Каталог

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, center, campaigns with Democratic candidate for Governor David Crowley, right, Monday, Aug. 10, 2026, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)2026-08-11T04:00:54Z MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A democratic socialist is trying to rise above the party establishment’s chosen candidate who revived his campaign after another leading contender dropped out in Wisconsin’s chaotic primary race for governor on Tuesday.The winner will advance to take on Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in November in an open race that could test the limits of progressives’ appeal in a critical battleground state. Democrats are hoping to capitalize on low approval ratings for President Donald Trump in a state he won in 2016 and 2024 to retain control of the governor’s office and flip both chambers of the Legislature to earn full control of Wisconsin state government for the first time since 2010.In other races, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s 26-year-old son-in-law Michael Alfonso is trying to win a five-way primary in Duffy’s old seat in the U.S. House. And Democrat Rebecca Cooke is looking to emerge from the primary to force a rematch with Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden in the state’s most hotly contested and narrowly divided congressional district. Democratic socialist shakes up Wisconsin race, fueled by national movementSingle mother and former line cook Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, has tapped into Democratic anger with the party’s mainstream and Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.The 37-year-old known for sprinkling her comments with profanity and leaning into her edgy and sometimes humorous social media profile excited the liberal wing of the party. Hong called for free childcare and healthcare and a moratorium on data center construction. But she also wrestled with her past support for defunding the police, saying at the race’s only debate that she would not support cutting law enforcement funding.She also drew criticism for past social media posts where she called for canceling Thanksgiving because “we should stop celebrating colonialism” and disparaged Valentine’s Day as “another day capitalism tells you how to show love.” Hong has since downplayed the posts as her attempt at making jokes. Read More Hong supporter Dan Jakubek, 44, of Marshall, dismissed concerns over Hong’s past statements and said her message of affordability is resonating across generations. “I’ve never seen so many young, out of high school, college students revved up for change,” he said.Establishment Democrats worried that a Hong win would make it easier for Tiffany to win in November, as her platform would be a tougher sell among moderate and independent voters who are critical in the swing state known for razor-thin election margins.Gov. Tony Evers endorsed Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, saying he has the best chance of beating Tiffany in November.Crowley told supporters at a Sunday night rally that they must come together after the primary to beat Tiffany.“Our ultimate goal is to make sure we don’t have a MAGA extremist occupying the governor’s office,” Crowley said.Hong said she would welcome Evers’ support after the primary.“We have to come together to beat Tom Tiffany,” she said Monday.Hong voter Kelly McClurg, 40, of Sun Prairie, rejected concerns that Hong can’t beat Tiffany.“She can win if people let her,” she said, referring to Democrats who raise electability concerns. Crowley voter Susan Uraneck, of Madison, said she wished that Evers had gotten involved sooner.“I hope for the best,” she said. “As I say, it is what it is.”Hong is the first Asian American elected to the state Assembly in 2020. She is looking to become Wisconsin’s first female governor and first Asian American governor. Crowley would be the state’s first Black governor. Chaotic Democratic primary saw candidates drop, come back inEvers’ decision not to seek a third term created an open race for governor that initially had seven Democrats file to run. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez appeared to be making a move to consolidate mainstream Democratic support in July, but she dropped out in the middle of the month amid a campaign finance scandal. That led Crowley, who had dropped out a week earlier and endorsed Rodriguez, to get back in the race, this time with Evers’ backing. Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who was seen as an early front-runner after nearly beating Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson in 2022, bowed out less than two weeks before the election amid questions about inappropriate behavior. Sean Duffy’s son-in-law looks to win back Duffy’s old congressional districtAlfonso is looking to become the youngest member of Congress by winning Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, a seat previously held for nine years by his father-in-law before Duffy stepped down in 2019.He secured Trump’s endorsement, who called him a “MAGA warrior,” to separate him from the field that also includes Kevin Hermening, a Trump supporter and longtime Republican operative in the congressional district.Trump spoke on a telephone rally for Alfonso on Monday night, calling him “a fantastic young guy who’s going to be a star in Washington.” It was the second event Trump hosted for Alfonso in the primary.Alfonso’s candidacy drew blowback from some longtime Republican leaders in the district who said he was too young and inexperienced for the job, especially compared to Hermening. Democrat Cooke looks for repeat race against Rep. Derrick Van OrdenCooke, a former Democratic fundraiser and small business owner, faces a challenge from former Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District. Berge ran an underdog, insurgent campaign against Cooke, who was more well-known and better financed.Cooke narrowly lost to Van Orden in 2024 and also ran in 2022 but lost in the Democratic primary that year.Van Orden is one of Trump’s biggest supporters but will face a tough reelection bid in a narrowly divided district in a year where Trump’s approval ratings are low in Wisconsin. SCOTT BAUER Bauer is the AP’s Statehouse reporter covering politics and state government in Madison, Wisconsin. He also writes music reviews. twitter mailto 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

This is how elections are so often fought now. Politicians slink into a constituency to meet fans, make content for their social media and melt away.

Authorities in California said he died in a climbing accident. He set a record in 2024 for climbing El Capitan’s Lurking Fear route in under three hours.

Let the bidding begin. A coveted, one-of-one autographed Cooper Flagg NBA Debut Patch card with a bounty on it appears to have been pulled. Topps, the producer of the card, shared an image on social media Monday night of the card being pulled by a Rhode Island collectibles streamer called “RhodyBreakers.”Video of the reveal was also shared on social media. Video of it being pulled pic.twitter.com/oA6sIGJ0RF— Kiki 🔨 (@certifiedkaki) August 11, 2026Why does this matter? The Flagg card is one of the most anticipated in modern collectibles history — so much that Flagg’s Dallas Mavericks have put a bounty on it to claim it as their own. How much is it worth? Nobody yet knows. That will only be determined via the time-tested market principle: how much is somebody willing to pay? But assuming that the card’s current owners intend to part with it for a windfall rather than keep it, they have options. The card is coveted in part because it features a game-worn patch from the jersey worn by Flagg in his NBA debut on Oct. 22, 2025. That’s a literal piece of Mavericks history, and the team has offered the finder of the card a premium package to part with it. The Mavericks issued the following offer to whomever pulled the card on Aug. 6 — four days before RhodyBreakers claims to have pulled it:Two premium season tickets in the lower level for 32 years (a reference to Flagg's jersey number)A signed, game-worn rookie jersey from FlaggA post-game photo with FlaggA private photoshoot with Flagg's Rookie of the Year trophy and the Championship Trophy (presumably from the Mavericks' win in 2011)VIP tour of the Mavericks' practice facility and meet-and-greet with the team"Private basketball experience" at Dallas' American Airlines Center for up to 10 guestsRoundtrip airfare, hotel accommodations and game tickets to see the Mavericks play against the Boston Celtics awayThat’s an appealing package, indeed. But it’s one that speaks specifically to Mavericks fans. And it’s lacking one key element: cash.The Pittsburgh Pirates offered a similar package in exchange for Paul Skenes’ MLB Debut Patch card in 2024. The lucky 11-year who pulled the card in Los Angeles wasn’t interested. He and his familry instead put it up for auction, where it sold for a whopping $1.1 million.That should buy him all the tickets to the Dodgers or the Angels or whomever his favorite team is that he desires. Also, that equates to life-changing money to the average 11-year-old.It’s a precedent that should ring true for the Mavericks. If they really want that Flagg card, they should pony up with a cash offer that RhodyBreakers — or whomever the rightful owner of the card is — can’t refuse. That, or expect to jump into the eventual bidding war.

Aug 10, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Texas Rangers second baseman Cam Cauley (27) lays down a bunt against the Los Angeles Angels during the third inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect The Texas Rangers scored four runs while the Anaheim Angels scored one run in ten innings.Despite the fact that the Angels are among the worst teams in baseball, and indeed the team currently with the worst record in the American League, the Rangers came into tonight’s game winless at Angel Stadium in 2026 after getting swept by their divisional rivals up the road from Disneyland back in late May. The Rangers only fared marginally better when last these two teams met in Arlington around a month ago with Texas claiming two of three against the Angels despite suffering a 13-1 loss to Anaheim in the middle game of the series, a game started by MacKenzie Gore. Gore was on the hill tonight for the Rangers as they tried to inch closer to a positive record against the division’s basement dwellers. Two batters into the game and it was already 1-0 Angels as Mike Trout hit his 785th career home run against Texas.Ultimately though, that first inning solo home run amounted to the Gore Inning (TM) as Gore settled in and didn’t allow another run through his 5 1/3 innings of work. The Angels did make him work a little as it took him 103 pitches to get to one out in the sixth before hitting the showers, but he finished allowing just the one run on four hits and a couple of walks with nine strikeouts.Meanwhile, tonight’s starter for the Angels was Reid Detmers and he seems to enjoy alternating between being pedestrian and dominant against the Rangers. The last time Detmers took the mound against Texas he allowed five runs in four innings which seemed seemed to mean the Rangers were in for a struggle tonight.Detmers didn’t reach dominance but he did hold the Rangers to a run in six innings on three hits and four walks with six strikeouts. After the lefty starters left, we eventually had a battle of the bullpens. I’m loath to assume that’s a situation that favors the Rangers in any particular game this season but against Anaheim, it should be. Luckily Texas’ ‘pen held firm keeping the Angels off the board for the remaining 4 2/3 innings, not even allowing Anaheim’s Manfred Man to touch home in the bottom of the tenth.As for the Manfred Man for the Rangers, Nicky Lopez scored the go-ahead and eventual winning run when the Rangers loaded the bases (scary, I know!) and got consecutive weakly-hit RBI base hits from Brandon Nimmo and Jake Burger. Burger’s hit, which drove in two, included Corey Seager scoring from second base where Seager decided to test the arm of Anaheim right fielder Wade Meckler. Perhaps that was a bit out of spite after Meckler had committed robbery against Seager earlier in the game, reaching over the fence to take away a potential two-out, three-run home run in the top of the seventh with the score 1-1 that would have saved us all a little grief with the need for extra innings.Nevertheless, Jacob Latz came in with a three run lead and worked around an 11-pitch walk to Trout but nothing else as the Rangers are again above .500 and have their first win at the Big A this year. It doesn’t seem like it needed to be that difficult but will be marked off in the win column regardless.Player of the Game: I supposed I could highlight Elias Diaz for collecting a couple of hits including an RBI single off of Detmers to tie the score when it looked like the Rangers were about to waste a two on, no outs situation in the top of the fourth. Or Nimmo for the winning hit with the bases loaded.Also, though, Robby Ahlstrom came in to clean up an inning where Chase Silseth had gotten into a little trouble with the game tied. Ahlstrom pitched another scoreless frame after that and hasn’t allowed a run since July 12 spanning 13 appearances.Up Next: The Rangers and Angels will be back at it for some late night baseball with LHP Cody Bradford expected to make another start for Texas against RHP Ryan Johnson for Anaheim.The Tuesday night first pitch from the Big A is once again scheduled for 8:38 pm CDT and will once again air on the Rangers Sports Network.

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 10: Jac Caglianone #14 of the Kansas City Royals rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Monday, August 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images Well, I’m not sure what I expected. The Royals stars (Witt, Cags) were showing out both offensively and defensively, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the moribund bullpen in a 6-5 loss to the Dodgers that was full of punch-counterpunch.The 6th inning was the key part. The Royals held a 3-2 lead and Noah Cameron, who had pitched pretty well up to this point, gave up a few hard-hit balls in a row to put runners on second and third with two outs. John Schreiber came in and promptly blew the game by walking Kyle Tucker and giving up a weak line drive down the right field line just beyond Cags’ outstretched glove. All three runners scored to give the Dodgers the lead. Sigh.The Royals counterpunched with a Kyle Isbel two-run homer in the seventh inning to bring the game back to even-steven at 5-5, but Alex Lange gave up two singles in the bottom of the seventh to relinquish the lead for good. It goes as two runs total charged to Schreiber and Lange, but I don’t think Cameron really deserved those runs being charged to him.It’s a shame. Facing Tarik Skubal, the Royals position players put up a good fight.In the first inning, in his first-ever at-bat against Skubal (really?), Cags fouled off four pitches to hit a grounder that squeaked through the middle to score Witt from second (Cags extended his hitting streak to 9 games with that hit).In the third inning, once again Cags came up to bat and continued his torrid second-half power show. After a Nick Loftin double, Cags was down 0-2 in the count. Then he ripped a 110.8mph line drive home run to push the lead to 3-0. It was beautiful – one of those rising liners that seemed to just keep elevating as it went. Skubal embodied the grimace emoji as soon as the ball left the bat. The Royals chased Skubal after only five innings pitched in which he gave up three runs. I think if you’re facing Skubal, you take that every time.The star on the other side, Shohei Ohtani, then counter-punched with a deep hit of his own after seeing Jac hit the dinger in the third. It was just short of a homer, but with Hunter Feduccia on second after a double, Ohtani got a bread-basket changeup from Cameron and blasted it to the gap. Freddie Freeman followed with a single to score Ohtani.On the defensive side, throughout the game, Witt flashed the leather in the deep hole, like in the bottom of the second when he ranged to his right and fired a perfect throw to Massey to allow him to turn the double play. Witt was all over the place. I think he even caught a pop fly in left-center later in the game. Rex was talking about his hands so much that my wife wanted to file a complaint with HR. Fair. He was ridiculous.It felt like a good effort from the boys. Well..at least it was a good effort from half the team.The Royals fall to 49-71. The Dodgers are 71-48. They play again tomorrow at 9:10pm US Central time. Michael Wacha will pitch against Blake Snell.

From legends who've become institutions to up-and-coming superstars with the world there for the taking, these are the 15 coaches who are among the very best, but slightly below the current elite.All of them have won big things, but each is missing something. Can he win the really big games? Where's the national title? How long before all the great things turn into something special at a whole other level?They're all fantastic, and they're all in the top 25 in our 2026 ranking of the best head coaches in college football going into the season.CFN Preseason Head Coach Rankings 11 to 25Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (right) talks with quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images25. Jeff Monken, Army2025 Coach Rank: 10 FBS Record: 89-63 | FBS Win %: 58.6% No one seems to grasp that it’s way harder than it seems to consistently win at Army. 12 seasons in, Monken continues to produce. - Army 2026 Team Preview- CFN Preseason Top 10 Head Coaches24. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa2025 Coach Rank: 24 FBS Record: 213-128 | FBS Win %: 62.5% The head man at Iowa since 1999 - Troy Calhoun (Air Force) and Dabo Swinney (2009) are the only other coaches to be around since before 2013 - he’s an institution with over 100 more FBS wins than all but 11 other current head coaches. - Iowa 2026 Team Preview23. Brian Newberry, Navy2025 Coach Rank: 69 FBS Record: 26-12 | FBS Win %: 68.4% From five wins to ten, to 11, two straight bowl victories over Army. What more could you want? (Maybe an American Conference title.) Always remember that winning big at a service academy isn’t a given. - Navy 2026 Team Preview22. Sonny Dykes, TCU2025 Coach Rank: 27 FBS Record: 107-80 | FBS Win %: 57.2% Six winning seasons in seven years, a national championship appearance, and three seasons with nine or more wins in four runs with the Horned Frogs. He’s just that good. - TCU 2026 Team Preview21. Jon Sumrall, Florida2025 Coach Rank: 34* (at Tulane) FBS Record: 43-12 | FBS Win %: 78.2% The cell phone thing at SEC media days (he was JOKING) and pedicures got the headlines - whatever. He won three conference titles with a trip to the CFP in four seasons between Troy and Tulane. Watch out for Florida. - Florida 2026 Team Preview20. Kyle Whittingham, Michigan2025 Coach Rank: 12* (at Utah) FBS Record: 177-88 | FBS Win %: 66.8% Very good for very long at Utah, he’s getting the shot to do something special with everything in place to win a national title - even if it's not this year. He should be able to turn Michigan back into a College Football Playoff team.- Michigan 2026 Team Preview19. Mike Elko, Texas A&M2025 Coach Rank: 40 FBS Record: 35-16 | FBS Win %: 68.6% How many double-digit win seasons did Texas A&M have from 1999 to 2024? One. Elko got the Aggies to the College Football Playoff in Year Two, going 11-2. Watch him make the high-end success a regular thing. - Texas A&M 2026 Team Preview18. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State2025 Coach Rank: 13 FBS Record: 22-16 | FBS Win %: 57.9% A rising star we loved from jump, he could’ve been the Michigan head coach, stayed at ASU, and has the energy and staying power to become a superstar. - Arizona State 2026 Team Preview17. Josh Heupel, Tennessee2025 Coach Rank: 14 FBS Record: 73-28 | FBS Win %: 72.3% Don’t get into a twist over Heupel’s disappointing 8-5 season - he won 30 games over the previous three years and won 72% of his games overall between UCF and the Vols. - Tennessee 2026 Team Preview16. Kalani Sitake, BYUNov 29, 2025; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake during the first half against the UCF Knights at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images© Rob Gray-Imagn Images2025 Coach Rank: 30 FBS Record: 84-45 | FBS Win %: 65.1% Rumored for the Penn State gig, nothing buys goodwill more than staying put. Winning 23 games in the last two years and four ten-win seasons in the last six helps, too. - BYU 2026 Team Preview15. Matt Campbell, Penn State2025 Coach Rank: 17* (at Iowa State) FBS Record: 107-70 | FBS Win %: 60.5% Win now, win big, win big games, win, win, win. He got to two Big 12 championship games at Iowa State and made the program a consistent winner, but that’s not good enough for Penn State. There’s zero grace period, but this was the right gig at the right time. - Penn State 2026 Team Preview14. Lincoln Riley, USC2025 Coach Rank: 20 FBS Record: 91-27 | FBS Win %: 77.1% By most reasonable standards, he’s been among the top coaches in college football over the last nine seasons. USC doesn’t have reasonable standards - and rightly so. He’s been very good, but that’s not quite good enough. It’s Year Five - USC needs to be in the CFP. - USC 2026 Team Preview13. Rhett Lashlee, SMU2025 Coach Rank: 15 FBS Record: 38-17 | FBS Win %: 69.1% Could he make the jump from top OC to head coach? After 31 wins and a CFP appearance in the last three years, all while turning SMU into an ACC player, yeah, he’s doing just fine. - SMU 2026 Team Preview12. James Franklin, Virginia Tech2025 Coach Rank: 8* (at Penn State) FBS Record: 128-60 | FBS Win %: 68.1% All the guy did was get Penn State into the CFP Semifinals in 2024, was on a run of 34 wins in three years before last season, and was a fourth down stop against Oregon away from probably still being in Happy Valley. He’s a program changing get for Virginia Tech. - Virginia Tech 2026 Team Preview11. Mario Cristobal, Miami2025 Coach Rank: 22 FBS Record: 97-79 | FBS Win %: 55.1% From five wins to seven, to ten, to one slightly better throw away from a national title, he’s where he’s supposed to be, and he’s doing what he’s supposed to do. He got Miami back up to national-relevant speed. - Miami 2026 Team Preview

Islam Makhachev is far more comfortable competing at welterweight and won’t move back down to 155 pounds. Makhachev (28-1) defended the Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight title four times before moving up to welterweight. He dominantly dethroned Jack Della Maddalena to win the 170-pound title last year and is now scheduled to defend it against Ian Garry (17-1) at UFC 330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.Javier Mendez shuts down possibility of Islam Makhachev returning to lightweight Makhachev’s coach, Javier Mendez, doesn’t believe his fighter will switch between weight classes and is likely done with lightweight entirely. Mendez recently revealed that the champion has gained five kilos (11 pounds) of muscle since moving up to welterweight and isn’t looking to move back down. “He’s gained five kilos of muscle and feels better at welterweight,” Mendez told Alvaro Colmenero. “He prefers this weight class. I don’t think he’ll ever fight at lightweight.” Notably, Makhachev has previously stated that he can compete at middleweight as well. When Dricus Du Plessis was the 185-pound champion, then-lightweight king Makhachev claimed that if the UFC offered him a title fight against the South African, he would gladly accept. However, the Russian hasn’t mentioned middleweight since moving up, shining a light on 170-pound contenders like Carlos Prates instead.I’ve been interviewing Javier Mendez, Islam Makhachev’s coach. Here’s a summary of some of the interesting comments he shared with me."He’s gained 5 kilos of muscle, and feels better at welterweight—he prefers this weight class. I don’t think he’ll ever fight at lightweight".— Álvaro Colmenero (@KOlmeneroMMA) August 10, 2026

Anthony Anderson, a guest host on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” said he’d “seen better weaves on ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta.’”

It wasn't too long ago that Ben Simmons was one of the NBA's more promising young talents. A 6-foot-10 ball-handler who could play multiple positions but seemed to function well as a point guard or point forward, he possessed ample athleticism and was a naturally strong defender.However, he not only didn't hit perimeter shots, but he almost completely refused to attempt any shots from outside of the paint. After demanding the Philadelphia 76ers trade him in 2021, his career went through a rapid downward spiral, during which he was dealing with injuries and saw his production decline precipitously.After being out of the NBA last season, Simmons is reportedly taking part in a player-led minicamp for the Australian national team, per Marc J. Spears of ESPN. This news has led some to wonder if Simmons will attempt a return to the NBA, and given the Los Angeles Lakers' need for a starting-level wing or forward, there are likely some Lakers fans who want the organization to take a flier on him.A player such as Simmons is tempting, especially since he's only 30 years of age and doesn't have a lot of mileage on him, but as Colin Keane of Lake Show Life wrote, there isn't a lot of substance behind that intrigue."Simmons as a small-ball five backing up Walker Kessler instead of Kevon Looney! Simmons as a defensive monster roaming behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves!"Intriguing, innit?"Sure is. But then again, intrigue has never been something Simmons fails to produce in NBA onlookers, even of the front office variety. It's the whole execution and playing basketball thing that Simmons has failed at time and time again since around 2021 or so."Simmons didn't play at all last season while recovering from multiple injuries. He played in 18 regular-season games and five playoff games for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2024-25. He was solid for the Clips, but nothing to get excited about."What the Lakers need in a starting wing or forward is two-way play, which means excellent 3-point shooting, something Simmons cannot exactly provide at all. Then there is the matter of his mental qualities. The narrative is that he's mentally weak, and this quality became beyond evident when, during Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals between the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks, he passed up an open dunk and scored just five points on four shot attempts.The 76ers lost the game, 103-96, and when coach Doc Rivers was asked afterward if Simmons could be the starting point guard on a championship team, he simply said he didn't know the answer to that question.Simmons took what seemed like a neutral statement as an insult and demanded a trade while cutting off almost all communication between himself and the Sixers organization. After the organization traded him months later to the Brooklyn Nets, he was diagnosed with a herniated disk in his back, and he would continue to have back problems for a couple of years afterward.Still, Keane feels that Simmons may be worth taking a chance on -- under several conditions."Now, Simmons' godfather is telling the press that Simmons' prime athleticism has returned and this is the best he's felt in years … classic quotes that you'd be feeding reporters to get teams to call."But back to the question -- should the Lakers be one of those teams? Normally, this would be a big, fat 'NO' from me, but the interesting thing this time around with Simmons is that he's reportedly willing to play on a minimum deal."Without much fiscal risk involved at all, the Lakers might be tempted to take a look at Simmons and see if his defensive versatility can be additive in the way that one assumes it would be, provided Simmons stays healthy (humongous IF) and actually still desires to play the sport of basketball (another big mystery)."The Lakers have enough ball-handlers and creators now that they've added Collin Sexton to [Luka] Doncic and {Austin] Reaves, so Simmons wouldn't be doing his vintage point-forward act, which is a good thing. At this phase in his career, you'd want Simmons to just be rim-running as a five, crashing the glass, and exerting all of his energy on the defensive end."Simmons has career averages of 13.1 points on 55.8% shooting, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.5 steals a game over seven NBA seasons. He was voted into the All-Star game three times and made the All-Defensive first team twice.This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Writer warns against Lakers taking a chance on Ben Simmons

US President Donald Trump was awarded the Fifa Peace Prize by Infantino in 2025 [Getty Images]US President Donald Trump says it would be a "terrible mistake" if under pressure Fifa president Gianni Infantino was ousted from his position.Trump's backing followed Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation issuing an open letter accusing Infantino of breaking trust "through deception" with his aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.FFE would have meant a new company being created to manage commercial and ticketing rights of all Fifa competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold off to a private investment company.Trump's comments are the first time he has come out in defence of Infantino since the FFE plans came to light on 28 July."Fifa would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing president Gianni Infantino," Trump wrote on social media."He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented. If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again."The 2026 World Cup was co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico this summer, with Spain crowned champions after beating Argentina in the final.When addressing the FFE proposals for the first time on 31 July, Trump said he had not spoken to Infantino about the plans.Thrive Eternal was expected to lead the proposed investor group for FFE.Thrive is an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner - the brother of Trump's son-in-law Jared.More to follow.Infantino broke trust 'through deception' - confederation presidentsFollow your club with BBC SportListen to the latest Football Daily podcastGet football news sent straight to your phone

Breaking: Inter close in on €30 million deal for Tottenham star Djed SpenceSerie A side Inter are nearing an agreement with Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur for the transfer of Djed Spence. A report by La Gazzetta dello Sportreveals that Inter and Tottenham are close to reaching an understanding on transfer fees for Djed Spence. The total deal is expected to be around €30 million plus bonuses. Following the €20 million transfer of Denzel Dumfries to Real Madrid earlier this summer, Inter were left with the task of finding a reliable successor to the right-back role. The Nerazzurri had Spence and Al-Ittihad’s wide midfielder Moussa Diaby in their sights, but negotiations for the latter turned out to be a complicated affair since the Saudi Arabian side had already received a tempting offer from Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. Tottenham Pre-Season Return: Will Spence Be Ready for Inter Debut?The objective right now for Inter is to put pen to paper on the contract for Spence before the start of the season. However, it is unlikely that he will be fit to start the opener since he just returned to training at Spurs following the post-World Cup break. Like his England teammate, Inter’s new signing John Stones is also expected to miss the first match, and should Spence’s transfer go through successfully, both should be fit for the second one. Trambak Bhattacherjee | GIFN

MUNICH, GERMANY - JUNE 05: A general view outside the stadium during the England Training Camp at FC Bayern Campus on June 05, 2022 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images) | The FA via Getty Images FC Bayern Munich have announced they will host a Team Day on the FC Bayern Campus in Munich on August 17th. The senior men’s and women’s teams — both double winners from last season — will return from their Asian tours and have public trainings at the campus. There will also be interactive events that will feature teams made up of three groups — players, content creators, and fans — going up against each other.2000 tickets have been made available for the event, but if you cannot make it, the 12-hour event will be streamed for free on the teams Twitch and YouTube pages and moderated by the FC Bayern hosts, Lukas and Ersin. The streams will begin at noon local time (6:00 AM Eastern US). The stream will include the live trainings, some of the other events, and behind the scenes content from the event.The event will kickoff the week in which both senior teams will play their first competitive matches. The FC Bayern Frauen will begin their Frauen-Bundesliga season the following Friday in Berlin against 1. FC Union Berlin. The men will travel to Dortmund to face BVB in the Supercup that Saturday.

The top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, puts his title on the line in the UFC 330 main event against No. 2 ranked contender Ian Machado Garry. It will be Makhachev's first title defense and heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall believes it will be one of his toughest tests to date. "I think this is going to be Islam' toughest fight that we've seen recently," Aspinall said on his YouTube channel. "I think stylistically, Ian Garry is a pretty bad matchup for him to be honest."He's long, rangy, moves really well. You don't often see him getting taken down and held there. Super tall, super like elusive, elite striking, judges the distance really well. He's young, he's fresh, he's not had, you know, loads of damage or anything like that. He's not got a lot of miles on the clock."While Garry may present unique challenges to the champion, Aspinall still predicted that Makhachev will retain his title at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia."But we're talking about Islam Makhachev, mate. In my opinion, pound for pound No. 1 in the argument at the minute for that. Once he gets ahold of you, you done. That head kick.""Again, we're talking about Islam Makhachev. He's getting a little bit older now, but he's still in his prime. He's definitely still in his prime. "I think it's tough fight. I do think it's a tough fight for both guys. But I can't think at any point that Islam is going to lose."

The SpaceX logo is displayed on a building, May 26, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)2026-08-11T05:21:35Z HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnamese aerospace company VinSpace said Tuesday it has signed a contract with SpaceX to send its first satellites into orbit aboard a SpaceX rideshare mission in 2027, as the Southeast Asian nation moves to develop its nascent space industry.VinSpace will launch its satellites on a SpaceX Transporter rideshare mission run by Elon Musk’s company, which carries satellites from multiple customers on a single rocket to share launch costs, it said in a statement. The satellites, which VinSpace said it will develop and operate, will test the company’s technology in orbit and support future commercial applications.VinSpace is part of Vietnam’s Vingroup conglomerate and was established in November 2025. The company said in April that it planned to develop and launch its first satellites in 2027.Founded by tycoon Pham Nhat Vuong, Vingroup is Vietnam’s largest privately owned company. It has a sprawling business empire that touches many aspects of daily life, from real estate and retail to healthcare, education and tourism. It is going global as it invests heavily in high-tech industries such as electric vehicles, space, artificial intelligence and robotics, sectors central to Vietnam’s ambition to become Asia’s next tiger economy.Vietnam has sought to build its aerospace capabilities for several decades but remains a relatively small player in the global space industry. It launched its first telecommunications satellite in 2008, followed by another in 2012, according to official documents. In March, it inaugurated a major space science and technology center in Hanoi’s Hoa Lac High-Tech Park, aimed at expanding the country’s satellite development and use of space-based data. Vietnam aims to become a mid-level space power in Southeast Asia by 2030. Read More In February, Vietnam allowed SpaceX to launch its Starlink satellite internet service in the country. This was seen by some analysts as an effort by Vietnam to avoid U.S. tariffs. Starlink has since begun accepting orders in Vietnam. VinSpace said the agreement with SpaceX is part of its plan to become a full-service aerospace company, developing capabilities ranging from satellite design and manufacturing to launch management, satellite operations and space-based data services. “Reliable access to space is fundamental to turning satellite innovation into operational missions,” VinSpace CEO Thu Vu said in a statement.VinSpace did not disclose the value of the contract or the number or specifications of the satellites.__The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL Ghosal covers the intersection of business and climate change in southeast Asia for The Associated Press. He is based out of Hanoi in Vietnam. twitter mailto

An employee walks past near the screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)2026-08-11T05:25:04Z BANGKOK (AP) — Shares were mixed in Asia, while oil prices were holding steady Tuesday after jumping the day before as uncertainty persisted over when the Strait of Hormuz could reopen and get the global flow of crude going again.U.S. futures edged higher. Brent crude oil was unchanged at $87.72 a barrel, while U.S. benchmark crude also was flat at $82.13 a barrel. Brent surged 5% on Monday. It swung between $72 and $102 last month as hopes rose and fell that the United States and Iran could reach an agreement that would allow oil tankers to freely exit the Middle East again to deliver crude worldwide.Stocks wavered in Asia after the U.S. market edged away from its all-time highs.South Korea’s Kospi gained 1.5% to 6,391.71 as shares in market heavyweight Samsung Electronics jumped 4.6%. Memory chipmaker SK Hynix advanced 1.3%.Markets in Tokyo were closed for a holiday. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng lost 0.6% to 25,773.56, while the Shanghai Composite index edged 0.1% lower, to 3,964.79.Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.5% to 9,277.00 after the Reserve Bank of Australia opted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 4.35%. Taiwan’s Taiex rose 0.4% and the Sensex in India lost 0.4%. On Monday, the S&P 500 slipped 0.1% from its record set on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.1% and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.3%.The recent rally, powered by soaring profits for U.S. companies, has slowed. Reports are on track to show earnings per share leaped 50% in the spring from a year earlier for companies in the S&P 500, according to FactSet. That would be the best growth since five years ago, when the economy was roaring out of the chasm created by COVID.Berkshire Hathaway, famous for buying stocks at what it considers low prices, gained 1.5%. It is one of the latest companies to deliver a stronger profit for the last quarter than analysts expected, and the company built by legendary investor Warren Buffett said over the weekend that it’s also invested some of its massive pile of cash into stocks under its new CEO, Greg Abel. Read More MarineMax jumped 46.1% after the retailer, marina operator and superyacht services provider said it agreed to sell itself for about $1.5 billion in cash to a portfolio company of Blackstone. Varex Imaging leaped 48.8% after Teledyne Technologies said it would buy the maker of X-ray imaging components for $18.90 per share in cash. 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. But Intel helped offset such gains and fell 4.1% after saying it may sell $15 billion of its stock. Such a move would dilute the ownership stakes of shareholders, and Intel said it would likely use the cash for investments to take advantage of the huge spending underway on artificial-intelligence technology.The main event for Wall Street this week will likely be Wednesday’s update on inflation in July. Economists expect it slowed to 3.4% from 3.5% in June, and that would relieve pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates.Higher rates would help keep a lid on inflation, but they would also slow the economy by making it more expensive for U.S. households and companies to borrow money. They would also undercut prices for stocks and other investments.In other dealings early Tuesday, the U.S. dollar fell to 159.19 Japanese yen from 159.30 yen. It has been inching higher despite a recent rate intervention in the markets by Japan and the U.S. to help raise the yen’s value against the dollar. The euro was unchanged at $1.1544. The price of gold, often used as a hedge against risk in times of uncertainty, jumped 1.2% to 4,472.90 an ounce. ___AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed to this report. ELAINE KURTENBACH Based in Bangkok, Kurtenbach is the AP’s business editor for Asia, helping to improve and expand our coverage of regional economies, climate change and the transition toward carbon-free energy. She has been covering economic, social, environmental and political trends in China, Japan and Southeast Asia throughout her career. twitter mailto

Accomplished coaches all, you had to do something right to be among the CFN 50 best head coaches going into the 2026 college football season.There are plenty of conference championships in this group, a few national championships - at least at the FCS level - and a whole lot of coaches who do a lot with a little. CFN Preseason Head Coach Rankings 26 to 50CFN 2026 Preseason Head Coach Rankings- Just outside the elite: 11-25- The best of the best: Top 1050. Jimmy Rogers, Iowa State2025 Coach Rank: 102* (at Washington State) FBS Record: 6-6 | FBS Win %: 50% 27-3 in two years at South Dakota State, he stepped in and was fine at Washington State for a season. Now he gets to make the Iowa State program his, but it might take a bit. - Iowa State 2026 Team Preview49. Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia2025 Coach Rank: 32 FBS Record: 140-99 | FBS Win %: 58.6% It took a year to get up to speed, and now West Virginia should be a dangerous Big 12 factor with a loaded backfield. Settled in, he really might recreate the magic of the 2000s. - West Virginia 2026 Team Preview 48. Brent Key, Georgia Tech2025 Coach Rank: 56 FBS Record: 27-20 | FBS Win %: 57.4% After doing a good job in just over two seasons, there’s the nine-win season to take it up a few notches. He’s doing big things to upgrade the talent - this is a long-haul head man. - Georgia Tech 2026 Team Preview47. Greg Schiano, Rutgers2025 Coach Rank: 45 FBS Record: 99-108 | FBS Win %: 47.8% Schiano had improved the program with two winning seasons before coming up just short last year. It’s a low bar, but he’s made Rutgers more than just competitive again. - Rutgers 2026 Team Preview46. Pete Golding, Ole Miss2025 Coach Rank: Not Ranked FBS Record: 2-1 | FBS Win %: 66.7% Able to let it rip in the playoff after Lane Kiffin became an LSU Tiger, now the pressure is really on. Kiffin set an impossibly high standard that Golding now has to match. - Ole Miss 2026 Team Preview45. Manny Diaz, Duke2025 Coach Rank: 53 FBS Record: 39-24 | FBS Win %: 61.9% Fine, so he didn’t crush with Miami. He has two nine-win seasons at Duke, including an ACC Championship. At the moment, he’s doing more with less than just about anyone. - Duke 2026 Team Preview44. Willie Fritz, Houston2025 Coach Rank: 50 FBS Record: 85-65 | FBS Win %: 56.7% It took six years for him to turn Tulane into a powerhouse. It took just one season to get Houston going, won ten games last season, and now he’s about to do really big things. - Houston 2026 Team Preview43. Dave Doeren, NC State2025 Coach Rank: 33 FBS Record: 118-74 | FBS Win %: 61.5% Kirk Ferentz, Troy Calhoun, Dabo. They’re the only three coaches who have been at a school longer. Don’t discount consistently winning, with just one dud season in the last 12. - NC State 2026 Team Preview42. Jamey Chadwell, Liberty2025 Coach Rank: 23 FBS Record: 64-35 | FBS Win %: 64.6% After winning 52 games in five years between Coastal Carolina and Liberty, was the 4-8 campaign an aberration? Probably - he’s been way too good for too long. - Liberty 2026 Team Preview41. Eli Drinkwitz, MissouriOct 11, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz reacts during the second half of the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images© Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images2025 Coach Rank: 26 FBS Record: 58-30 | FBS Win %: 65.9% A big year to be in the CFP mix would be nice - if Ole Miss can do it … - and 8-5 is a step back, but don’t dismiss the three straight winning seasons and 29 wins in three years. - Missouri 2026 Team Preview40. Troy Calhoun, Air Force2025 Coach Rank: 25 FBS Record: 139-97 | FBS Win %: 59.3% The show goes on. He’s coming off two straight losing seasons, but going into his 21st season, that’s just a blip. - Air Force 2026 Team Preview39. Tim Polasek, North Dakota State2025 Coach Rank: Not Ranked FBS Record: 0-0 | FBS Win %: 0% The honor of being the Bison head coach who leads the program into the FBS era is his. Two years, one national title, a 26-3 run, and he’s good enough to keep it all going. - North Dakota State 2026 Team Preview38. Charles Huff, Memphis2025 Coach Rank: 90* (at Southern Miss) FBS Record: 39-25 | FBS Win %: 60.9% Memphis lost Ryan Silverfield to Arkansas - and upgraded. A winner everywhere he’s been, it’s Huff’s third head coaching gig in three years as he keeps on moving up. - Memphis 2026 Team Preview37. Bob Chesney, UCLA2025 Coach Rank: 81* (at James Madison) FBS Record: 21-6 | FBS Win %: 77.8% As long as you don’t think he’ll be another Cignetti - even though he rocked at James Madison, too - there’s a lot to love about what he’s about to do at UCLA. He was a home run swing in the latest round of coaching hires. - UCLA 2026 Team Preview36. Jason Candle, UConn2025 Coach Rank: 59* (at Toledo) FBS Record: 81-44 | FBS Win %: 64.8% It wasn’t necessarily a lateral move, but he’s going from rocking at Toledo to a UConn program coming off a season when everything worked. They’re expecting big things. - UConn 2026 Team Preview35. Bret Bielema, Illinois2025 Coach Rank: 38 FBS Record: 134-84 | FBS Win %: 61.5% After his star run at Wisconsin and rough time at Arkansas, he has become Illinois football - and a master SEC trolling king - with 19 wins over the last two seasons. - Illinois 2026 Team Preview34. Jason Eck, New Mexico2025 Coach Rank: 124 FBS Record: 9-4 | FBS Win %: 69.2% Home run. Terrific at Idaho, he stepped into the job and turned New Mexico into a winner. Eck - a Wisconsin grad; just sayin’ - will soon be a huge name in the coaching carousel. - New Mexico 2026 Team Preview33. Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State2025 Coach Rank: 130 FBS Record: 10-4 | FBS Win %: 71.4% Wow. He was terrific with NC Central and was supposed to be a decent hire, but ten wins and a Conference USA championship in his first year? He’s destined for a bigger gig. - Kennesaw State 2026 Team Preview32. Brent Venables, Oklahoma2025 Coach Rank: 83 FBS Record: 32-20 | FBS Win %: 61.5% Sometimes it takes a little bit to get up to speed - Dabo is the perfect comp. Venables came from Clemson to OU, and in four years has the program back to a CFP level. - Oklahoma 2026 Team Preview31. Matt Entz, Fresno StateDec 26, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New Mexico Lobos head coach Jason Eck against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images2025 Coach Rank: 72 FBS Record: 9-4 | FBS Win %: 69.2% Terrific at North Dakota State with two national titles, he proved what a great get he was for Fresno State with a 9-4 first season. He’ll quickly become a bigger hot name. - Fresno State 2026 Team Preview30. Jedd Fisch, Washington2025 Coach Rank: 57 FBS Record: 32-33 | FBS Win %: 49.2% Known for always moving around, with coaching gigs at 14 different stops, he should settle in and make Washington terrific. He built back Arizona, and he’s doing the same thing in Seattle. - Washington 2026 Team Preview29. Spencer Danielson, Boise State2025 Coach Rank: 28 FBS Record: 24-8 | FBS Win %: 75% Three seasons, three Mountain West championships and a College Football Playoff appearance. Winning like that is never a given, even at Boise State. - Boise State 2026 Team Preview28. Jim Mora, Colorado State2025 Coach Rank: 29* (at UConn) FBS Record: 73-53 | FBS Win %: 57.9% Better than given credit for at UCLA, going 46-30, he turned UConn into a strong program with two straight nine-win seasons. He was a great get for Colorado State. - Colorado State 2026 Team Preview27. Dan Mullen, UNLV2025 Coach Rank: 60 FBS Record: 113-65 | FBS Win %: 63.5% He’s right - how has Florida done since he was whacked? After winning ten games in his first year at UNLV, he found a home - his Rebels should be the star of the Mountain West. - UNLV 2026 Team Preview26. PJ Fleck, Minnesota2025 Coach Rank: 35 FBS Record: 96-66 | FBS Win %: 59.3% Is there a more fun and energetic coach? He won eight or more games in four of his last five seasons, is 7-0 in bowls, and, all things considered, is doing fine in a loaded Big Ten. - Minnesota 2026 Team Preview

Lead Stories says: AI-GeneratedIs a video authentic that shows Chicago Sky player DiJonai Carrington saying Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham should be charged with assault for nearly pulling off her wig? No, that's not true: The video is AI-generated. An online detection tool found the video was 81.4% likely AI-generated. There are no credible news reports of Carrington making the accusation against Cunningham. The claim appeared in an Aug. 9, 2026, video posted on X account @FeverUpdate (archived here). It opened:Dijonai Carrington claims Sophie Cunningham nearly pulled off her wig during their altercation.'She should be charged with assault for trying to take off my wig.'This is what the post looked like on X at the time of writing:image source: post by @FeverUpdate on X.This is what the video looked like on X at the time of writing:Dijonai Carrington claims Sophie Cunningham nearly pulled off her wig during their altercation."She should be charged with assault for trying to take off my wig." pic.twitter.com/FBbJk66C1y -- Fever Updates (@FeverUpdate) August 9, 2026Lead Stories uploaded the video clip to Hive Moderation (pictured below), which determined the video was 81.4% likely to be AI-generated.Image source: Hive Moderation.Lead Stories searched Google News and Yahoo News for the phrase, "Dijonai Carrington Sophie Cunningham wig assault" and did not find any matching results of Carrington on video saying Cunningham should be charged with assault for trying to pull off her wig. The search did find a report on People.com of Carrington being ejected from the Aug. 8, 2026, game after fouling Cunningham and posting a message on her Threads account @dijonai that read "WHITE PRIVILEGE."

FIFA president Gianni Infantino remains under fire over his aborted plan to allow private investment in the World Cup (Jaime SALDARRIAGA)US President Donald Trump said on Monday it would be "a terrible mistake" to replace Gianni Infantino, the embattled FIFA president who tried, and failed, to sell off part of the World Cup to private investors.Infantino came under renewed fire in an open letter signed by three confederations -- Europe's UEFA, North and Central America's CONCACAF and Asia's AFC -- accusing the world football boss of breaking trust "through deception".But Trump backed Infantino, who awarded the US president a "FIFA Peace Prize" at the World Cup draw ceremony last year."FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino," Trump posted on Truth Social.Trump called Infantino "fantastic" and said he "presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented"."If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again!" added Trump, who attended the World Cup final with Infantino last month.Trump's backing of Infantino is at odds with US Soccer, who joined the voices lining up against the FIFA president.Infantino launched, and then withdrew in the face of scathing criticism, a plan to bring private investment into FIFA competitions, including World Cups.FIFA hit back on Saturday at efforts "to undermine" football's governing body and Infantino.However, Monday's joint letter from UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC retorted: "Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding -- or demanding -- power to be held."When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned."- UEFA boycott threat -CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is viewed as a potential challenger to Infantino, who will be up for re-election for a fourth and final term at the FIFA Congress in March, 2027. Candidates have to be declared by November 18.Infantino had looked certain to be unopposed for a fourth term after overseeing a successful World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada until his plans were revealed.The 56-year-old Swiss, who has been in situ for 10 years, has received the backing of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) while South American governing body CONMEBOL is largely supportive.Individual member associations, not confederations, vote in the FIFA election,Infantino has received support from CONCACAF's Mexico and two AFC members -- Kuwait and 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar, where he has a house.- 'Shabby, backroom deal' -UEFA's threat to boycott World Cups if the private investment plan went ahead proved pivotal in Infantino withdrawing his sell-off plan.UEFA had called it "a shabby, opaque, backroom deal" and lashed out at Infantino again on Monday for a "failure of judgment".After the furore, Infantino received "full support" of senior FIFA directors in an emergency meeting in Morocco last week, but the three confederations said that was meaningless.The recent meeting, where "a select number of members of the FIFA Management Committee" were present, they said, "represents a continuation of the very pattern of conduct that brought us to this moment"."It is not the conduct of a custodian of the game, but of one who believes the game is answerable to him." Infantino had been basking in the afterglow of the largest ever World Cup involving 48 teams until his plans divided the sport."The growth over the past decade has been real. But that progress was never the work of one individual," declared the letter."It was the product of FIFA, the Confederations, the Member Associations, and the thousands of people who dedicate their lives to the game."The expanded tournaments... were shared achievements, agreed together, delivered together."Under Infantino's leadership "there is silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness", they said."That is why we have taken this stance: not lightly and not alone, but together, and out of duty to the game we serve. "Football's strength has always been its unity."burs-cfe-pi-jgc-dh/fox

Newcastle United v LiverpoolLooking ahead to this Newcastle United team v Liverpool.That match now only 12 days away.United kicking off their 2026/27 Premier League season against the scousers at 4.30pm on Sunday 23 August.A new manager in place, Matthias Jaissle replacing Eddie Howe.A significant turnover of players, in and out.With more signings expected in the last three weeks of the transfer window, plus the odd further departure as well.There are three friendlies still to go but I have been assessing what we have now as things stand.This currently looks to me the most likely Newcastle United team v Liverpool to kick off the season:Lukáš Horníček Leo Shahar Malick Thiaw Sven Botman Lewis Hall Aladji Bamba Jacob Ramsey Joelinton Anthony Elanga Harvey Barnes Yoane WissaIf this how you see the Newcastle United team v Liverpool lining up?It would be asking a lot for anybody to be signed at this late stage and go straight into the team for that match. Not impossible but unlikely.So looking at the squad as it stands, what are the options?I think Hornicek definitely starts, with Thiaw and Botman in front of him. Lewis Hall starts for sure as well assuming he is fit, Tino Livramento though reported to be missing this Liverpool match as he recovers from injury. It sounds touch and go whether Lewis Miley will be available, he was excellent as an emergency right-back last season. Unless the new manager decided to play with three defenders and wing-backs, it would appear to be teenager Leo Shahar set for his first ever start in a competitive first team match.Up front it was great to see Yoane Wissa score twice against Valencia and look sharp, I think it is between him and Will Osula for the main striker role. The Nick Woltemade question still remains, if he isn’t playing as the main striker, can he be accommodated in a more withdrawn role? Against a mobile high workrate side like Liverpool, Newcastle United will need to match that and have the legs on the pitch to do so, which makes me think Big Nick will be on the bench unless the remaining friendlies convince otherwise.Harvey Barnes looks set to start and I think Anthony Elanga as well, just so long as he is fully recovered from that horrific red card challenge over in Valencia. Bazoumana Toure will also be keen to be in the starting eleven ASAP.Midfield is probably the toughest to call.I have gone for Ramsey and Joelinton to give some experience and legs/physicality. Aladji Bamba is my predicted new boy to start in the midfield and he can add extra physical presence despite aged 20. Lewis Miley would be another possibility if fit. The really interesting one is Sean Steur, he has looked very impressive in pre-season but at the age of 18 is it asking too much to throw him into the team for such a tough opening match?Source

In their first season after Pep Guardiola stood down, Barcelona won the Spanish league. In their first season after Pep Guardiola left, Bayern Munich won the German league. And so, in their first season after Pep Guardiola walked away, Manchester City will…?The precedents may be encouraging but the reality is that, even as they mounted a Premier League title challenge last season, City finished seven points behind Arsenal, after ending up 13 adrift of Liverpool the previous year. Guardiola left City as their greatest ever manager, but with his greatest side being broken up, a process that continued with the summer departures of John Stones and the captain Bernardo Silva. Enzo Maresca, a replacement that offers echoes of Tito Vilanova – another sidekick in a Champions League-winning campaign – was Guardiola’s assistant in the treble campaign of 2022-23, but inherits a very different side.Enzo Maresca has gone from Pep Guardiola’s assistant a few years ago to the main man at City (PA)The Italian returns to the Etihad having called Guardiola the best manager of the last 20 or 25 years and noted Manchester United and Arsenal’s difficulties after the departures of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger respectively. His is a formidably tough task in one respect but at least, Maresca may console himself, he no longer has to deal with BlueCo at Chelsea.The fact that it took a £17m compensation package to bring in Maresca – six months after he left Chelsea – and delayed his appointment, underlined that City’s summer has been expensive and awkward at times. They had a World Cup-winning captain in the squad, and Rodri would have seemed the logical successor to Silva with the City armband, except that he is in the last year of his contract, wanted by Real Madrid and subject of a £38.4m bid from Barcelona. He may be on the brink of going. It could leave City having broken the transfer record for a British player this summer and yet with a weaker midfield, if they lose both Silva and Rodri.All of which may indicate City have less allure – even to the players they already own – without Guardiola. A team that was definitively too old in 2024-25 could look young now. The rebuilding job has been costly, with almost £700m spent in the last four transfer windows and perhaps more to come in the next few weeks, but is unfinished. Maresca has targeted full-back additions and, if Rodri goes, a midfielder could be required, with Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi and Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez both of interest.Rodri could be headed for the Etihad exit door (Getty)City have started to shape Maresca’s side, though. The £116m deal for Elliot Anderson secured their top target, with the added bonus that Manchester United also wanted him. Josko Gvardiol, Abdukodir Khusanov and Phil Foden have signed new contracts; if the Mancunian could recapture the form that earned him the Footballer of the Year award and yielded 27 goals in 2023-24, it would be a triumph for Maresca, though Foden ended last season without a goal in 29 games and losing his place to Rayan Cherki.City’s overhaul leaves them better stocked in some areas than others. In Gvardiol and Khusanov, plus Marc Guehi and Ruben Dias, they have four quality centre-backs, giving the possibility the Croatian or the Uzbek may be used on the flanks. Gianluigi Donnarumma became a fixture in goal, with the consequence that James Trafford left a year after rejoining; City’s capacity to bring in high fees was shown by a £45m deal.Elsewhere, however, it will be intriguing who Maresca prefers. Erling Haaland’s importance is a given to such an extent that he scored 38 goals last season and didn’t finish in the top three of City’s player-of-the-year vote. Nico O’Reilly won it; does Maresca see him as more of a left-back or a midfielder, though?How Maresca views Nico O’Reilly will be fascinating (Getty)Some of the acquisitions in the last couple of years spent much of Guardiola’s last few months on the bench, in Nico Gonzalez, Tijjani Reijnders, Omar Marmoush and Savinho. In the case of the Brazilian, in particular, it was because Jeremy Doku kicked on and Antoine Semenyo arrived.The broader picture is that City recruited a group of fine players; but if part of the challenge is to construct a team, part of the problem is that some of their predecessors, and men Maresca coached, were great players. That will be an issue for the Italian: the shadow of the past, whether Guardiola himself or an all-conquering team who set standards that are hard to match. In the Catalan’s last couple of years, City lacked the consistency they had shown in the past. Their fortunes tailed off in the Champions League, with exits in the knockout phase play-offs and the round of 16. They kept facing Real Madrid, but they also lost to too many others.Real Madrid have had Man City’s number in recent seasons in the Champions League (Getty Images)They nevertheless displayed a potency in one-off games. They did a cup double last season, beating eventual champions Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final and the Chelsea that Maresca left behind in the FA Cup showpiece. The Italian took Chelsea to fourth in his only full season in charge and left them in fifth. His greatest feat, like City’s in Guardiola’s valedictory year, came in knockout competitions. Maresca won the Club World Cup with the Blues. When he was last at City, and in a more meaningful sense, they became the best team in the world. They are not now; but as Maresca tries to restore them to those heights, part of the task is to rival another of Guardiola’s old assistants, in Mikel Arteta, part is to prove a worthy successor to a legend and part is to avoid the fate of David Moyes at United and Unai Emery at Arsenal.