 29: Milwaukee #, 2:30 p.m.Sunday, Aug. 30: Milwaukee #, 1 p.m.Sunday, Sept. 6: Monterey, California ^, 2:30 p.m.\n IndyCar Series teams, drivers in 2026\n (with team, car number and driver)\n A.J. Foyt Racing: 4, Caio Collet; 14, Santino FerrucciAndretti Global: 26, Will Power; 27, Kyle Kirkwood; 28, Marcus EricssonArrow McLaren: 5, Pato O'Ward; 6, Nolan Siegel; 7, Christian LundgaardChip Ganassi Racing: 8, Kyffin Simpson; 9, Scott Dixon; 10, Alex PalouDale Coyne Racing: 18, Romain Grosjean; 19, Dennis HaugerEd Carpenter Racing: 20, Alexander Rossi; 21, Christian RasmussenJuncos Hollinger: 76, Rinus VeeKay; 77, Sting Ray RobbMeyer Shank Racing: 60, Felix Rosenqvist; 66, Marcus ArmstrongRahal Letterman Lanigan: 15, Graham Rahal; 45, Louis Foster; 47, Mick Schumacher; reserve driver, Toby SoweryTeam Penske: 2, Josef Newgarden; 3, Scott McLaughlin; 12, David Malukas\n Zion Brown is IndyStar's motorsports reporter. Follow him at @z10nbr0wn. Get IndyStar's motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter.\n This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyCar schedule at Portland: Start time, qualifying, race, how to watch Portland Grand Prix

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On 1970s Cape Cod, a young Anthony Bourdain chases love and finds his future in this rambunctious, utterly charming little movie.

Knowle FC were established in 1926, and been based at Hampton Road ever since [Clive Seeley]The World Cup is still in most football fan's memories but already, the new season is coming into view and for one men's side, that means a historical debut.For the first time in their 100-year history, Knowle Football Club will play in the FA Cup - in the Extra Preliminary Round of the competition."The lads are buzzing, there is a real excitement around the club. They are really up for it. we are going in for the game confident, but respectful," manager Clive Seeley said.The game will be a West Midlands derby for the Robins as they host Darlaston Town, and whoever comes out on top then faces a trip to Coleshill Town for the Preliminary Round on 22 August.The teams will be playing on the pitch at Knowle FC in Solihull, which has struggled during the recent heatwave. Clive Seeley manages the team and described it as a community club [Clive Seeley]"It's like a desert, it's brown shall we say, looks like a haystack rolled out. It's the same for both sides. We try and play football, and do our best on it," Seeley said."Once it gets a bit of rain on it, it'll be fine." Knowle FC were established in 1926, and have been based at Hampton Road ever since.Seeley manages the team with his nephew, Matt Seeley, and described it as a community club.The team are encouraging locals to watch the match on Saturday afternoon [Clive Seeley]"We had a couple of good crowds, we've had a two home games so far. We had around 450 at the first one, which is great for a club at our level," he said."When I started there were 10 fans and a dog, now we're just growing and growing."We'd love to see a bumper crowd down there on what promises to be a special occasion for the club and for Knowle."They kick-off at 15:00 BST on Saturday. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. More on this story 39 moves across five countries - the footballer forever in motionFrom non-league to FA Cup hero - Semenyo caps rise with 'incredible' goalParlour? Villa? Gerrard? Ranking best FA Cup final goals Related internet links Knowle FC

Martin O’Neill misses Celtic training as Jota steps up long-awaited injury returnMartin O’Neill was absent as Celtic completed their preparations for Sunday’s Premiership trip to Kilmarnock, with the manager continuing his recovery after spending time in hospital this week.The Hoops confirmed on Wednesday that the 74-year-old had undergone a “small procedure”, with the expectation that he would be discharged within the following 48 hours.O’Neill has subsequently stayed away from Lennoxtown, leaving Shaun Maloney to oversee first-team preparations alongside coaches Mark Fotheringham and Stephen McManus.Sky Sports report that Maloney will also step in for the manager on media duty, including taking charge of Celtic’s pre-match press conference this afternoon.Whether O’Neill will recover in time to return to the technical area at Rugby Park remains unclear, with his availability for the weekend fixture still to be determined.There was, however, an encouraging sight during Friday’s session as Jota continued to make progress towards his long-awaited comeback.The Portuguese winger linked up with the first-team group as he stepped up the final stages of his rehabilitation from the serious knee injury which has kept him out of competitive action for more than a year.Jota suffered a cruciate ligament tear at Tannadice in April 2025 and has endured a difficult recovery, with several setbacks ultimately ending any prospect of featuring during the closing weeks of last season.HAVE YOUR SAY – Join the Celtic conversation in our comments section below…Celtic Shorts is the new home for the team from The Celtic StarSummer Sale now on! Both books for just £20 plus P&P. Order now at Celticstarbooks.comQuick Tip –Add Celticshorts.com as your ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for quick access to the Celtic content you value the most. It takes just a few seconds and you’ll notice the difference straight away! – Click HERE….Hail Hail!Click to join Celtic Pools

New York Giants cornerback Greg Newsome II during a drill. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co The start to the New York Giants 2026 training camp has to have been filled with good news for fans who have been concerned over the state of the defense after 2025. Not only has the defensive front kept the offense from establishing much rhythm at all since the second day of camp, the Giants’ secondary has consistently had their hands on passes every day.The Giants didn’t exactly renovate their defense entirely this off-season (outside of defensive tackle), but they did make a few key free agent additions. That includes free agent cornerback Greg Newsome II, who the Giants signed to a one-year deal to (at least) compete for the starting job opposite Paulson Adebo.Newsome has been lost in the discussion of the defense, and has, seemingly, been steady opposite Adebo since the start of camp. After all, if a cornerback isn’t being talked about, he can’t be doing his job poorly. Well, at least until quarterback Jaxson Dart chucked the ball at Newsome after scoring in Tuesday’s practice.On the Jaxson Dart incidentOne of the highlights, or at least headlines, of Tuesday’s practice was Giants’ quarterback Jaxson Dart throwing the ball at Newsome after scoring a touchdown. Head coach John Harbaugh made his displeasure known and personally flagged Dart for taunting, moving the extra point back 15 yards. Newsome’s response, however, was mixed. Emotions were running high in the heat of the afternoon, but he’s also thrilled that he was able to get the quarterback to lose his cool.“I was mad. But like I said, I’m a guy that chirps,” Newsome said. “I like stuff like that.” Ultimately, the two left the beef on the field and were laughing about it by the end of the day.“So, we were about to post a little selfie because I seen it got on ESPN and stuff,” he said. “So, it was fun. It was funny. I like the aggression. I like that with my quarterback. So, it’s all good.“It’s day whatever of camp, emotions get high. So, it was fun.”On the Giants’ defenseThe Giants’ defense has been a legitimate problem for the offense so far in camp. When the defensive front isn’t blowing plays up around the line of scrimmage, the secondary is getting their hands on the ball. In fact, the Giants’ secondary has proven to be one of the most competitive positions on the field through the off-season and into camp.“It’s super competitive,” Newsome said. “That’s how you want it. Iron sharpens iron. And we say that all the time, it’s super competitive. Everyone’s looking great. So, it’s definitely been fun to be a part of.”Newsome was familiar with John Harbaugh as the coach of the rival Baltimore Ravens from his time with the Cleveland Browns. What is it like to play for him now?“It’s tough, gritty,‘ Newsome some. “We’re going to work, and I like that. There’s no off days for us in terms of not competing. He’s going to make sure we compete. We’re always doing situational football and things like that. So, it’s been super fun.”It was a bit of a surprise when the Giants signed Newsome back at the start of free agency. After all, while his career got off to a great start as a first-round pick by the Browns out of Northwestern, it stagnated in Cleveland and he wasn’t able to jump-start it after being traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars.Still, it was widely assumed that Newsome would be the Giants’ starter opposite Paulson Adebo. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that Newsome was playing at a high level, and Harbaugh must’ve seen something if the Giants offered Newsome $10 million for the chance to make New York his new long-term home. However, 2023 first-round pick Deonte Banks has been making a real fight of things, and has been making a strong push for the starting job.“Tae Banks is amazing,” Newsome said “He’s one of the best just pure athletes, man-to-man, press corners that I’ve seen. So, he’s been doing an amazing job every single day, getting better every single day. So, I’m super excited because he’s going to help us out this season.”Banks has been clawing out increased reps with the starters over the spring and summer, and even earned a “kudos” for his play during Wednesday’s practices.“I just think when you just watch him [Banks] from OTA’s to now, the guys putting hands on, being physical with guys, there’s not a lot of separation with him,” Newsome said. “And just his athletic ability is fast, he’s strong, he can cover. If you just watch practice, he’s been doing a great job whenever he’s asked to get up there and play man-to-man coverage. So, I think, like I said, I’m pretty sure he’s going to do a lot of great things for us this season.”It certainly seems like we’ll be seeing plenty of man coverage from the Giants’ defense this year. Not only is that the technique in which Paulson Adebo excels, as well as Banks, Newsome believes that’s his strength as well. “With my game, my strong suit I think is playing press man coverage,” Newsome said when the Giants signed him back in March. “That was something that we did in Cleveland all the time was playing man-to-man, getting in people’s face and challenging guys.”Aggressive, challenging man coverage seems to be the name of the game under Dennard Wilson. “Just being aggressive,” Newsome said of what the Giants’ defensive coordinator wants. “Getting up and challenging people. I feel like last year, my first six games in Cleveland, that’s what I was asked to do. I feel like I played at a very elite level. People go watch those games when I was in Cleveland. So, this is something that I’m used to, something that I’m comfortable with. And I think all the corners are comfortable with playing like that, too.”Newsome understands 2026 isw an important year for him.“I think every year is pivotal,” he said. “…For me, I just feel like it’s a fresh start with a new team, with new guys, with a new scheme. And I’m just super excited to just embrace New York, show the fans why they signed me here, why I decided to come here”The Giants’ defense has been consistently disruptive, and at many times dominant, since the second day of camp. “I think for us the sky’s the limit. Like I said, everyone has something to prove this season and I think that’s a key ingredient for success,” he said. “We’re close. We’re in the locker room, staying after, just talking with each other, eating lunch together, going to eat together and things like that.“And we’ve been practicing really well but the thing is we’ve got to continue to build. Obviously, we’re not ready right now for game one but I think if we continue to keep going in the path we’re going, we’ll be ready.”

Cristian Romero joined Spurs from Atalanta in August 2021, initially on loan before the move was made permanent the following summer [Getty Images]Atletico Madrid have held talks over a move for Tottenham captain Cristian Romero.The Argentina international, who signed a new four-year deal at Spurs last August, is expected to leave the club this summer.There has also been interest from Inter Milan in signing the 28-year-old, who played all seven matches in Argentina's run to the World Cup final last month, where they lost to Spain.But Romero is a long-term target for Atletico manager Diego Simeone, with the Spanish side believed to be pressing ahead with another attempt to sign the centre-back.Spurs are aware of Atletico's interest and an agreement on personal terms for the player will not be an issue.Spurs boss Roberto de Zerbi recently said he would "respect the will" of players if they wanted to leave.Romero missed the end of last season with a knee injury as Spurs avoided relegation on the last day.He was sent off twice last season as Spurs finished 17th.Meanwhile, fellow centre-back Micky van de Ven is close to agreeing a new five-year deal with Tottenham.Latest Tottenham news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Tottenham - what do you want to know?

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: Dustin May #3 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during a game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images The 2026 Trade Deadline produced some new talent for the St. Louis Cardinals organization, leveraging expiring contracts into (potential) future assets. As much as we don’t like to see favorite players depart (a lot like geting rid of those old shoes we love), smart organizations do this every year. This churn, or perhaps more euphemistically written as “renewal” is essential for the on-going health of the organization. In baseball, any business really, statis leads to decline.Four new minor leaguers plus an MLB capable LHRP was the return for dealing away Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Lars Nootbaar and a bit of cash in the form of International Bonus Pool money. Others, led by Jake Wood have the low-down on the specific attributes of each player acquired. If you are here, you’ve probably been there already. If not, check it out. Good stuff.I won’t repeat that stuff. Later this year, after season’s end and we’ve had a chance to see these players up close (including recent draftees), I will wander down the aisle of re-assessing the Cardinal pipeline. Certainly, though, a strong pipeline got stronger. But what else can we learn from the deals that were done (and the ones not done)? Indeed, the Front Office evaluates that the pitching pipeline is deeper than the position player sideI believe we can take from the aggregate of the draft and deadline deals that the Cardinals saw fit to invest more heavily in building position player talent, which tells me that the pitchers they inserted into their pipeline over the last year and a half have produced enough to provide management confidence to be able to concentrate on the player side. I like this sign. Sometimes a management team will express confidence verbally, but their actions can indicate more unease. Not so in this case. This is good, because the position player prospect pool below AAA is pretty thin, as described here. I could find 12 total prospects on the position player side. That number will certainly be higher when the updates come out this fall.They have some trust in the outfield prospectsThere was less pressure to move Lars Nootbaar, as they had full control through 2027 over this player. Their willingness to move him for two lesser pitchers seems more about clearing space for young players to ascend than it was getting value from an expiring contract. I suspect they could have waited until the off-season (even with CBA uncertainty) and gained a bit more value from trading Noot, but they appear to value the playing time they freed up to get a look at Joshua Baez at the MLB level and perhaps to move up a chain of players higher into the minor league hierarchy that might include Tai Peete, Won-Bin Cho, Ragsdale, etc.If you line up potential runways, you probably can see where even if Baez struggles into early 2027, Cho or Chase Davis will likely get an opportunity and if they struggle, Cho might be ready for later 2027. What I get from them moving Nootbaar now is that they have some confidence that at least one of these guys will produce what Nootbaar was, if not more. I really like Lars as a player, but his actual production doesn’t create a high bar, and all three prospects appear to have some secondary skills (glove, base running) that have a higher ceiling than Lars. We’ve all heard the rumblings that the Cardinals look to become competitive late 2027 or early 2028. This kind of runway map begins to corroborate that assessment. I really like it when words and actions align. That’s just me, I guess.There are some side benefits to the Noot deal that could add valueI was initially underwhelmed by the upside of the pitchers returned for Noot. I’d kind of gotten used to whiz kids coming in. This seemed more like a high floor, low ceiling kind of deal. After considering it some and researching it a bit, it struck me that one of the benefits of this deal is that the Cardinals seem to have deliberately deepened their pool of reliever prospects (not the sexiest thing) but in a way that may allow them to not have to convert an existing starter to reliever out of need (and the need is real). That may tell us a couple of things … one, they are viewing the guys in the starter pipeline as guys who can stay on that track and two, the more marginal starters they have (say, Mautz or Thompson) may not really profile well into the reliever model they want to develop (high SnW, pin-point command not essential). In the larger context, I can see where this deal resulted in a more balanced system. Maybe there is a place for high floor, low ceiling transactions (if used sparingly). Another indicator that overall health of the farm system is strongThroughout the trade deadline speculation period, we’d periodically see suggestions that the Cardinals might consider moving Burleson or Herrera. Such a move would have resulted in a very good hitter being leveraged into multiple future value prospects. That they didn’t make such a move suggests to us that the front office doesn’t feel any pressure to make such a “rebuilding” kind of trade. Another indicator that, in the aggregate, they are gaining trust in their advancing prospects.Milwaukee was willing to sacrifice a bit of future for a chance to win it all nowThe trade with the Cardinals was a totally un-Milwaukee like move, for sure. I find it interesting they were willing to do this, because of downstream math. If either Frias or Ragsdale ascend to MLB (or get leveraged into other more near-term assets), the wins they produce will both subtract future wins from the Brewers and add future wins to the Cardinals and will likely be a higher win total than what May and Romero will provide them over the next two months. There is no better way to close the gap with your local competition than to acquire their future talent. Smart move, this. Is this the Brewers time? Does it suggest to us they see their window closing? I can’t quite discern. I can definitely see the notion that Romero and May might be enough to push them over the top, when they focus on Brewers vs. Dodgers in the NLDS or NLCS. Sometimes teams have to narrow their vision that way, when the opportunity arises. The brass ring doesn’t come by often. This is completely the opposite of the big-picture view the Cardinals are focusing on today.When the Brewers re-assess in the off-season (and widen their view), it might be a different look. Woodruff appears done. May will depart, as will Romero. Yelich is in serious decline. Contreras appears destined to be traded this winter. Now might be their best, and perhaps only, near-term chance. That is what their willingness to trade in the division suggests to me. A smart front-office, though. Never count out this team.There is no pitcher at AAA expected to really help the bullpenI’m not quite sure how to discern this, but one thing we can take from this is that Caleb Ferguson is viewed as a better stopgap solution for the LHRP side of the bullpen (to replace Romero) than Brycen Mautz would be. Is this because they really expect/need Mautz to remain in a starter role? I’m a bit skeptical. Not because I’m down on Mautz but more looking at the talent that is catching up to him (Cijntje, Doyle, Franklin, maybe even Lin). Perhaps as things line out, he needs to remain a starter in case one goes down between now and season’s end as he appears to be the “next man up”. Perhaps. The catcher situation remains unsettledSome folks expected Pages to be moved, given the demand for catchers in the market. Not for lack of opportunities in the market, it would appear that the Cardinals are yet uncertain about their direction at this position. What is Crooks? Is Bernal ready? Will Herrera remain at catcher or seek other locations? Since they didn’t move Pages, this tells us they don’t quite yet feel confident they have answers to these (and perhaps other) questions. If the Cardinals were 10 games under .500, I’d suspect they’d just play Crooks at least every other day through season’s end so they have better answers. But they appear to be still in mode to try and win with this roster, which means more mixing-and-matching at C (and DH) to maximize results, reducing Crooks’ runway. In this runway season, this area needs to become better defined in the next 2 months (if it can).What’s next?The renewal cycle is never ending. All the new players from the draft and trade deadline will need placed and then we get a few weeks to see them in action. Most, if not all, the draftees are assigned to Palm Beach in the FCL Instructional League. I can’t tell the difference between the complex league and the instructional league, so if someone could help with that, much appreciated.All the new talent coming in the bottom of the organization pushes more veteran prospects up or out, and we’ve seen a number of those transactions. I suspect there are a few more such as Baez to MLB, Doyle to AAA, etc. This might occur over the next week or two. After that, seven players will go to the Arizona Fall League. I’d guess Hjerpe, Ixan Henderson and perhaps Roby will be among them on the pitching side. The player side is a tougher call…thinking some combination of RainRod, Levenson, Cho, Peete, Ragsdale, maybe Jesus Baez. Tough calls here. Players needing 40-man decisions will get priority (ie. tie-breakers) if there are more players than spots. All this will culminate in two major areas this winter: 1) the 40-man roster decisions need to be ironed out and 2) it strikes me that the organization is primed to trade a little bit of future value for present value to improve the 2027 club.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaksa, talks with Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)2026-08-07T10:58:25Z WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Friday she will oppose Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general, narrowing the confirmation path for President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Justice Department. The Alaska senator said in a statement that she is concerned the Trump administration could proceed with its proposed fund to compensate Jan. 6 rioters even though Blanche has pledged to shelve the idea. Murkowski said the Senate has leverage over the fund, which the Republican senator wants, only because Blanche’s nomination is pending. That leverage would be gone if he is confirmed, she said. Blanche won over the Senate Judiciary Committee in a 12-10 vote only because he promised Republican holdouts that he would not pursue the payout fund. Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, but Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is not attending Senate sessions, which means Blanche can only afford to lose two Republican votes if all Democrats oppose him. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has also said she will oppose his nomination, and another key Republican, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, has not said how he will vote. The Senate Judiciary vote followed a deal struck late Sunday between Blanche and GOP Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who had been threatening to block his confirmation over the settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service regarding the president’s leaked tax returns. Cornyn and Tillis backed Blanche’s nomination after the Justice Department confirmed in writing that it wasn’t moving forward with a $1.8 billion fund to compensate Trump allies who believe they were unfairly investigated or prosecuted by the Justice Department. After days of negotiations, Blanche issued an order Sunday evening confirming “beyond any doubt, that there is no Fund.” Read More But Democrats say Blanche’s order doesn’t go far enough to prevent the Trump administration from reviving the fund after the acting attorney general’s confirmation and have called for legislation to permanently bar it. BILL BARROW Barrow covers U.S. politics for The Associated Press. He is based in Atlanta. twitter mailto 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

People stand drinking outside the Coach & Horses pub on Saint Patrick's Day in the Covent Garden district of central London, which is a popular tourist area, Tuesday, March 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, file)2026-08-07T11:14:49Z LONDON (AP) — A proposal to limit “vertical drinking,” a bureaucratic euphemism for having a pint while standing, has turned into a political headache for one local government council in London.Politicians from Prime Minister Andy Burnham to London Mayor Sadiq Khan have piled in to decry the idea from Westminster City Council, which is responsible for licensing pubs and restaurants in the West End, a nightlife hub popular with tourists and locals.A feature of many of those pubs is the crowd of drinkers who mill around sharing drinks with friends, often spilling out into the street on warm spring and summer evenings. Lesley Lewis, who has run the French House pub in Soho for 37 years, said discouraging that tradition would only drive customers to other parts of the city.“We rely on those people standing up with the rents and the rates (taxes) put upon us,” she said. “People want to enjoy themselves in Soho, they want to have a drink outside, they want to dance. They don’t want to sit down and just be where they are, they want to meet people and chat.” With British newspapers filled with headlines such as “Sitting room only at pubs?” and “Soho’s pubs won’t take clamp down on ‘vertical drinking’ lying down,” the Westminster council hit back at “confusing” news stories that misrepresented its plans.Council leader Paul Swaddle issued a press release stressing that the proposal was part of a draft policy that is still open for public comment. The council’s goal is to reduce noise and disorderly behavior by encouraging bars and restaurants to serve more people at their tables, not bar anyone from having a drink while standing, he said. “Let me be clear about what we’re trying to achieve,’’ he said. “This is about safety, not stopping anyone standing at a bar with a pint in their hand.’’ Read More The council’s draft licensing policy includes a proposal to discourage “excessive drunkenness” by encouraging business owners to provide more opportunities “for people to sit and enjoy a drink and order food by table service in place of open bar space that caters for high volume vertical drinking.”Westminster has more pubs, bars and restaurants licensed to sell alcohol than any other local authority in the U.K. While the council’s policy statement stresses the important role the hospitality industry plays in the local economy, it also says local leaders must ensure Westminster is “a great place for residents to live.” 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. That didn’t stop the criticism from more senior government officials, who have been focused on bolstering a hospitality industry that still hasn’t recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic.A spokesman for Burnham said pubs full of people standing around sharing a pint isn’t a nuisance, it’s a part of “British life.” The prime minister is encouraging local leaders to work with the hospitality industry so that pubs can thrive, he said.“The pubs that we’ve got are at the heart of high streets, and I think it’s really important to signal at the start of my time in office that I will be a defender for them,” Burnham told reporters last month while visiting a pub called the Hare in Harlow, Essex. “I will speak up for them and act.”Khan suggested he would use new powers that will be granted to his office later this year to review the Westminster policy.“You can’t run a world-famous nightlife district with a village-hall mindset,” Khan said on X. “London’s hospitality and nightlife support jobs, culture and growth.”

England's Elliot Anderson (8) replaces Ivan Toney (22) during the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between France and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)2026-08-07T11:02:25Z LONDON (AP) — England forward Ivan Toney has been charged with assault after an incident at a nightclub, police said Friday.Authorities said Toney was charged July 31 with assault “causing actual bodily harm.” The alleged incident took place in December at a nightclub in the Soho district of London.Police did not immediately give any other information about what happened.BBC Sports said a spokesperson for Toney said the player “acknowledges the charge and although he is naturally shocked, he looks forward to being given the opportunity to clear his name in court.”Toney, who plays for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Arabian league, is expected to appear in court on Sept. 24. The 30-year-old Toney was a member of England’s squad that finished in third place at the World Cup last month.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Researchers have wondered whether Praearcturus gigas was a giant crustacean called an isopod or some other creature. A new analysis of museum specimens suggests that it was a scorpion that stretched more than three feet long

Here’s how three French idealists—an abolitionist, a sculptor and the engineer behind the Eiffel Tower—brought the representation of freedom to life

The stela was found with a large, decorated platform and remnants of offerings in the state of Veracruz

Males of the species Drosophila melanogaster pack thousands of almost two-millimeter-long sperm cells into significantly smaller storage organs. A new study reveals how they move in an orderly manner

Found in a burial chamber, the artworks depict battles between ancient heroes in the Mediterranean world

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 16: Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) warms up before the game between the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles on November 16, 2025 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images “I told those guys, this may have been our only shot. Do I think that? No. Do I believe that? No. However, I know how hard it is to get here. I’m well aware. And it’s gonna be twice as hard to get back to this point next year than it was this year. That’s the reality. And if we don’t have the same hunger and the same work — which is a whole ‘nother thing once we get to the offseason — then we’ve got no shot of getting back here.“I don’t care how much better we get, or what we add, or [who] we draft. It’s irrelevant. It’s gonna be tough. Everybody in our division’s gonna be loaded back up. And, you know, you’re not hiding from anybody anymore. Everybody’s gonna want a piece of you. Which is fine, you know. “So it’s hard. You wanna make the most of every opportunity. We had an opportunity and we couldn’t close it out.”That’s what Lions head coach Dan Campbell told the media after his team blew a 24-7 first half lead to the San Francisco 49ers in the 2023 NFC Championship game. That 34-31 loss was followed by the Lions’ 15-2 regular-season record in 2024, and their subsequent 45-31 wild-card round bollixing at the hands of Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. After last season’s 9-8 record and postseason miss, Campbell’s words resonated more clearly than ever. Certainly, injuries had a lot to do with the dropoff… …but as the Lions head into the 2026 season, what is expected of them?They have the quarterback in Jared Goff. Jahmyr Gibbs is one of the NFL’s most consistently explosive running backs. There’s a receiver trio in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Isaac TeSlaa that is capable of shredding any defense, and tight end Sam LaPorta is no slouch, either. The offensive line should be good enough. Things are a bit dodgier on defense, as the injury data tells us, but Campbell and his coaches are suddenly dealing with a franchise on the precipice of a “competitive window” discussion sooner than a lot of people imagined. If these Lions are to transcend the doubts, they’ll need the level best from everybody on the roster — superstars and lesser-known players alike. To that end, I’ve identified three Hidden Gems for the 2026 Lions — one underrated veteran, one underrated free agent. and one underrated draft pick. Underrated veteran: CB Rock Ya-SinA Lions secondary that looked like the class of the NFL not too long ago has all kinds of question marks around it now. Brian Branch’s and Kerby Joseph’s injuries of late have been their own issues, and those issues are not yet resolved. What cornerback Terrion Arnold did to get himself released from the team on June 29 was an entirely different level of problematic; when one’s off-field life intervenes to the tune of four counts of kidnapping and four counts of armed robbery, football really isn’t the point anymore. Still, defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has to put a defensive backfield out there, which is where veteran cornerback Rock Ya-Sin comes in as he did last season. Arnold missed nine games in 2025 to concussion and shoulder issues, and fellow cornerback D.J. Reed missed six games with a hamstring injury. The Lions had signed Ya-Sin to a $1.17 million contract before the season, and it wasn’t a big deal in the public eye. It was also Ya-Sin’s fifth team in the last five seasons — the 2019 second-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts out of Temple had drifted from Indy to Las Vegas to Baltimore to San Francisco to Detroit since 2021.But with Arnold and Reed unable to take the field, it was the journeyman Ya-Sin’s time to shine, and he did for the most part, In Weeks 1-9, Ya-Sin had just 98 coverage snaps, and he allowed 10 catches on 19 targets for 94 yards, 10 yards after the catch, four pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 84.1.Especially with Arnold out, Ya-Sin’s participation increased dramatically. In Weeks 10-18, he had 284 coverage snaps (only Amik Robertson had more among Detroit’s cornerbacks with 287), and Ya-Sin gave up 17 catches on 31 targets for 193 yards, 70 yards after the catch, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 73.7. Ya-Sin didn’t have an interception last season, but he also allowed only one touchdown on all those targets.Rock Ya-Sin: A name @Lions fans will want to remember in 2026. pic.twitter.com/k63IXOKuZ9— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) June 26, 2026“I want to take the ball away more this season,” Ya-Sin said in March regarding his plans for 2026. “I really thought I left some [plays] on the field last year — some interceptions, some forced fumbles. I want to do a better job of that this year. I want to take the ball away.“Last year, I was proud that I stepped up when I got the opportunity. I got to do a lot of cool things last year. Match up against a lot of really good receivers, and do things in my career up to that point I hadn’t done yet. That was really cool stepping up when guys got hurt, and [we didn’t take] a step back, or [miss] a beat. I was proud of that.”It helps that Ya-Sin is a natural press cornerback. Last season, the Lions had at least one cornerback in press coverage on 70% of their snaps, the sixth-highest rate in the NFL. Sheppard had two cornerbacks in press 28% of the time, the league’s fourth-highest rate, and the Lions tied with the Buffalo Bills and the Chicago Bears for the NFL’s highest rate of three cornerbacks in press on a play at 11%.It’s why Ya-Sin wanted to return. He did so on a one-year, $3.2 million contract, with $1 million guaranteed.“I was ready to go from those four or five teams I had been on,” he said in March. “Like, when it was time to go, I was happy to go. But this was the first time I really wanted to come back, and I let my agent know that before the season had ended. I’m just glad to be back.“Certain guys fit better with certain teams, and I feel like I fit better here than I fit with those previous teams.”Is Ya-Sin the ideal No. 1 cornerback for any NFL defense? Probably not, but beggars can’t be choosers, as they say, and with a secondary in so much doubt, it’s nice to have somebody who has excelled of late in Sheppard’s defense. Underrated free agent: WR Greg DortchThe Lions dropped from third in Offensive DVOA under Ben Johnson in 2023 to seventh in 2025 under John Morton, and in 2026, former Arizona Cardinals OC Drew Petzing will be in charge of Detroit’s offense. The one guy Petzing clearly wanted from his Arizona days was receiver/returner Greg Dortch, who signed a $1,402,500 contract to play in the Motor City. “It was a big reason,” Dortch said of his familiarity with Petzing. “Obviously, just the comfort factor. The trust and the success that I’ve had with him being my OC the three years together. Drew is very smart, and knows exactly how to get people the ball.”Last season, for the Cardinals, Petzing got the 5-foot-7, 175-pound Dortch the ball for 29 catches on 33 targets for 206 yards and three touchdowns, 15 yards and a touchdown on seven rushing attempts, and Dortch himself took the ball on 30 kick returns for 796 yards (26.5 yards per return), and 16 punt returns for 185 yards (11.6 yards per return). The return game is where Dortch’s addition could pay off the most.Greg Dortch could make the @Lions' return game rather fun in 2026. pic.twitter.com/VgxJ11Ybk1— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) August 5, 2026“Did you see some of those returns yesterday?” Campbell asked a reporter on July 31 when queried about how Dortch will help the Lions. “Those drills we had, I love [Lions Special Teams Coordinator Dave] Fipp’s. Man, his return ability really showed up. Certainly, we know what he’s able to do from afar just on tape.“And so, for him, it’s, where do you fit in at? We’re going to need to be able to use you, rely on you. We feel pretty good so far about the return stuff, but there again, we have got a whole camp to go. We also have three pretty good receivers at the top of this thing that we feel really good about. So, his is finding, ‘Where do I fit into that, and where can I make my mark?’ “I mean, look, we have got plenty of guys that we can give a gadget to. I mean, [Amon-Ra St. Brown] Saint, we can give a gadget. We can give [Jameson Williams] Jamo a gadget. We can give [Jahmyr] Gibbs a gadget. So his is, where is that? What do I do best? Where can I fit into this? And just play receiver. So, we think of him that way. He can play Z, he can play F, and go to work.” Dortch has the ability to take a screen or a sweep several yards in the right direction, and though he’s not a primary receiver at his size, the Lions don’t need that. As Campbell intimated, they already have several primetime targets for Jared Goff. But Dortch has proven the ability to be a sneaky value addition in the right offense, and Petzing has proven the ability to make that happen. Underrated draft pick: CB Keith Abney IISpeaking of cornerbacks as we were earlier, there’s the addition of Arizona State’s Keith Abney II, the 6’0”, 190-pound pass defender the Lions took with the 157th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 draft. GM Brad Holmes was pretty happy about that one. “He was just a simple one because we had him ranked a couple rounds higher than where he was,” Holmes said after the draft. “So that was a no-brainer for us.”What’s interesting is that the Lions may project Abney as an inside cornerback, despite the fact that in three seasons with the Sun Devils, Abney had just 26 slot snaps. “I think he can do both,” Holmes said. “I’m not pigeon-holing him or putting him in a box that he’s a nickel only. He’s got enough good tape out there, versus some really good wide receivers, of him playing on the outside But I do think from a projection standpoint, I do think he can play inside as well. I just think that’s a bonus.”I completely understand why the Lions had Abney set a couple rounds higher than the fifth, because last year’s tape was quite impressive. In 2025, Abney allowed 32 catches on 72 targets for 321 yards, 79 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, two interceptions, nine pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 46.1. As a press cornerback, he showed that he can get right up in a receiver’s face, trail the receiver through the route, and make quick passes a thing of the past. Fast closure on those plays has become an Abney hallmark. With so much quick game in today's NFL, your cornerbacks had better be able to adjust and converge on quick-drop throws to negate those 0-3 step concepts. Arizona State's Keith Abney II has a graduate degree in doing just that. pic.twitter.com/uUToiR7NXw— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) April 1, 2026Right now, the Lions have Ya-Sin and D.J. Reed as the starting outside cornerbacks in their “Legion of Whom” defense, and though that could and should work pretty well, Abney has the tools to be an early asset with the right reps and opportunities — especially in the secondary where you don’t really know what’s going to happen from minute to minute.

Lee Grant became Walsall head coach on 14 May replacing Mat Sadler [PA Media]Walsall boss Lee Grant agreed that his side's outstanding result in the Carabao Cup against Bristol City has set a high bar at the start of the season - and was happy they showed what they can achieve so early.The Saddlers, using three centre-backs in Grant's first competitive game in charge, showed superb defensive resolve throughout, ensuring Aaron Pressley's well-worked goal two minutes into the second half was enough to see off their Championship hosts and book their place in the second round.Former Huddersfield head coach Grant became Mat Sadler's permanent replacement at Walsall in May and has been busy rebuilding the squad over the summer for another shot at promotion in League Two.He gave a debut to seven new signings at Ashton Gate and told BBC Radio WM he could not have asked for a better response from his new-look team."It had all the hallmarks of everything we talked about before the game, so that's incredibly powerful for the group because they set their stall out to do what they ended up doing," Grant said."We understood the task ahead of us - obviously a team that's two leagues above - and you see the quality on display from them. "They played really well. put us under a lot of stress, but our group was fantastic with the way they stood up to it, the way they defended and how together they were. It's a really pleasing start."Walsall upset Bristol City in Carabao Cup openerWalsall boss Grant hopeful of more summer signingsWalsall make 10th signing as winger Smith arrivesWalsall name ex-Huddersfield boss Grant head coach'It's our first opportunity to show ourselves to the world'Walsall begin their league campaign at Gillingham on 15 August and, although a sustained promotion challenge after near misses in the last two seasons remains the priority, Grant said beating the Robins sends out a strong message that the Saddlers look like they mean business."Yeah and why not?" he said. "We're still growing as a group [and] we're certainly not going to get carried away on the back of this performance."You might want to say the real stuff starts next week, but no. I said before the game I wasn't going to hide behind the fact this was a Carabao Cup game. I'm not going to hide behind the fact this was a side two leagues above us because it's our first game."It's our first opportunity to show ourselves to the world. And hopefully we've given a good impression of ourselves."

Real Madrid never considered Barcelona-bound midfielder ‘essential’, not losing sleep on the rejectionThe ongoing summer transfer window has seen Barcelona and Real Madrid directly battle it out for several players, for both clubs were interested in the likes of Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva and Rodri. Barring the final operation which went the Catalans’ way, all the other operations have ended up in Real Madrid’s favour and it is clear that even the Rodri deal did not work out for Real Madrid owing to factors out of their control.In that sense, MARCA report that Real Madrid will not take any negativity or bad feelings from the Rodri saga and that they never really were as close to signing him as many reports suggested.Rodri never gave Real Madrid the ‘ok’Indeed, contrary to various reports in recent weeks, the Spanish outlet confirm that Rodri never really jumped at the idea of signing for Real Madrid.Rodri never gave Real Madrid a sign. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Los Blancos spoke to the player in April to know his stance on a potential transfer and earned permission to negotiate terms. The club estimated a fee of €60 million to be fair and were willing to pay it should matters work out.Rodri, however, never really gave his green light to the Real Madrid project, and the club thus never officially presented their offer to the Blues. Nevertheless, the relationship with the player and his entourage were always cordial, and Real Madrid accept the rejection gracefully.Not a necessityThe Spanish outlet also states that Jose Mourinho and Co. never really saw Rodri’s signing as essential this summer and always considered him an icing on the cake. After all, they see Bernardo Silva to play a similar role and boost the midfield.Real Madrid’s big midfield signing of the summer. (Photo courtesy: Real Madrid official website)If Rodri had arrived, the club would have pushed for a departure in midfield, either in Eduardo Camavinga or Aurelien Tchouameni. Now, however, they consider their squad 95% complete and have no regrets.In that sense, there will be no efforts to make any new midfield signing this summer unless an unexpected departure unfolds. Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho see the current squad as talented enough and are unaffected by Rodri’s rejection although some reports do suggest otherwise.

Celtic close in on £9m Haissem Hassan deal after major transfer breakthroughCeltic are edging closer to completing the signing of Haissem Hassan, with a deal potentially worth as much as £9 million reportedly in the final stages.Haissem Hassan of Egypt competes for the ball against Julian Alvarez and Nicolas Tagliafico of Argentina during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium on July 07, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)The Real Oviedo winger has been on the Hoops radar for more than a month, with the Scottish champions tracking the Egypt international well before his profile soared at this summer’s World Cup.Hassan caught the eye on the biggest stage with an impressive display against Argentina last month, attracting wider attention after what had been a difficult domestic campaign in Spain.Despite that increased competition, Celtic now appear to have made a decisive breakthrough in their pursuit of the 24-year-old.Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claims the Scottish champions are working on an agreement which would see them pay an initial £6 million, with add-ons potentially taking the overall package to around £9 million.Spanish outlet La Nueva España has also reported that negotiations are being finalised, although Oviedo will not retain the entirety of the transfer fee due to Hassan’s former club Villarreal being entitled to a percentage.There had been signs over the past week that Celtic were exploring other options, with Farès Ghedjemis emerging as a possible alternative as talks for Hassan continued to drag on.However, the latest developments suggest Martin O’Neill could finally be about to land a player Celtic have pursued throughout the summer.His World Cup showing may have accelerated interest elsewhere, but Hassan is not simply a player Celtic have identified on the strength of one eye-catching performance against Argentina.The Hoops’ admiration stretches back considerably further, making the potential deal the culmination of a lengthy recruitment process rather than a reaction to his exploits on the international stage.Predominantly operating from the right despite being naturally left-footed, Hassan arrives with something to prove following a challenging season at Oviedo.The winger failed to score across 38 appearances during their relegation campaign from La Liga, contributing three assists along the way. Those numbers represented a drop-off from the previous season, when he found the net four times as Oviedo secured promotion to the Spanish top flight.Celtic have, of course, previously benefited from looking beyond a player’s immediate statistics.Nicolas Kühn and Jota both arrived in Glasgow without particularly impressive numbers at their previous clubs before developing into major contributors and ultimately generating significant transfer profits.Born and brought up in France, Hassan developed at Châteauroux and represented the country at youth international level before eventually committing his senior international future to Egypt.And he is not the only member of the Egyptian squad to have appeared on Celtic’s radar this summer.Al-Ahly midfielder Emam Ashour has also been linked with a switch to Glasgow after enhancing his reputation by scoring twice at the World Cup.HAVE YOUR SAY – Join the Celtic conversation in our comments section below…Celtic Shorts is the new home for the team from The Celtic StarSummer Sale now on! Both books for just £20 plus P&P. Order now at Celticstarbooks.comQuick Tip –Add Celticshorts.com as your ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for quick access to the Celtic content you value the most. It takes just a few seconds and you’ll notice the difference straight away! – Click HERE….Hail Hail!Click to join Celtic Pools

Confirmed: Flick makes first three pre-season cuts from Barcelona squadFC Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has made his first three cuts of pre-season.The German coach released Oscar Gistau, Ibrahim Diarra and Alex Gonzalez from first-team duties, with the trio returning to Barça Atletic dynamics.All three youngsters are already training under Juliano Belletti on Friday at the club’s training camp in La Vall d’en Bas (Girona).The trio had spent the past month working with the first team as part of a larger group of 17 academy players from Barça Atletic and the Under-19s.First-team experience during the England tourGistau, Diarra and Alex Gonzalez all travelled with the senior squad to St George’s Park in England for Barcelona’s pre-season training camp.Each of them also made their unofficial first-team debut during the friendly against Birmingham City.Fresh from signing a new contract until 2028, striker Gistau played 28 minutes, while both Diarra and Gonzalez featured for 45 minutes apiece.After four weeks working under Flick, the three youngsters have now linked up with Barça Atletic in La Vall d’en Bas.They trained on Friday at the Royalverd Training Center and could feature on Saturday at 18:00 in the friendly against Girona B, the reserve side’s final match before returning to Barcelona.Alex Gonzalez impressed in pre-season. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website)All three are expected to play important roles under Belletti, who begins his second season in charge looking to guide Barça Atletic back to Primera RFEF.14 academy players remain with the first teamWhile Gistau, Diarra and Gonzalez, who particularly impressed the coaching staff, have returned to the reserves, Flick will continue working with 14 academy players as preparations for the new season continue.The group will travel this weekend to Udine for a pre-season triangular tournament featuring Udinese and Nottingham Forest.Those still training with the first team are Tommy Marques, Shane Kluivert, Xavi Espart, Toni Fernandez, Jofre Torrents, Hamza Abdelkarim, Alvaro Cortes, Orian Goren, Ebrima Tunkara, Guille Fernandez, Brian Farinas, Jordi Pesquer, Aron Yaakobishvili and Iker Rodriguez.Barcelona are now 16 days away from their La Liga opener against Elche 23 August, with Flick continuing to assess his squad ahead of the new campaign.

The first full moon of the summer delivered dazzling visuals from across the globe. Its low position in the sky from the perspective of the Northern Hemisphere gave it a golden hue

An art dealer stumbled across "Let the Little Children Come Unto Me" at a German auction house in 2014. Experts have now carefully removed layers of overpaint from the forgotten masterpiece

A master craftsman carved the likeness around 1600, possibly as a commission from the English monarch herself. A parrot on the back of the heart-shaped object symbolizes Elizabeth's status as a "virgin queen"

A patch of water south of Greenland and Iceland has cooled by nearly 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900. A new study suggests that it shows a crucial system of ocean currents is weakening, which could alter Earth's climate

In contrast to those who resided in Siberia, Neanderthals who lived in what's now Belgium and France shortly before the species vanished seem to have been genetically diverse and healthy

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shake hands during a welcome ceremony, in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici, File)2026-08-07T11:31:08Z Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have signed a mutual defense agreement, while the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have stepped up attacks on Saudi-linked targets.Here’s a look at the latest developments across the Middle East on Friday. Full coverage can be found here.Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia sign a mutual defense agreementOil-rich Saudi Arabia, nuclear power Pakistan and Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a rapidly growing defense industry, signed a mutual defense agreement on Friday. The deal stipulates that an armed attack on either of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against them all. It was signed during a meeting in Saudi Arabia between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.“The Agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression,” the ministry said in a statement.The deal comes at a time when Saudi Arabia, whose critical infrastructure and oil facilities have come under attack as part of the war in Iran, has been looking to diversify its defense partnerships. Houthi rebels blamed for attack on eastern YemenIran-backed Houthis launched attacks on Marib province in eastern Yemen Friday morning, in the latest escalation with Saudi-backed forces, a military official with the forces in Marib said.The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media, said the missiles were fired from west of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. Local resident Khaled Masbih told The Associated Press that Houthi missiles struck multiple areas across the city, causing an unknown number of casualties. The Houthis did not claim the attack.Separately, the rebel group struck the Najran region in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the Yemeni border on Thursday, the official spokesperson of the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, confirmed in a statement on X overnight. Read More He said the attack wounded 11 civilians, including a woman and a child who suffered second-degree burns, and accused the rebels of carrying out “indiscriminate shelling against civilian objects.” The rebel group did not claim responsibility for the attacks in Marib or Najran. A spokesperson for the Houthis, Nasruddin Amer, said on X on Friday that the group will continue to target gatherings of Saudi-backed forces. 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. The attacks mark a major escalation since a truce in 2022 largely halted fighting. The civil war pits the Iran-backed Houthis against a Saudi-led coalition allied with Yemen’s internationally recognized government.—By Ahmed Al-Haj in Aden, Yemen and Fatma Khaled in CairoIsraeli strike wounds Lebanese soldierThe Lebanese army said the soldier was lightly wounded on Friday while he was in a bulldozer opening roads in the southern village of Mansouri.Mansouri was subjected to Israeli shelling earlier this week, according to Lebanon’s state news agency.There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.The Israeli army launched strikes Wednesday in southern Lebanon in response to what it described as Hezbollah’s violation of the ceasefire and called on residents of Mansouri to flee — the first such warning Israel has issued in Lebanon for weeks.

Pope Leo XIV delivers a blessing in St. Peter's Basilica, on the occasion of the weekly general audience at the Vatican, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)2026-08-07T11:41:07Z MILAN (AP) — Pope Leo XIV will meet with survivors of clergy abuse during a four-day trip to France next month that will include a visit to UNESCO headquarters, a meeting with French bishops in Lourdes and an interreligious meeting in the border city of Metz, the Vatican announced on Friday.The Vatican issued a brief separate statement highlighting the meeting with several abuse survivors and noting that the victims themselves will be involved in preparations for the meeting. The timing and location will be provided at a later date. Leo met with six abuse survivors during his recent trip to Spain, where the Catholic hierarchy has only recently begun reckoning with its legacy of abuse and cover-up after long dismissing the severity of the scandal.In France, a 2021 report estimated 330,000 children had been sexually abused over 70 years by church personnel. The pontiff last month signaled commitment to continuing the fight against clergy sexual abuse by appointing French Bishop Thibault Verny to head the Vatican’s child protection advisory commission. The Sept. 25-28 France trip, which was confirmed in May, will be Leo’s fourth foreign voyage of the year.Leo made a day trip to Monaco in March, visited four African nations in April and Spain and the Canary Islands in June. The Vatican also confirmed this week that he will make his first trip to Latin America as pontiff in November, with visits to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, where he served for over three decades. Leo will start his visit Sept. 25 in Paris, meting with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace where he will address authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps before giving a speech at headquarters of the U.N. culture agency, UNESCO. He will later celebrate vespers at Notre-Dame Cathedral and end the day with a prayer vigil with young people at the national stadium. Read More Leo is making social inclusion, active participation and new converts central to his program on the second day, when he will visit the Maison Bakhita center for social support and integration before a meeting with a synodal assembly that works to involve laypeople in church matters, as well as recently baptized Catholics. He travels later in the day to Lourdes, one of Catholicism’s most important pilgrimage sites, where he will pray at the Grotto of the Apparitions and meet the staff and sick people of the Accueil Notre-Dame. He closes the visit with one of Lourdes’ signature rites: the Rosary and torchlight procession through the sanctuary.Leo ends his visit in Metz, near the Luxembourg and German border, where he will attend an interreligious meeting in a conference center named for Robert Schuman, a French statesman regarded as one of the founding fathers of European integration. Schuman, a Catholic, was declared “venerable” in 2021, a step in the Catholic sainthood process.While Leo’s predecessor, the late Pope Francis, mostly stayed away from big European centers of Christianity during his 12-year pontificate, Leo appears to be paying more attention to the experience of the European faithful.Francis visited France twice, but never on a state visit to Paris: He made a day trip to Strasbourg in 2014 to address the European Parliament and Council of Europe. He then visited the port city of Marseille for a conference on migration in 2023. COLLEEN BARRY Barry covers all things Italy for The Associated Press. Her focus includes fashion and design, overtourism and the environment, politics and sometimes the Vatican. twitter instagram mailto

Mississippi Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Scott Colom speaks with Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., before a campaign event at the Capital Club in Jackson, Miss., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Sarah Warnock)2026-08-07T11:36:29Z JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Scott Colom is a gregarious prosecutor who grew up in Mississippi with a Republican father who campaigned for Ronald Reagan and counted political titan Thad Cochran as a friend.That background sounds ideal for a U.S. Senate hopeful in a Deep South state run for generations by white conservatives.Except Colom is a Democrat. And a Black man.So, the 43-year-old is an underdog in his bid to unseat Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, a white Donald Trump acolyte seeking her second full term. Yet several variables — Colom’s biography, Mississippi’s demographics, lingering inflation and Hyde-Smith’s understated profile — make for a wildcard matchup as Republicans defend their Senate majority at the midpoint of Trump’s second presidency. “Mississippi matters,” Colom insisted throughout a nearly 12-hour campaign schedule Aug. 1. He told The Associated Press he has a rare opportunity to flip the state’s usual script by casting Hyde-Smith as a rubber stamp while deflecting broadsides that he’s out of step. “I’m going to fight the corruption that we’re seeing in D.C. that’s making everything less affordable,” he said, zeroing in on Trump’s tariffs, the Iran war and the Republican-controlled Congress’ capitulation on both. “Our junior senator has totally given away our voice. She’s not worried about us at all.”Through aides, Hyde-Smith declined an interview. But her campaign manager projected confidence. “No one believes in Scott Colom except for Scott Colom,” said Jake Monssen, tagging the challenger as a stooge of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and billionaire donor George Soros, whose family backed Colom’s district attorney races. Read More Schumer recently held a fundraiser for Colom, and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland’s first Black senator, traveled to Mississippi to support him. She predicted more Democratic senators will follow. “I can guarantee you one thing,” Alsobrooks said, “I’m not the last.” As they campaigned together, Colom cited a famous biblical long shot while nodding to his state’s history at the vanguard of the Civil Rights Movement.“We know a little something about David and Goliath in Mississippi,” he said. The outcome hinges on ‘simple math’Mississippi’s fraught history with racism is never far below the surface.Colom’s weekend featured a voting rights discussion at Jackson’s Farish Street Baptist Church, where Medgar Evers, the NAACP leader killed by white supremacists in 1963, held organizing meetings. One of Evers’ successors embraced Colom’s candidacy as the next step in a long struggle. “Mississippi is not just a moral argument,” said state NAACP Executive Director Charles Taylor. “It is simple math.”Black voters make up a larger share of Mississippi’s 2.95 million residents (about 37%) and typical November electorate (about a third) than in any other state. More than 9 out of 10 of them typically vote Democratic but turn out at a lower rate than white voters, especially young generations, according to strategists in both major political parties. White voters opt by a 4-1 ratio or more for Republicans. Younger white voters trend slightly less Republican, but they’re also less likely to vote. That makes most Mississippi elections closer than in neighboring Alabama and Louisiana. In 2018, Hyde-Smith won a special election runoff over Mike Espy, Mississippi’s first Black congressman since Reconstruction and a former U.S. agriculture secretary, by 7 (percentage points. She notched a 10-percentage-point rematch win in 2020 but trailed Trump’s 16-percentage-point margin over Democrat Joe Biden for president in the same election. Three years later, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves managed just a 3-percentage-point reelection margin and finished less than 1 percentage point over the majority threshold that Mississippi law requires to avoid a runoff in statewide general elections. Taylor said registration and turnout efforts by the NACCP and other groups could draw 75,000 more Black voters, enough to close recent gaps. Wilbur Colom, who once lost a state treasurer’s race as a Republican, enjoys gaming out turnout scenarios for his son. Scott Colom can hit a winning sweet spot, his father said, by increasing Black share of the electorate to 35% and get closer to one out of four white votes rather than the typical 20% or less. “That’s hard,” Wilbur Colom said. “But demographics are our friend here.” Scott Colom leans on contrasting recordsColom mostly sidesteps Mississippi history or electoral math unless asked. “We’ve made a lot more progress than we get credit for,” he said.“A lot of Mississippians,” he added, “want somebody that’s going to look out for them,” regardless of race.On Republican gerrymandering after the U.S. Supreme Court gutted a last key Voting Rights Act provision protecting minority voting strength, Colom steers the conversation to economics. Republicans, Colom said, “don’t want to be held accountable” for how things are going. Asked about Biden tapping him for a federal judgeship only for Hyde-Smith to block the nomination, Colom says the campaign isn’t about that. He avoids personal shots at Trump, instead emphasizing Mississippi farmers harmed by the Republican president’s tariffs and “400,000 Mississippians that don’t have health insurance” because the state hasn’t expanded Medicaid and Republicans, Hyde-Smith included, let expanded insurance premium subsidies expire. Colom mentions crime victims and their families in his jurisdiction, promising voters will see them vouch for him. And he criticizes Hyde-Smith for using campaign funds at Las Vegas hotels. “Voters in Mississippi were promised America first. They were promised lower grocery prices, no more endless wars, concepts of a healthcare plan,” he said. “We’ve been betrayed on all three fronts, and Cindy Hyde-Smith won’t even do a town hall to justify any of it.”Hyde-Smith’s team targets Colom as too liberal The senator’s aides note that she travels regularly to community events around Mississippi — and only annually to Las Vegas for a national campaign fundraiser the onetime state agriculture commissioner plans around a professional rodeo event.Hyde-Smith, in turn, frames Colom as beholden to extremes beyond Mississippi. Monssen said voters will see a challenger trying “to transition kids’ genders,” raise taxes and give “healthcare to illegal immigrants” to please his “socialist supporters” from the coasts.It’s a play-it-safe strategy that presumes Republicans like Steve Rogers, a 73-year-old from Brandon, still make up Mississippi’s majority.“I like how she votes, and I think any Democrat’s wasting their time,” Rogers said. He still gives Trump high marks and hasn’t even heard of Colom. Trump’s slide “may give her some trouble,” he allows, “but I think she coasts.”Colom acknowledged financial support from the Soros family but said no candidate controls outside political action committees. He pointed to his prosecution of a Democratic sheriff for sexual abuse of a prisoner as proof that partisanship doesn’t guide him. Voters, including many who’ve backed Trump and Hyde-Smith, “are smart enough,” he said, to “see through the lies.” Democrat Judy Weiner, a 72-year-old poll worker in Hinds County, added that Hyde-Smith distinguishes herself only by her fealty to Trump, while not establishing a reputation for securing appropriations and helping rank-and-file Mississippians, as did her predecessor Cochran. “He made his decisions based on what was good for all the people in Mississippi, not because the president whispered in his ear,” she said, noting Cochran attracted votes from Black and white Democrats. A little cash could go a long wayThe candidates’ campaign accounts and Mississippi’s inexpensive media markets intensify the unknowns. Through June, Hyde-Smith had raised $3.8 million this cycle, with $2.5 million left. Colom pulled in $2.8 million and had $850,000 remaining. But Colom outpaced Hyde-Smith among individual contributors, $1.9 million to $1.8 million, from the start of 2025. More of his money ($536,000) came from Mississippi than any other state, despite Monssen’s broadsides. There is no statewide TV advertising yet, but Senate Majority PAC spokeswoman Lauren French said the group is “watching closely.” And it doesn’t take seven figures per ad buy to penetrate the electorate, unlike in more populous states like Texas, Georgia and North Carolina. That means that either national party or super PACs could make late investments that matter. “We need to be working for every single seat,” said Alsobrooks, the Maryland visitor, “and you know what, it always seems impossible until it’s done.” BILL BARROW Barrow covers U.S. politics for The Associated Press. He is based in Atlanta. twitter mailto