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Syrian President Bashar Assad, attends the closing session of the Arab Summit in Doha, Qatar, March 30, 2009. in Doha, Qatar. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, file)2026-08-11T08:43:39Z DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — A Syrian court sentenced in absentia ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad along with his younger brother to death on Tuesday for crimes against humanity and war crimes during Syria’s 14-year conflict that left about half a million people dead.Also sentenced to death in the same case was Assad’s maternal cousin Atef Najib for leading the crackdown in the southern province of Daraa that led to the uprising and later the civil war.Amid tight security, Najib stood inside a cage wearing a prisoner’s uniform as the judge read the sentence.Assad and his brother Maher fled to Russia after insurgents marched into Damascus in December 2014.Najib was later detained and became one of the highest-ranking officials to be put on trial.Najib is a former Syrian army brigadier general who was head of the Political Security Branch in southern Syria’s Daraa province under Assad in 2011.

Personas buscan entre los escombros tras el terremoto que azotó Cali, Colombia, el lunes 10 de agosto de 2026. (Foto AP/Santiago Saldarriaga)2026-08-11T05:08:00Z BOGOTÁ (AP) — Las labores de búsqueda y rescate continuaban la madrugada del martes en decenas de ciudades y pueblos del oeste de Colombia después de que un potente terremoto sacudiera la región, matara al menos a 111 personas y dejara a muchas atrapadas bajo los escombros de edificios dañados y destruidos.El terremoto del lunes, de magnitud 7,4, sacudió Cali, Quibdó, Pereira y muchas otras ciudades y pueblos. Se informó que alrededor de 1.600 edificios resultaron dañados o se derrumbaron. Soldados, personal de rescate y familias hurgaban entre los escombros, retirando y pasando a mano grandes trozos de concreto a lo largo de filas de voluntarios.El presidente, Abelardo de la Espriella, dijo el lunes por la tarde que al menos 111 personas habían muerto.Las familias publicaron información sobre seres queridos desaparecidos en sitios web administrados por ciudadanos. Para la noche del lunes se había reportado la desaparición de más de 2.700 personas. Dana Carolina Zamora publicó una imagen de su tío desaparecido, Miguel Ángel Zamora, de 60 años, acunando a su perro. El agricultor vivía en una zona rural de El Cairo, no lejos del epicentro del sismo en San José del Palmar.Las autoridades locales indicaron que el 80% de El Cairo, un pueblo de unos 7.000 habitantes, resultó dañado. Zamora dijo que estaba preocupada porque su tío vivía en una casa tradicional pero frágil, hecha de palos y barro. “Tenemos miedo, esperemos que no sea así, que esté bien y que sólo sea falla de comunicación. Pero no hemos logrado saber nada más de él”, aseguró Zamora a la AP por teléfono desde Cali. Read More Chocó, la región que rodea el epicentro del sismo, es una de las zonas más pobres y desatendidas de Colombia, a menudo asediada por grupos armados enfrentados. A gran parte de Chocó solo se puede acceder en barco, a través de la selva o en avión. Se sabía poco sobre la magnitud de los daños allí.De la Espriella viajó a la capital de Chocó, Quibdó, la noche del lunes para evaluar los daños y anunció que había movilizado “todo el aparato militar y policial” para responder, desplegando ingenieros, rescatistas y perros de búsqueda. Anunció subsidios de alquiler para quienes tengan viviendas dañadas mientras se realizan las reparaciones. “El Chocó nunca más será la tierra del olvido”, afirmó el mandatario. 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. El terremoto representa la primera gran prueba para de la Espriella, quien juró el cargo el viernes. De la Espriella es una figura divisiva por su promesa de una ofensiva total contra los grupos criminales.El Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos anunció que proporcionaría 15,5 millones de dólares para refugios de emergencia, alimentos y otra ayuda. Gobiernos de toda América Latina también se dispusieron a ayudar.El terremoto dejó a muchos en la nación andina inquietos después de que dos sismos consecutivos devastaran a la vecina Venezuela a finales de junio, destruyendo cientos de edificios y matando a más de 6.300 personas.Muchos colombianos apenas comenzaban a asimilar las consecuencias a más largo plazo del desastre.Mónica Sánchez es dueña de una pequeña empresa que fabrica uniformes de trabajo. Su ciudad, Pereira, fue una de las más golpeadas, y una pared dentro de la fábrica se derrumbó. Sánchez y sus 12 trabajadores lograron salir justo a tiempo. “Fue impactante: la ciudad se vino abajo a nuestro alrededor”, relató.____Janetsky informó desde Ciudad de México. MEGAN JANETSKY Megan Janetsky covers migration, conflict, human rights and politics in Mexico and Central America for The AP based in Mexico City. Previously, she covered Cuba and the Caribbean for The AP and worked as freelance journalist in Colombia, reporting across South America. twitter instagram facebook mailto

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy looks on during his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)2026-08-11T08:41:39Z KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia bombarded Ukrainian cities with missiles, drones and glide bombs, killing at least nine civilians, officials said Tuesday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow is receiving new military help for its more than 4-year-old invasion from North Korea.Zelenskyy said Russian forces used ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea in their overnight attack on the southeastern Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia, where local officials said six people were killed and 19 wounded.A further three people, including a 15-year-old boy, were killed by Russian drones and artillery in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, local authorities said.Russia has received additional ballistic missiles from Pyongyang and is preparing to deploy more North Korean troops, Zelenskyy said late Monday.Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a strategic partnership agreement just over two years ago. It vows mutual aid if either country faces aggression. Kim has sent thousands of troops and huge supplies of weapons to support Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Some experts say the engagement with Moscow is helping improve North Korea’s military capabilities, and Zelenskyy warned that the battlefield experience would help Pyongyang menace other countries in its region.Ukraine says Russia is scaling up its production of ballistic missiles, aiming to exploit Kyiv’s critical shortage of Patriot air defense interceptors that can stop them, and claims Moscow is readying an increase in recruitment for a new push on the front line that stretches 1,250 kilometers (775 miles) along eastern and southern Ukraine. “Every step Russia takes — increasing ballistic missile production, bringing in North Korean equipment, preparing for mobilization — all of this shows that Moscow is preparing not for peace, but for escalation,” Zelenskyy said on social media. Read More U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to stop the war have fizzled as Washington grew frustrated with the lack of progress toward a settlement and its attention turned to the Iran war. “The Kremlin will not enter serious negotiations or make meaningful compromises on its demands as long as Putin believes that he has a viable military path to achieving his full objectives,” the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said in an analysis late Monday. “Ukraine’s Patriot shortages offer Russia an opportunity to cause very serious damage to Ukraine over the coming winter and will therefore contribute to delaying meaningful negotiations and protracting the war,” it said. 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. Russia hits the grounds of a Kyiv children’s hospitalRussian forces also struck parts of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, overnight, according to officials. One strike hit the grounds of a children’s hospital, leaving two craters and shattering windows, the State Emergency Service said. Children and medical workers were in bomb shelters and nobody was hurt, it added.At another location in the capital, a Russian strike started a fire in a warehouse that spread across about 1,200 square meters (nearly 13,000 square feet), according to emergency officials. The Russian Defense Ministry said that its forces overnight struck “military industrial facilities and transport and logistics centers” in Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia with “ground-based precision weapons.”It said in a statement Tuesday that it hit drone storage facilities in Kyiv and a metallurgical plant in the city of Zaporizhzhia.Russia targeted Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv with Zircon anti-ship missiles and Iskander ballistic missiles, while launching 120 long-range strike drones of various types across the country, Ukraine’s air force said.Russia’s biggest e-commerce company hit againMeanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said that its air defenses overnight intercepted almost 400 Ukrainian drones over 14 Russian regions and occupied Crimea.Russia’s biggest online retailer, Wildberries, said in a statement that its logistical facilities in the Voronezh region on the border with Ukraine came under attack and caught fire, but it said the fire has been extinguished. It said goods stored at the facilities were “largely undamaged.” Ukraine has repeatedly struck Wildberries warehouses and has also bombarded Russian oil facilities in what it says is a strategy to compel Putin to negotiate an end to the invasion.Russian independent online outlet Astra said an oil refinery in the city of Orsk, some 1,300 kilometers from the border with Ukraine, was hit and published images of smoke billowing over it. There was no official confirmation of an attack on the Orsk oil refinery, which has been targeted before.___Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ILLIA NOVIKOV Novikov is an Associated Press reporter covering news in Ukraine since 2022. He is based in Kyiv. instagram mailto

Nature, Published online: 11 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02082-7If reviewers can’t reliably tell the difference between top grant proposals, why should they pretend they can? A new wave of funders is turning to lotteries to break the tie.

The Times columnist reflects on the seismic changes in media, religion and politics he’s witnessed in his career so far.

The Democratic brand is just too toxic in large swaths of the country.

Dwight McNeil signed for Everton in 2022 while Brennan Johnson joined Crystal Palace earlier this year [Getty Images]Everton and Crystal Palace have completed the swap deal involving Dwight McNeil and Brennan Johnson.The Toffees have confirmed 25-year-old Johnson has signed a four-year contract while McNeil will move in the opposite direction to Selhurst Park. McNeil, 26, almost joined Palace in February, when the Eagles agreed a loan-to-buy deal that would have turned into a £20m permanent move this summer.However, the transfer fell through despite McNeil having passed a medical because the required paperwork could not be completed in time.It prompted his partner Megan Sharpley to accuse the Eagles of toying with his mental health via a social media post.Wales winger Johnson joined Tottenham Hotspur from Nottingham Forest for a fee in excess of £45m in 2023 and scored their winning goal in the Europa League final last May.The 25-year-old signed for Palace in a £35m deal in January and made 26 appearances in all competitions but failed to score during his time at Selhurst Park.Johnson, who has 45 caps for Wales, told Everton's TV channel he "immediately wanted to come and be part" of the club when told of the Toffees' interest. "There were a lot of reasons why I was so keen to join - the manager, the players, the direction the team is going in," he said."You can see this is a club that wants to go in the right direction, and I'm a player who wants to go in that direction, too, so it feels like a really good match." Everton finished 13th in the Premier League last season following a disappointing run of results at the end of the campaign. However Johnson believes the club will strive to do "everything to get back into European competition". He added: "Everton is a club that has the ambition to win those trophies - and I believe we can do it."Get news, insight and fan views on your Premier League teamAll your football quizzes in one placePremier League indexPremier League tablePremier League fixtures

Lazio Trying to Terminate Experienced Defender’s ContractLazio will reportedly attempt to rescind the contract of Samuel Gigot amid his seemingly never-ending physical problems.Samuel Gigot’s Path at LazioThe Avignon native completed a deadline-day transfer from Olympique Marseille in the summer of 2024. While he wasn’t a regular starter in his first season at the club, he still made 23 appearances under Marco Baroni, scoring two goals and providing an assist in the process.On the contrary, the defender didn’t make a single appearance last season with Maurizio Sarri, as his campaign was wrecked by back and ankle injuries.Gigot Continues to Be Plagued By InjuriesThis summer, Gennaro Gattuso’s arrival represented a golden opportunity for the 32-year-old to bounce back, since he had already worked under the Calabrian manager during their time together in Marseille. However, his injury nightmare continues to haunt him, forcing him to miss the entire pre-season. Gattuso admitted he won’t be able to count on the Frenchman any time soon.Lazio Hoping to Rescing Their Contract with GigotAccording to Il Messaggero (via La Lazio Siamo Noi), the Biancocelesti management is trying to find a way to terminate the defender’s contract, which expires in June 2027. Gigot is one of the highest-paid players at Lazio, with a yearly gross salary of €4 million. Capalogy places him fourth on the list behind Mattia Zaccagni, Alessio Romagnoli and Nuno Tavares.Therefore, Claudio Lotito and Angelo Fabiani are determined to chop him off the wage list, but this solution will likely require an agreement with the player’s entourage, and most probably a severance package.

Big plays don’t only come from the offense or defense.Across the Tuscaloosa area, some of the most valuable players on Friday nights make their impact on special teams. With the high school football season approaching, we’ve put together a list of 17 local special teams standouts. Now, we want to know which player fans think deserves the top spot.Readers can cast their vote now in our poll below. Voting closes at noon Tuesday, Aug. 18.REQUIRED READING: 2026 high school football special teams players to watch near TuscaloosaMORE: AHSAA public-private split reshapes Tuscaloosa Academy’s path back to playoffsVote now for Tuscaloosa News top special teams player before 2026 AHSAA football season

Mark Ivey never set out to be Louisville’s defensive play-caller.Actually, he never set out to be a defensive coach at all. Former Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore told him he would be one. Moore was going to hire Ivey, then a high school football coach, as either the offensive line coach or defensive assistant. Although Ivey requested to coach the O-line, Moore told him he would join the defense.“I'm like, OK, that sounds good,” Ivey recalled.Fast-forward to 2022, when Ivey opted to stay at Louisville and accepted Jeff Brohm’s offer to coach linebackers, despite having the most experience as a defensive line coach. Four years later, Ivey’s journey brought him back to coaching the defensive line at Louisville with an added responsibility of play-calling.Ivey has always been aggressive in his approach to football and demanded the same from his position group. But coaching linebackers for the past three seasons broadened his perspective, which he needed to take on the expanded role.“When I was just D-line, I'm looking at the O-line — how do we attack them and all that kind of stuff — which is still going to be great for me to figure and see that in each week,” Ivey said. “You've got to look at the whole thing now. Not just what helps us up front, but what helps us from the front all the way to the back end. What gives us the best chance.”He added that there will be five coaches helping with the defensive line on game days, freeing him up to “focus on trying to give our unit the best possible call to hopefully line up and play quick football.” The work of learning to call plays began in January. Ivey, Brohm and the rest of the defensive staff reviewed and evaluated each call from last season’s games, determining what was worth keeping, tweaking or tossing. Those calls were then tested during the spring before the group conducted another round of reviews and evaluations over the summer. “You don't want to change too much because you've got guys that have learned a way to do something,” Ivey said. "But if it wasn't correct, you want to get something better for them because our goal is to give them the best opportunity to be lined up, play fast, play with confidence and be productive.”Ivey’s high intensity approach appealed to North Carolina transfer Tyler Thompson, who is one of the highest graded returning edge rushers in the ACC. Despite having seven sacks, 7½ tackles for loss and 26 total tackles last season, the former Tar Heel admitted he didn't always play with a sense of urgency. Ivey is helping to bring that out of him.Courier Journal Sports (@courierjournal_sports) • Instagram photos and videosKentucky transfer Jerod Smith agreed, noting Ivey’s intensity has been a motivating factor in getting the line to where it needs to be heading into the season. And as a projected starting edge rusher, Smith welcomes more aggressive play-calling.“It allows for more one-on-ones, or just more confusion,” he said. “So we really like that, and we really like to take advantage of that whenever we can.”No matter where he has coached, Ivey has given his players the best opportunity to succeed because of his emphasis on being aggressive and getting to the ball. During Ivey’s time with the linebackers, T.J. Quinn was the team’s leading tackler for three straight years. Prior to switching positions, Ivey led a defensive line group that dominated in the ACC and was instrumental in tying Louisville’s record in sacks (50) in 2022.Thompson is eyeing the sacks record and mentioned breaking it as a goal for the Cardinals this year. They have enough depth along the defensive line and the right coach calling the shots to get it done. Ivey still plans to be aggressive, but in moderation in his first season as UofL's defensive play-caller.“You can't just be a lunatic and unload the gun all day long because eventually somebody’s going to scheme you on that,” Ivey said. “So picking and choosing when to do it, how to do it, and then how to have your counter calls to go with that, will make them work very well.”Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: How Louisville football's new defensive play-caller will tackle role

Shea Charles has won 35 caps for Northern Ireland [Getty Images]Fulham have confirmed the signing of Southampton midfielder Shea Charles in a deal worth up to £30m.The 22-year-old becomes the most expensive Northern Ireland footballer of all-time after signing a five year contract at Craven Cottage. The fee consists of a £26m fee up front with a potential further £6m in performance-related add-ons. Charles, who started his career at Manchester City, also attracted interest from Leeds United but has opted to move to west London to replace Sasa Lukic following the Serbia international's £9m move to Ipswich Town last week."I'm buzzing to finally get it over the line. The club has got a really good foundation, from the bottom to the top really," Charles told the club's official website."It's a great club, with a really good vision – the manager explained that to me. To be here is a massive privilege."I hope to really kickstart my Premier League career. At such a good club as well, it's perfect for me, and hopefully perfect for the fans as well."Charles becomes Fulham's third signing since the appointment of new manager Alvaro Arbeloa following his spell as interim Real Madrid boss during the second half of 2024-25.Charles also becomes Fulham's third most expensive signing behind striker Gonzalo Garcia, who joined from Real Madrid earlier this month, and winger Kevin from Shakhtar last summer. Both deals were worth about £34m.Since Arbeloa's arrival - following the departure of Marco Silva to take charge of Benfica - Fulham have signed two players from Madrid, Garcia and midfielder Cesar Palacios, before the capture of Charles.The Cottagers travel to Malaga on Wednesday and host face German club Stuttgart on Saturday, 15 August before Chelsea are their visitors on Monday, 24 August in their Premier League opener.Latest Fulham news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Fulham - what do you want to know?

Vehicles drive past a statue of a swinging boy at a square in Tehran, Iran, Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)2026-08-11T09:05:44Z Iranian-backed Houthi rebels renewed their attacks Tuesday on government-controlled areas in Yemen as ongoing violence threatened to reignite the country’s civil war and raised fears over new threats to shipping lanes. Iran’s foreign minister, meanwhile, underscored Tehran’s stance against reopening the Strait of Hormuz until the U.S. meets its conditions, in comments that came after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was now demanding compensation from Iran “for all of the people that they have killed” in the past. Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East. Full coverage can be found here. Houthis hit targets in central Yemen and Red Sea port cityIranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen attacked the government-held port city of Mokha on the Red Sea coast and other areas of the country, deepening fears over threats to strategic shipping routes and a potential return to civil war.Yemen’s military said the rebels targeted both Mokha and the central province of Marib with missiles and drones but did not provide further details. The Houthis struck Marib and the eastern province of Hadramout last week, killing dozens of government troops and civilians. They hit Mokha with missiles and drones over the weekend and killed at least seven people, including three troops, according to the Yemeni military.Mokha is a main port under Yemen’s internationally recognized government and has been renovated to handle shipping to avoid the Houthi-held port of Hodeida. The strikes came as part of a recent escalation by the Houthis against government forces in Yemen and oil facilities in neighboring Saudi Arabia, which supports the internationally recognized Yemeni government, and the kingdom’s shipping in the Red Sea. Read More With the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut down by Iran, there has been a renewed focus on the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait at Yemen’s southern tip, which is an alternate route for Saudi Arabia to ship its oil to open oceans.The Houthi attacks could reignite Yemen’s civil war after a four-year hiatus following a 2022 truce, and open a new front in the Middle East war. Iranian foreign minister underline’s Tehran’s demands Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters in Iran that the country had “astonished the whole world” in the war against the United States and Israel, proving “that it is a tough and invincible power.”Iran has refused to back down on its demands that the U.S. end its blockade of Iranian ports and fulfill other conditions before Tehran will consider reopening the Strait of Hormuz. 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. Iran shut down the strait after Israel and the U.S. attacked the country on Feb. 28. The closure of the key waterway — through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil supplies passed before the war — has kept energy prices a major focus of U.S. politics ahead of November’s midterm elections.Araghchi said on his Telegram channel that in a call with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul late Monday, he had “emphasized that making the Strait of Hormuz secure requires an end to the United States’ aggressive actions and unlawful interventions, including the naval blockade and other violations of U.S. obligations.”Wadephul said on X that he had emphasized “the Strait of Hormuz needs to be opened unconditionally ensuring free and safe navigation for all.” Trump said in a social media post he was directing his negotiators to include “compensation from Iran, for all of the people that they have killed and gravely wounded with their roadside bombs and many conflicts.” That was after Iran demanded compensation for the devastation caused to the country by the U.S. and Israeli bombardment over the past five months.The U.S. president also claimed Monday in an Oval Office exchange with reporters that the U.S. has “100% control” of the Strait of Hormuz, but that the situation remains complex. He said the U.S. Navy’s blockade of the strait is preventing Iran from selling its oil on the international market, a move that is effectively choking the Iranian economy.“Now, can they make trouble? Yeah, they can make trouble, but they’re broke,” Trump said. “They have no money. You know, Iran is broke, totally broke. And they’re not paying their soldiers.”

President Donald Trump listens as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)2026-08-11T08:58:53Z It’s possibly the most important job of any Israeli prime minister: maintain good relations with the United States while pushing back on demands seen as undermining Israel’s security.No one has managed the balancing act longer than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader. But with the Iran war at a stalemate, and U.S. President Donald Trump looking to advance peace efforts elsewhere, Netanyahu’s task is getting harder less than three months away from Israeli elections. On Sunday, Netanyahu rejected Trump’s latest plan to advance the stalled ceasefire in Gaza, saying Israel will not withdraw from any of the roughly 60% of the territory it controls until Hamas has been completely disarmed — something the militant group controlling the other 40% has long resisted.Netanyahu risks angering Trump, who he has repeatedly said is the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House. But even a hint of compromise with Hamas could be fatal for Netanyahu’s reelection in a country deeply traumatized by the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that happened on his watch. Trump, meanwhile, is under pressure to deliver on his promise of being a global peacemaker as talks with Iran stall and gas prices stay elevated ahead of U.S. congressional elections in November. Netanyahu says there will be no progress on Gaza ceasefire until Hamas disarmsThe Gaza plan announced by Trump last month grew out of his October ceasefire deal, which ended major Israeli military operations there and brought about the release of all remaining hostages but has otherwise largely stalled.Under the latest agreement, Hamas would gradually give up its weapons while Israeli forces halt their attacks and begin withdrawing from Gaza. Hamas accepted the deal, even as the group linked the surrender of its heaviest weapons to the creation of a Palestinian state, something Israel’s current government and most of its political class adamantly reject.Netanyahu rejected the plan, saying Israel would not retreat from any of its positions in Gaza until Hamas has been completely disarmed. That would leave other elements of the ceasefire, including the deployment of international forces and any reconstruction of the devastated territory, on hold. At the same time, the Israeli military seems to have eased off on its strikes on Gaza that have killed over 1,250 people since the ceasefire came into effect, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Read More Israeli media reported that the authority for carrying out strikes has been limited to the army’s chief of staff, apparently in a quiet gesture toward Trump’s ceasefire efforts. The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment. “We are focused on actions, not rhetoric or politics,” an official with the Board of Peace, the Trump-led entity overseeing the ceasefire, told The Associated Press. “There have been some results on the ground in the last few days,” the official added, including “restraint from strikes” and new Israeli military procedures. “There is constructive cooperation behind the scenes and our conversations continue,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about the ongoing discussions. 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. Oct. 7 looms over a tough campaign for reelectionIn his election campaign, Netanyahu has boasted of Israel’s military achievements in the wars that followed the Oct. 7 attack. Israeli forces have seized territory in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, and launched two major air wars against Iran and its disputed nuclear program.But the “total victory” Netanyahu promised in Gaza has yet to materialize. Many Israelis blame him for the security failures that led to the initial attack, as well as previous attempts to contain Hamas that at times included allowing Qatar to deliver suitcases filled with cash to Gaza. Netanyahu’s far-right allies, who will likely be crucial to his ability to form a government after the elections, have welcomed his rejection of the Trump plan.Trump “wants to see real steps taken toward rehabilitating Gaza, while Netanyahu’s two right-wing partners and the Likud’s faltering election campaign is keeping him from yielding even a millimeter,” wrote Jonathan Lis, the diplomatic correspondent for Israel’s Haaretz newspaper.Ghaith al-Omari, a former Palestinian negotiator who is now a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said that even if the White House ignores Netanyahu’s rejection of the plan, Trump is still stuck unless he can persuade the Israeli leader to change course.Hamas is meanwhile winning the “blame game” by appearing to be the more reasonable of the two sides, he said. Trump’s standing in Israel has fallen as he has tried to wind down the Iran warTrump was wildly popular in Israel during his first term, when he lent unprecedented support to Israel’s claims to territory seized in war, including by moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.The trend continued in his second term, as he backed Israel’s actions in Gaza and joined it in bombing Iran. The alliance was particularly beneficial to Netanyahu, whose political future remained uncertain. The prime minister relied on Trump to improve his image at home. But the allies’ interests diverged last spring, as Israel pressed for further strikes on Iran and against Hezbollah in Lebanon, while Trump looked to wind down the regional conflict in order to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ease pressure on the world economy. Since then, Trump has said that he would “likely” endorse Netanyahu ahead of the Israeli election but has not yet given his full backing. And while a formal endorsement from a U.S. president still carries weight in Israel, the rift between the two leaders suggests it could also complicate Netanyahu’s campaign. “A few months ago, a significant majority of Israelis assumed that when President Trump is making decisions, he’s taking Israeli security interests into account. This is no longer the case,” said Yohanan Plesner, head of the Israel Democracy Institute, a think tank in Jerusalem.The closeness between Netanyahu and Trump “used to be an asset,” he said, but not anymore.Netanyahu has defied past US presidents, but the risks are greater now Netanyahu has a long history of defying U.S. presidents, particularly Democratic ones. During his first term, in the late 1990s, he resisted efforts by President Bill Clinton to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians. He clashed publicly with President Barack Obama over the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.But that approach carries greater risks now, as Israel’s military campaigns have left it increasingly isolated diplomatically and upended its historic support among Democratic voters in the U.S., leaving Trump as one of Israel’s few strong allies.Netanyahu’s dependence on Trump is “tremendous,” Plesner said, and voters will punish him if he is seen as mismanaging the key relationship. “If Trump will insist on carrying on, I think Netanyahu will have no choice but to tag along rather than take on the president, since he’s left Israel with very few diplomatic cards to maneuver.”___Associated Press writers Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed.

A coalition of farmers, consumer and environmental groups hold placards after a press conference at the Greenpeace office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eileen Ng)2026-08-11T09:13:37Z KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A coalition of farmers, consumer associations and environmental groups is urging Malaysia’s National Biosafety Board to reject a proposed field trial of genetically modified rice, warning Tuesday the project could pose risks to food safety, the environment and farmers. The board is evaluating an application by Zen Cropscience for the confined field trial in northern Perak state that involves a genetically modified version of the MR219 rice variety that is tolerant to the herbicide glyphosate and resists diseases caused by bacteria and fungi.The coalition of 61 organizations said Tuesday it had submitted a formal objection as part of a public consultation process that ended last week. The groups said the project is similar to one submitted for a field trial in Perlis state in 2019 that was later abandoned, and that they are renewing their earlier objections. The groups said their main concern is the potential for genetically modified material to contaminate conventional and wild rice through cross-pollination or other means. They said Malaysia’s biosafety law has insufficient legal protection and compensation mechanisms for farmers who could suffer economic losses from accidental contamination of their crops.Farmers also worry that the genetic modification could encourage greater use of glyphosate, potentially accelerating the development of herbicide-resistant “super weeds” that would require farmers to apply more herbicide to control them. They warned glyphosate residues could remain in harvested rice and enter the food supply. The integration of a gene for fungal resistance is worrying as it could potentially compromise food safety by altering nutritional values or increasing allergenic and toxin levels, the coalition said. Read More Abdul Rashid Yob, who heads a farmers association representing 200,000 members nationwide, pointed to previous negative experience with the herbicide-tolerant Clearfield rice. While production initially improved, weeds quickly developed resistance, forcing farmers to use higher doses of herbicides, which raised production costs and degraded soil fertility, he said.“GM rice will be much worse. It is not the answer,” he said. Malaysia relies heavily on imported rice, with domestic production meeting only about half its national consumption needs, according to official data. 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 National Biosafety Board has said the proposed trial would be carried out within an insect-proof contained net house on industrial land, far from agricultural areas. It has said the risk of cross-pollination is low and acknowledged the toxicological data for GMO rice hasn’t been ascertained. It is unclear when the board will make a final decision.Although the application is for a confined field trial rather than commercial cultivation, the coalition said the research should be canceled because GMOs cannot be completely controlled once released into the environment.“There is no need for such a trial. We don’t want GM crops,” said Mageswari Sangaralingam, from the Consumers Association of Penang.The coalition said farmers have alternatives to genetically modified crops for managing weeds and disease, such as the use of robotic technology from Japan that could swiftly remove weeds. The World Health Organization’s cancer research agency classified glyphosate in 2015 as “probably carcinogenic to humans,” based on limited evidence of cancer in humans and sufficient evidence from animal studies. Other health and regulatory agencies have reached different conclusions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said glyphosate is “not likely to be carcinogenic to humans,” while the European Food Safety Authority said in 2023 that its review found no critical areas of concern regarding human, animal or environmental health.

This is a locator map for Libya with its capital, Tripoli. (AP Photo)2026-08-11T09:04:10Z CAIRO (AP) — Firefighters in western Libya fought Tuesday to extinguish the remnants of a massive fire caused by a drone strike on a oil facility, and a car bomb killed a senior military officer in the country’s east, in the latest attacks in the chaos-stricken North African nation.The drone hit a gasoline tank at the Zawiya oil refinery in the Mediterranean town of Zawiya on Monday, about 47 kilometers (about 30 miles) west of capital Tripoli, the state-run National Oil Corporation said.The attack ignited a massive blaze at gasoline-storage tank that burned through the night into Tuesday morning, according to the Civil Defense, a first responders’ agency.There were no reports of casualties, the health authorities said.No group has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on oil facilities in Zawiya, or the car car bomb in the eastern city of Benghazi on Monday. Footage aired by local media showed massive flames and fireballs erupting from the tank, with black and orange smoke rising in the sky as firefighters spray what appears to be foam or water in efforts to quench the intense fire.As they fought the flames, another drone hit close to a key oil tank nearby but did not cause casualties or damage, the company said. The company said the tank, which held 4.5 million liters of fuel when it was hit, collapsed, and declared a state of maximum emergency at the facility.Monday’s strikes were the latest in a series of drone attacks on oil infrastructure in Zawiya, which houses critical energy infrastructure including the country’s largest oil refinery, an export terminal and a power plant. The drone strikes come as Turkish Foreign minister Hakan Fidan is set to arrive in Libya for a visit. He is due to visit both Tripoli and Bengahzi. Read More Over the weekend, the oil company said drone strikes had hit a fuel tank and a desalination plant linked to the oil facilities in Zawiya. It said the tank was damaged.Separately, a senior military officer with the forces of powerful commander Khalifa Hifter was killed in a car bomb Monday evening in the eastern city of Benghazi, authorities said. Maj. Gen. Fawzy al-Mansouri, director of the military intelligence of Hifter’s self-styled Libyan National Army, was killed when an explosive-laden vehicle exploded into his car in the Sayyida Aisha neighborhood in Benghazi after, the LNA said. 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 LNA is allied with one of Libya’s two rival governments, which controls the country’s eastern and southern parts.The attacks underscored the fragility of security in the oil-rich country. Libya, a largely lawless Mediterranean country, has been plunged into chaos and division following the 2011 uprising-turned-civil war, which toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.Amid the chaos, militias grew in wealth and power, particularly in Tripoli and the western part of the country.The county has been divided for years between rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. Currently, it is governed by Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah’s government in the west and by the administration of Prime Minister Ossama Hammad in the east. SAMY MAGDY Magdy is a Middle East reporter for The Associated Press, based in Cairo. He focuses on conflict, migration and human rights abuses. twitter facebook mailto

Firefighters attempt to extinguish wildfire that razes through vegetation near Mount Bromo in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia, Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Trisnadi)2026-08-11T08:54:32Z MOUNT BROMO, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian firefighters have mostly contained a wildfire that has scorched a large area of a national park on the main island of Java, though crews are battling several remaining hot spots in the popular tourist destination, authorities said.The fire, which began last week, impacted nearly 900 hectares (2,224 acres) across the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park as of Tuesday, burning large areas of dry grassland, vegetation and protected edelweiss flowers, said Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha, head of the park located in East Java province. The volcanic landscape of Mount Bromo, one of Indonesia’s best-known attractions, is in the impacted area and has been closed as firefighters work to prevent the blaze from spreading in the conservation zone.Active hot spots remain in four areas within the park: Watangan, Argowulan, Dingklik-Pakis and Bincil-Mungal. Teams have been working to prevent flare-ups on the ground and with aerial operations, Nugraha said. “We are not only trying to put out the fire, but also ensuring it is completely extinguished and does not reemerge,” Nugraha said.The Bromo fire comes as Indonesia faces a growing wildfire crisis during the dry season. The National Disaster Management Agency, or BNPB, said nearly 48,900 hectares (121,000 acres) of peatland had burned across six fire-prone provinces as of Monday, with the largest affected area in West Kalimantan on Borneo island. In the provincial capital Pontianak, schools suspended in-person classes after air quality deteriorated to unhealthy levels and health officials reported a rise in respiratory illnesses. Read More The government has intensified firefighting efforts across Sumatra and Borneo islands, deploying more than 35 aircraft including water-bombing helicopters and patrol airplanes. “Aerial operations are supporting ground operations which are especially critical in peatland areas,” said BNPB chief Suharyanto, who like many Indonesians uses a single name. “Because peat fires can continue smoldering underground long after surface flames disappear and can reignite if not fully extinguished.”Peatland fires generate dense smoke that contributes to hazardous haze, worsening air quality and increasing health risks across affected areas, sometimes even in neighboring countries, he said. Satellite imagery shows a haze of wildfire smoke drifting from West Kalimantan into neighboring Malaysia on several days this month, according to BNPB. 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. Forest and peat fires are an annual problem in Indonesia, which strains relations with neighboring countries. Fires are often started illegally by plantation owners or traditional farmers to clear land for planting and those burns periodically blanket parts of Southeast Asia in hazardous haze, authorities said.

Collage by Alex Bandoni/ProPublica. Source images: keko-ka/Getty Images. I file a lot of Freedom of Information Act requests. I’ve been requesting staff lists from both Trump administrations, and I have tracked thousands of federal political appointees in order to publish financial disclosures in searchable databases. Much of that data was sourced from the Office of Personnel Management, which maintains a trove of information about who works in the federal government. But that agency’s FOIA department was thrown into chaos as Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency fanned out across federal agencies to cut employees in early 2025. Getting records from the agency has since become an increasingly Kafkaesque process, one that in early July of this year bounced me between three different seemingly abandoned email inboxes and two web portals. Aside from the fact that my once-routine requests now languish for months, just asking for documents has become its own kind of shell game. “They just let the whole Privacy team go,” a now-former FOIA specialist at OPM told me by email in February 2025, referring to public records office staff. The specialist was cut the next day. Here’s how the process worked at most agencies before the Trump administration and DOGE destroyed the offices that managed these requests: You would send a simple email with a text description of the documents you want. That’s it. It didn’t mean you would get the records in the most timely manner, or would get the records you wanted at all. But it was a simple process, and it often worked. According to OPM data, more than 600 government information specialists (staffers who administer FOIA and the Privacy Act) have resigned or been fired since the start of the second Trump administration. Within OPM itself, 12 information specialists left, seven of whom were laid off. (There was one new hire in that time period.) Reached by phone, the former FOIA specialist told me the cuts made the office less efficient, less able to perform its function and threatened the statutory laws they are required to fulfill. At the end of the 2025 fiscal year, over 1,600 FOIA requests were still in OPM’s backlog, seven times more than at the end of fiscal year 2024. The average processing time for a simple request at the agency slipped to over 84 days — twice as long as the year before. Indeed, I noticed my records requests were taking longer, and they were increasingly steered toward web portals. Such was the case in early July, when I attempted to submit a request to OPM for human resources data. When I clicked “log in,” I was confronted with a message reading, “Something went wrong while processing your action. Please contact admin@ains.com for assistance if the problem persists.” I emailed the address, but the message bounced back to me. AINS, it turned out, was no longer the name of the company — it is now known as Opexus. Opexus has received more than $50 million in federal contracts, according to a Bloomberg report, and has come under fire for lax cybersecurity standards after two of its employees were indicted for deleting and compromising government data. (One pleaded guilty in April, and the other was convicted in May). On its website, Opexus claims to process FOIA requests for 80% of federal institutions. OPM’s website still listed contact information for a FOIA public liaison, someone who is supposed to help the public understand the records process and assist with requests. When I emailed the address, I got an automated response reading, “I am no longer at OPM. If you need assistance with a FOIA matter, please contact FOIA@opm.gov.” So I did. I immediately got another automated message. This one told me to submit my request to the National FOIA Portal, a cross-government site that allows you to submit a FOIA request to any agency. So I did that, too. Afterward, I finally got a response that acknowledged my request — from the same OPM portal that was throwing an error any time I tried to use it. Stymied by the lack of response from the agency itself, I reached out to Opexus support, explaining that I was a FOIA requester and that the OPM site wasn’t working. I got a response from someone named Stephen, saying, “I have escalated this issue to our engineering team.” When I followed up a few days later, Stephen said, “I have identified the root cause of the issue and am currently working with the OPM administrator to implement the necessary fix.” Further questions on the support ticket thread weren’t answered. On July 23, 13 days after I had filed the support ticket with Opexus, I got another response asking me again what error I was getting. I told them I was still getting the same message. A few hours later, I tried logging back in. The site was fixed. In a statement, Opexus said it became aware of the issue on July 10 when a customer support case was opened. Incidentally, that was the day I had opened one. The statement noted access to the portal was restored on July 23, and that the issue did not prevent OPM from receiving FOIA requests through alternate submission methods. The company said that “there is no evidence that customer data was accessed, lost, or compromised” and that the issue was isolated to OPM’s portal. The statement added that Opexus recognizes “how important uninterrupted access to FOIA request systems is for the public.” OPM did not respond to a request for comment. I’m still waiting for the records. The post Is There Anyone Who Can Respond to My FOIA Requests? Anyone? appeared first on ProPublica.

Report: Arsenal star gives the green light to join European giantsNapoli Eye Gabriel Jesus Move as Arsenal Contract Silence Fuels Transfer TalkNapoli want a statement signing, and Gabriel Jesus has moved from fantasy to something far more concrete. According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, the Brazilian forward is firmly on the Italian club’s radar as they look to sharpen their attack and restore momentum ahead of a season built around high expectations.The logic is straightforward. Napoli have spent heavily already, with £86.5 million committed to permanent deals for Rasmus Hojlund, Alisson Santos and Lorenzo Lucca. That is proper money, even in a market where clubs often behave as though accounting is optional. The issue now is balance. Napoli still need sales, and those sales are dictating the pace of everything.Gabriel Jesus transfer hinges on Napoli exitsThis is where the Gabriel Jesus transfer story becomes interesting for Arsenal as well as Napoli. The report states that Arsenal have not yet contacted the player to discuss a renewal, even though his current contract expires in 2027. In transfer terms, that matters. Clubs do not need to panic with two years left, but they do need clarity. If there is no obvious long-term plan, buyers start circling and the player starts considering alternatives.Napoli’s move is tied closely to Romelu Lukaku’s expected departure. The Belgian has reportedly reached an agreement with Fenerbahce, with the two clubs still needing to settle the fee. Napoli had initially wanted £12 million, but the piece suggests they may accept £7 million to £8 million including bonuses. That is a sizeable drop, but this is what happens when a sale becomes part of a bigger mechanism. They want room, wages off the books and a clear run at their real target.The other outgoing mentioned is Noa Lang, who is attracting interest from Ajax after PSG pushed ahead on a move for Mika Godts. Napoli want £30 million for Lang, though the report suggests £25 million plus bonuses could be enough. Again, this is not random. If Lukaku and Lang move, Napoli create the financial and tactical space to go hard for Gabriel Jesus.Arsenal contract situation leaves room for doubtFrom an Arsenal perspective, this is the bit worth watching. Gabriel Jesus remains a useful, intelligent forward when fit. He can play wide, he can play centrally, and he still offers intensity and movement that many strikers do not. The problem is availability and role. At a top club, sentiment is expensive. If a player is not central to the long-term plan, keeping him around on significant wages can quickly become bad squad management.The report indicates that Gabriel Jesus would welcome a move to Italy and has placed Serie A at the top of his preferences. Napoli first made contact in early June, making it clear that once necessary exits were resolved, he would become their major attacking objective. That sort of groundwork is normal. Serious clubs rarely start from zero when the market gets busy.There is also a time element here. A player cannot sit around all summer waiting for others to leave. If Gabriel Jesus spends most of August in London as surplus to requirements, the market narrows and the leverage changes. The article adds that a simple loan is difficult at this stage, unless it includes an obligation to buy. That makes sense. Arsenal would want certainty, and Napoli would need to decide how much risk they are willing to absorb.Napoli strategy points to a serious pushWhat Napoli are doing is neither chaotic nor particularly romantic. They are trying to cut labour costs while remaining competitive for the Serie A title and pushing back towards the elite level of the Champions League. Those goals can sit together, but only if recruitment is targeted and exits are handled efficiently. This is why Gabriel Jesus appeals. He offers flexibility, pedigree and enough quality to change games if physically right.The report also notes growing optimism around Napoli, with Giovanni Branchini, agent of both Gabriel Jesus and Massimiliano Allegri, helping to increase belief that a top-level deal can be done. That does not guarantee success, but it tends to mean conversations are live and the player’s camp is engaged.For Arsenal, this feels like one of those situations where indecision would be the worst outcome. Either Gabriel Jesus is part of the core attacking plan and talks over his future should reflect that, or a sensible sale should be explored while his reputation still carries weight. Napoli clearly believe there is an opportunity here. If their outgoing business falls into place, they will move.And if they do, Arsenal may have a decision to make very quickly.Our ViewAs an Arsenal supporter, this report feels believable because it fits the wider picture around Gabriel Jesus. There is still admiration for what he brings when fully fit, especially his work rate, intelligence and ability to connect attacks. He helped raise standards when he arrived, and that should not be forgotten. But football moves fast, and clubs with serious ambitions have to be ruthless about availability, wages and squad roles.If Napoli are genuinely ready to offer a proper deal, Arsenal should listen. That is not disrespectful to the player, it is just sensible planning. If there has been no renewal contact, that suggests the club may already know where this is heading. Keeping an expensive forward in a reduced role rarely ends well.From an Arsenal point of view, the key is value. There is no point letting a player of Gabriel Jesus’ calibre drift towards a weaker market position if there is strong interest now. Napoli would be getting a forward with quality and experience, and Arsenal could reinvest in areas that better suit the current squad build.Supporters will always appreciate what Gabriel Jesus has done. If he leaves, most will wish him well. The important thing is that Arsenal act clearly, quickly and in line with a bigger plan. Drifting helps nobody.Source: Gazzetta Dello Sport

Everton and Palace complete Brennan Johnson-Dwight McNeil swap dealThe swap deal between Everton and Crystal Palace has been completed, with Brennan Johnson heading to Merseyside and Dwight McNeil moving in the opposite direction.Johnson has joined Everton on a four-year contract running until June 2030, becoming David Moyes’ fifth summer signing. The 25-year-old Wales international arrives after a difficult spell at Palace, where he failed to score in 26 appearances following his £35m move from Tottenham in January.Despite that disappointment, Johnson boasts plenty of pedigree. He made his name at Nottingham Forest before joining Spurs for more than £45m and scored the winning goal in the 2025 Europa League final against Manchester United.McNeil, meanwhile, has signed a four-year deal with Palace. The 26-year-old winger leaves Everton after three seasons, having registered 15 goals and 19 assists in 128 appearances for the Toffees.The move represents a second chance at Palace for McNeil, who came close to joining the Eagles in February. A proposed loan-to-buy deal worth £20m collapsed after the paperwork was not completed in time, despite the player having already passed his medical.

Then 2026-27 UEFA Champions League’s third qualifying round wraps up Tuesday, Aug. 11, with 10 second-leg matches that will decide which teams advance to the playoff round.\nEight of the 10 ties are separated by one goal or level after the first leg, setting up some dramatic finishes across Europe. The ten winners head to the playoff round - the final stage before the "Champions League proper" - and will be joined by four teams who advanced directly to the playoff.\nThe 36-team league phase begins in September with each club playing eight midweek matches through the end of January 2027.\nHere’s a look at Tuesday’s games:\nWhere to watch Champions League\nThe UEFA Champions League steams on Paramount+.\nWatch Champions League on Paramount+\nChampions League games today\n(All times Eastern)\n11 AM – FC Kairat 🇰🇿 vs. PFC Levski Sofia 🇧🇬 (Agg: 0–1)12 PM – FK Bodø/Glimt 🇳🇴 vs. Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 🇧🇪 (Agg: 3–3)12 PM – Sabah FK 🇦🇿 vs. Aarhus Gymnastikforening (AGF) 🇩🇰 (Agg: 1–2)1 PM – FK Kauno Žalgiris 🇱🇹 vs. GNK Dinamo Zagreb 🇭🇷 (Agg: 0–5)1:30 PM – NEC Nijmegen 🇳🇱 vs. Olympiacos 🇬🇷 (Agg: 0–0)2:15 PM – NK Celje 🇸🇮 vs. FC Ararat-Armenia 🇦🇲 (Agg: 1–2)2:15 PM – ŠK Slovan Bratislava 🇸🇰 vs. Mjällby AIF 🇸🇪 (Agg: 2–1)2:30 PM – SK Sturm Graz 🇦🇹 vs. Fenerbahçe 🇹🇷 (Agg: 0–2)3 PM – Olympique Lyonnais 🇫🇷 vs. Sparta Prague 🇨🇿 (Agg: 1–2)\nWhen is Champions League playoff round?\nFirst legs: Aug. 18-19Second legs: Aug. 25-26\nWhere is Champions League final 2027?\nThis Champions League campaign will come to an end on with the final set for June 5, 2027 at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, home of La Liga power Atlético Madrid.\nThis article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Champions League games today: Schedule, how to watch dramatic UEFA qualifiers

The WNBA has all of our attention, but now I just want to look away. The league of powerful women — Caitlin Clark exploring the boundaries of the game like an abstract painter, Olivia Miles personifying the rebirth of slick, Breanna Stewart pulling out new tricks from her offensive arsenal, A’ja Wilson shapeshifting nightly into a GOAT — feels less like a sport and more like a societal powder keg.It has spiraled into a rinse-and-repeat drama.A Black player clotheslines a White player, and it’s time to flinch. An ejection ensues, and the banished player, unfortunately, finds her phone and straightaway posts on Threads, and we cringe. Then the predictable rants trend on social media apps and morning shows.The WNBA has proved it can hold our eyeballs ever since “the Caitlin Clark effect” introduced a new audience to the game and generated blockbuster ratings. However, with more and more moments like Saturday’s meltdown between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky, it’s becoming exasperating.And what is “it”?It’s every politician shilling for votes off the jet stream of Clark’s fame, every troll who couldn’t tell the difference between Chelsea Gray and Allisha Gray but suddenly has hot takes about the league. It’s the conversation, a trap, really, that hasn’t grown past Black versus White, conservative versus liberal, straight versus gay.More than any other sports fanbase, the new and broader audience that consumes the WNBA craves the simple and salacious. That nature to wallow in mud might never change as long as people rule this planet. But while there are enough factions clashing against the country’s most popular and prosperous women’s professional sports league, the players of the W — the ones who should be safeguarding their commodity — are falling into the trap. Sometimes, willingly.It’s Fever guard Sophie Cunningham choosing to weigh in on a divisive topic of transgender athletes in women’s sports, a grossly exaggerated “issue,” and opening the door for a flood of agitators to defile the discussion.It’s also Sky guard DiJonai Carrington, packing matches and carelessly tossing them onto the already incendiary discourse of race by posting “WHITE PRIVILEGE” after being ejected for her flagrant foul on Cunningham.It’s Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas’s fist to Clark’s neck, Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton’s F-bomb directed at two teenage fans. It’s the piling on whenever anything like these events happen.Sports truly are supposed to be a diversion, something we consider fun, a reprieve from real life, but it feels like psychological warfare just to engage with the WNBA. It’s getting to the point where you have to brace for impact every time “WNBA” pops up in the algorithm.Though now the league enjoys big-time audiences, like the 2.52 million viewers ABC averaged for the Fever-Minnesota Lynx game on Aug. 2, the mayhem that swallows up the sport is at risk of alienating the die-hards and turning off the interlopers, too.Remember during their rookie seasons when Angel Reese gleefully clapped after Clark absorbed a flagrant foul from Chennedy Carter, and that became a whole thing? That was child’s play compared to the cesspool that has become the daily WNBA conversation.Let’s start with this truth: Cunningham has every right to stand by her belief that transgender women shouldn’t be allowed to compete with biological women. She’s 10 toes down, and to be sure, so are 79 percent of Americans who share her opinion, according to a New York Times/Ipsos survey. And Indiana, the state Cunningham plays in, was one of the first to pass a bill banning transgender girls from participating in sports at public schools — which means this issue barely impacts the young girls who come to Fever games to support her in their No. 8 jerseys. Nor does it rise to the level of a national crisis since institutions like the NCAA, the United States Tennis Association and the Olympics all have eligibility rules in place. There’s also the fact that no transgender women are even competing in the WNBA, making this an argument largely based on a hypothetical scenario.Yet, because Cunningham plays in a league boosted by the LGBTQIA+ community, her opinion against the involvement of transgender athletes in women’s sports has sparked irony and amusement among those seeking to ignite this cultural war. Now we have ex-NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White mockingly declaring their eligibility for the WNBA Draft. These far-right flamethrowers, these retirees thirsty for attention, these unserious stunt artists are here only to condemn the theory of inclusivity and taunt the women of this league. Please, let me off this ride.Then there’s Carrington, who took out Cunningham in the air. Though Carrington previously has had mix-ups with Clark, Cunningham’s teammate, when tough defense and accidental swipes across the face made Carrington a target, no one can really know her intentions Saturday. In keeping the focus just on that moment, her foul against Cunningham was unnecessary and could’ve been dangerous. But Carrington’s social media post after the foul was even more unnecessary, and much more dangerous.Makayla Timpson, the Indiana Fever center affectionately known as “KK,” started against the Sky and played decently enough to join her superstar teammate and head coach Stephanie White in the postgame media session. The opening line of questions to the trio centered on Carrington’s flagrant foul. When a reporter began his question about Carrington’s social media post, Timpson heard the words “White privilege” and reacted by widening her eyes and glancing to her left. She then covered her face and rubbed her temple, likely hoping to avoid having to comment.KK, girl. Your expression said it best.We all could’ve gone without hearing Carrington’s instant thoughts following her ejection. But she allowed herself to be accused of playing the race “card,” as Cunningham called it. Also, she made it more untenable for her African-American peers who will face legitimate bias.Carrington, a Black woman who has been in same-sex relationships in the WNBA, is exactly the kind of punching bag for the most unhinged faction of new fans. After those run-ins with Clark years ago, Carrington was called everything but a child of God across social media. She has indeed experienced racism and homophobia. But on Saturday, she undercut the phrase “White privilege” — reducing it from a legitimate societal concern for people who look like her to a sneering chant for the far right.These moments aren’t just problematic, but they’re overshadowing the positives, like Kayla McBride torching the net for a record-breaking 10 3s, the young Washington Mystics shushing their doubters with seven straight wins and Jessica Shepard emerging as a triple-double revelation in Dallas. In certain doses, train wrecks and dumpster fires can be juicy. Fun to watch, even. However, a constant cycle of quarrels can wear down an audience. Eventually, tension takes a toll, and the WNBA will have to pay that price.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.Chicago Sky, Indiana Fever, WNBA, Opinion, Culture, Google Women's Sports Expansion, The Athletic Women's Basketball Show2026 The Athletic Media Company

[Getty Images]On Sunday at Anfield against Monaco, Andoni Iraola was very honest after their 3-2 defeat. Two weeks out from the start of the Premier League campaign, Iraola's verdict was that his side had "work to do" because they could not sustain the level that he wanted for the duration of a game.Iraola said that his side played a good first 30 minutes but "they don't have much more, in terms of the levels required to play like this".Iraola's comments were certainly concerning but he has had less than a month to work with his players and only a week or so with some. The signs are there that this team will entertain but as Iraola pointed out in Chicago, after their 4-2 friendly defeat to Leeds United, it will take time."I would like to say, no, on the first day, we are going to be perfect, everyone will be in place, but probably it is not going to be like this," he said, when asked if it would take a while before fully seeing his style of play. "We will have to do this as quickly as possible."Watch the team on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club discuss the comments below or listen to the full show here.

2026-08-11T09:22:14Z BANGKOK (AP) — A Taiwanese court on Tuesday sentenced a woman who advocated for spouses born in mainland China to seven years in prison, after finding her guilty of conspiring with Chinese government officials and proxies to influence Taiwanese politics.The court in New Taipei city ruled that Hsu Chun-ying, who was herself born in China, violated the Anti-Infiltration Act for contact with Chinese officials and the Banking Act by transferring 24.5 million New Taiwan Dollars ($760,000) outside of proper banking channels from China.The case has garnered intense media attention, partly because of Hsu’s identity as a so-called mainland spouse — those born in China who immigrated to Taiwan after marriage. The community has been viewed with suspicion amid rising tensions between China and Taiwan.Taiwan and China split after a civil war in 1949. China claims the self-governing island as part of its territory, and has sent fighter jets and navy ships to the island on a daily basis as part of military exercises. Taiwan, in response, has focused on strengthening its defense and ramping up its arms purchases. Taiwan’s government said Hsu’s case involved gaining intelligence for mainland China and influencing Taiwanese politics. Prosecutors had publicized exchanges between Hsu and a director from the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China, which showed discussions about which political party to support in order to get lawmaker positions for mainland spouses in both the Taipei mayoral election and later the 2024 presidential election. Hsu moved to Taiwan after getting married and has Taiwanese citizenship. She was briefly considered to be a Taiwan People’s Party legislator candidate, but had backed out owing to questions about her loyalty and affiliation with China. Read More “I had just wanted to serve New Residents,” she said in 2024, referring to the Taiwanese government’s term for immigrants to the island. Hsu most recently served as the head of the Cross Straits Marriage and Family Services alliance. The organization was disbanded by Taiwan’s Interior Ministry in May for not holding elections for their directors in time. Hsu could not be reached for comment. 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. According to prosecutors, Hsu met often with Yang Wentao, director of the service center for cross-strait marriages and families at the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs and Sun Xian, deputy head of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang in Shanghai.Prosecutors said that Hsu and Yang coordinated to support Huang Shan-shan, an independent candidate for Taipei mayor, who later joined the TPP. Later, Hsu also campaigned for Ko Wen-je, a presidential candidate and TPP founder, at their instructions, prosecutors said. Critics said the judgment was problematic because the wording of the charges was vague.“The DPP government is deliberately avoiding drawing clear red lines, to ensure that it can arbitrarily weaponize this charge,” said Shangguanluan, a writer and activist who has advocated on behalf of mainland spouses in Taiwan. In 2025, Taiwan deported three Chinese spouses for advocating for reunification with China using military force. Taiwanese immigration authorities issued an order to 12,000 mainland spouses who already had Taiwanese citizenship to submit records showing that they had canceled their Chinese household registrations. Worries over espionage and tech smuggling to China have grown as authorities continue to prosecute cases. Taiwanese authorities in March investigated three men for trying to smuggle Super Micro computer servers containing advanced Nvidia chips to China. Last year, a Taiwanese court sentenced four soldiers, including three members of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s security team, to seven years in prison for giving sensitive information to China. HUIZHONG WU Wu covers Chinese culture, society, and politics for The Associated Press, as well as the country’s growing overseas influence from Bangkok. She was previously based in Taiwan and China. twitter

Nature, Published online: 11 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02464-xThe case for responsible scientific activism

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Recent primary wins have posed critical questions for both Republicans and Democrats as they head into the fall midterms. Carolyn Ryan, managing editor of The New York Times, shares how reporters approach coverage of shifting political dynamics.

The left and the middle continue to battle in Democratic primaries for governor in Wisconsin and Senate in Minnesota. In South Carolina, all eyes are on Darline Graham.

The party’s congressional campaign arm added Mr. Miller’s opponent, Brian Poindexter, to its highly competitive “Red to Blue” list.

Repeated heat waves, wildfires, droughts and storms are solidifying the understanding that new investments are unavoidable.

Rumors swirled that Morocco, perhaps spurred by Israel and the United States, organized a recent border disaster. That unproven speculation, experts said, was exacerbated by the region’s complicated history.

Mudryk has managed 10 goals and 11 assists in 73 appearances since joining Chelsea [Getty Images]Chelsea are exploring potential loan moves for Mykhailo Mudryk as he looks to build up his fitness after 20 months out of football.The Ukraine international, 25, has not played a competitive match since November 2024.He was suspended for four years after returning an adverse finding for the banned substance meldonium.However, an agreement was reached to resolve the doping case, and the winger has returned with substitute appearances in pre-season friendlies against Juventus, AC Milan and Johor Darul Ta'zim during Chelsea's tour of Asia.In meetings at the end of the tour, Mudryk agreed to leave on loan before the transfer deadline on 1 September.A move to Strasbourg, who share the same BlueCo ownership as Chelsea, has been proposed, but Mudryk would prefer a move to another English top-flight club.Several other clubs have also emerged as potential destinations, including a number of leading sides in Italy.Mudryk remains under contract until 2031, having joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk for an initial £61m in 2023.What are your favourite new kits for the coming season?

Aug 2, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) reacts to play during a stop in the action against the Minnesota Lynx in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn ImagesIndiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham has made headlines over the past several weeks after she spoke out against transgender women competing in women’s sports in an apparent effort to “protect women and girls.” However, one prominent Fox Sports analyst does not necessarily trust her intentions.This week, Fox Sports’ Danny Parkins seemingly questioned Cunningham’s motivations as he pointed out some inconsistencies with her approach to “protecting women.”Cunningham Spoke Out on Trans SportsLast month, Cunningham made headlines when she was quoted as speaking out against transgender athletes in an ESPN article.“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’” she told ESPN. “I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”While the comments were from an interview done back in February, Cunningham doubled down on that stance during a follow-up interview.“I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense,” Cunningham said last month. “And I think I’ll always believe in that. I think it’s really important to protect children, and that’s little girls who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said.”Cunningham later addressed the issue again in a post on X while responding to a recent incident involving two teenage girls who said they were verbally confronted by a Seattle Storm co-owner, who was later suspended.“I truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY. Biological girls, biological boys, trans women, and trans men. Everyone is welcome at my table! You can disagree and still be kind,” Cunningham wrote in a post on X. “Bravo to those girls for standing up for what they believe. You’ll be hearing from me soon yay for gifts. Truly embarrassing of the co-owner.”Cunningham has since indicated that she has no plans to back away from the criticism surrounding her comments, but she did express a desire to focus on basketball.Parkins Calls Out CunninghamDuring an appearance on The Colin Cowherd Podcast this week, Parkins had some pretty strong words for Cunningham as he criticized her for claiming to be “protecting women” while associating with Dana White, Conor McGregor and UFC.Cunningham, of course, recently served as a ring girl for a UFC event.“You showed up at a UFC fight with a president who has hit his wife on camera or Conor McGregor, who has been accused of sexual assault,” he said on the podcast. “Your North Star isn’t protecting women in all cases. It’s just this particular issue, which is a lightning rod issue. I don’t know if it’s launched careers, but it certainly has helped some people become very influential in the right-wing media commentator grifter space.”Parkins conceded that there have been some isolated cases of transgender women and girls participating in women’s sports at the high school level, which could impact those few people personally involved. However, does not believe that it is a widespread issue that should be getting this sort of attention across the country.“I personally don’t get the sense that we are at anywhere near a tipping point or an inflection point where one of the 20 biggest issues facing our country is going to be trans athletes coming into women’s sports and taking spots away from girls playing sports on a fair level,” he said.“I just wish that trans people would be treated with decency and humanity,” he concluded.The post ‘Your North Star isn’t protecting women’: Sophie Cunningham draws criticism from Fox Sports analyst appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

Kasper Hogh's impressive first-half hat-trick against Kilmarnock drew comparisons to a litany of Celtic's most prestigious forwards.BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter, Tom English, said the Denmark striker, who was making just his second appearance for Martin O'Neill's side, represented "the most proven goalscorer Celtic have signed since Chris Sutton".Current manager O'Neill signed Sutton from Chelsea in what was then the club's record outlay, with Hogh their current biggest fee.However, the man who partnered Henrik Larsson for years in Glasgow isn't so sure about the comparison. "Tom does talk a lot of rubbish at times, and that's clearly evident there," Sutton said on the Monday Night Club."It's an interesting one, if I chuck a few strikers who came after me out: John Hartson was a phenomenal finisher, Moussa Dembele was an excellent young player, Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, Gary Hooper was a good goalscorer, Odsonne Edouard had a really good spell."Look, the bottom line is Hogh has been in for two games, and after the first game against Dundee he missed a couple of chances and guess what, people were doubting him."He got his hat-trick against a kamikaze Kilmarnock, I've got to say they did make it easy for Celtic."I was pleased for him, he seems to be a really strong character, he's got a lot about him."Hogh, who arrived this summer alongside Qarabag foward Camilo Duran, are the club's only two incomings so far, but Sutton reckons filling the void up top was crucial.Daizen Maeda has left for Ipswich and the club have been without a recognised central striker since Adam Idah's move to Swansea a year ago."I think people forget Celtic didn't have a proper decent centre forward last season and this is a guy who has the physicality, he led the line really well against Kilmarnock at the weekend, it wasn't just about his goals," Sutton added."I like the look of him from what I saw at Bodo/Glimt, but it's early days at Celtic for him. It was good he got his goals, but what was more impressive really was the way he held things up, linked things, and looked like he knew what he was doing."I'll repeat myself, Celtic won the league last season without a proper striker; they've now got one, possibly two, that's good news for Celtic."

The Athletic: Man Utd leave Arsenal trailing in the race for ‘game-changing’ midfielderManchester United are leading the race for promising Leicester City teenager Louis Page, who is also wanted at Arsenal.The Red Devils were expected to add top-class players to Michael Carrick’s first team this season. But so far, they have only added Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to their midfield ranks, while Karl Darlow arrived as a free agent to add cover behind first-choice goalkeeper Senne Lammens.In the meantime, INEOS remain adamant about recruiting some of the finest young players in the country. They have already brought in 18-year-old winger Tynan Thompson from Tottenham, while their next acquisition could come from the East Midlands.Man United the frontrunners in Louis Page raceOver the past few days, Louis Page has emerged as a serious target for Man Utd. The 18-year-old is a midfielder who rose through Leicester’s ranks and became a member of the first team last season.According to the latest edition of The Athletic’s Transfer DealSheet, United are indeed leading the race for the exciting teenager, leaving Arsenal trailing behind.The source believes that INEOS view the young Englishman in the same bracket as Ayden Heaven, who instantly became a member of the senior squad after making the move from Arsenal in January 2025.But while the defender had signed for United on a free transfer, Page remains tied to Leicester with a contract running until June 2029. Transfermarkt estimates his value at €4 million, but the Foxes would almost certainly request a higher figure.Is Page Ready to play senior football at Man UtdAfter making 22 appearances with Leicester’s first team, a return to academy football could be deemed a step back in Page’s promising career.Nevertheless, the Premier League and Champions League represent a whole different level compared with the English Championship, so this ‘step back’ could be necessary to protect the young man who could struggle to cope with this significant step up in competition.While Man Utd fans should be delighted if the club pull off this signing of one of the most exciting young midfielders in the country, most supporters would be disgruntled if he proves to be the final addition to the midfield department.Despite Mason Mount’s ability to feature in a deeper role and the rise of the Fletcher twins, the vast majority of the fanbase has been urging the hierarchy to add another accomplished player to the department.Leave a ReplyCancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment *Name *Email *Notify me of follow-up comments by email.Notify me of new posts by email.

Rob Couhig previously owned League One rivals Wycombe Wanderers [Shutterstock]Reading owner Rob Couhig says his goals for the upcoming season are to make the club self sustainable and to push for promotion.The Royals chairman spent an hour of Tuesday morning on BBC Radio Berkshire, taking questions from supporters, with the start of the League One season now just days away. The club kick-off their campaign with a home match against Luton Town at the SCL on Saturday, having been hard at work over the summer making improvements to the ground.Some sections of the Reading support have grown frustrated with Couhig over the summer and some previous transfer windows after a slow start in the market.Questions have also been raised about his future and whether his stay at the club might be for the short-term. But the ex-Wycombe owner, from Louisiana in the US, insisted he wants to tick off a number of goals with the club before even considering a potential sale."I'm 77-years old and I'm in great shape," he told BBC Radio Berkshire."I don't enjoy the flight which is a 16 hour door-to-door thing for me but I come over once a month for a week. "I will not be satisfied until I make this club self sustainable and we are well on our way to getting promoted. "I'm at an age where I don't predict the future but I hope it's a long one, right now we're having the time of our lives and I want us to succeed." Last season was Couhig's first full campaign as owner, with Noel Hunt in charge of the team at the start before being sacked in October with the club 19th in the table.Reading recovered thereafter and finished 12th in the League One standings, 12 points off of the top six. Couhig reiterated that making it into the play-off places at the very least is their target for the upcoming campaign. "I've been unequivocal since the day that I took over that our goal is promotion," he said. "We expect to be promoted this year and we certainly hope that we are, we're going to push for the play-offs if that's our fall-back position. "At a minimum we will expect to be better than we were for the entirety of last season."Couhig purchased Reading when they were at their lowest point under previous owner Dai Yongge, and had to deal with transfer embargoes, points deductions and an uncertain future.He is now hoping that through extra revenue streams, the club will be able to look after itself financially by the end of the season."Being self sustainable is another goal by the end of this season," Couhig added."We want to no longer have to rely on owner funding and we want the club to be able to stand on its own two feet. "We'll do that around sponsorship and the OneRoyal programme which has been a huge success in producing revenue for us."The summer transfer window remains open until 1 September. Reading have signed Udoka Godwin-Malife, Josh Stokes, Kyreece Lisbie and Jacob Brown so far, and Couhig said that he and co-CEO Joe Jacobson will be busy in the market for the remaining weeks. "We will sign as many players as we need this season," he added."I think this club is already better than it was last year and we're getting better with our new players."I'd rather we sign everyone earlier in the window but this final stage of the window we are getting to a stage where more players are becoming available."All the latest Reading news

Morgan Freeman appears at the Los Angeles premiere of "Angel Has Fallen" on Aug. 20, 2019. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)2026-08-11T10:00:31Z NEW YORK (AP) — It happened out of necessity. Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman was in Clarksdale, Mississippi, 25 years ago when some out-of-towners asked where they could hear blues music. Musicians were abundant; venues were not.“There was no place where we could guarantee that you could go in and hear it,” he told The Associated Press. “So, we had to establish that.”Freeman and his business partners, then-Mayor Bill Luckett and Howard Stovall, were inspired to open a juke joint in Clarksdale called Ground Zero Blues Club. Then, much more recently, they created “Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience,” a touring ensemble of blues musicians who marry the beloved Southern genre with classical, symphonic compositions. On Friday, they’ll release an album under the same name.The legendary actor is a producer and narrator on the release, not a performer. That’s left up to the professionals: all-star acts like Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’, Shemekia Copeland, Tiernii Jackson, the Stax Music Academy Choir, the Chineke! Orchestra out of London, and many more.“I like the blues. I like music. I cannot claim to be an aficionado. That’s not my place,” says Freeman. “I’m an enthusiast, but that’s a necessity.” From live performances to a full-length recordBefore the album, the “Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience” traveling performances were born out of a simple idea: How could Freeman and his team bring this music to the world?“Blues is an important American story birthed in the Mississippi Delta out of hardship but obviously resonates with people and cultures on a global basis, both for how good it sounds, but also the message underneath it,” said Eric Meier, Freeman’s partner and co-producer on the project who joined the actor’s blues club in 2018. “We conceived of this concept to really take this music to new geographies and new audiences.” Turning the live performance into an album meant cutting down a nearly two-hour show to around 45 minutes across 12 tracks, while still honoring the format. It includes video vignettes as well as “cinematic narration,” courtesy of Freeman, recorded at the club in Clarksdale. “We offer a musical story, a 100-year arc from the 1930s to modern day, so the evolution of blues music,” says Meier. Read More Freeman’s idiosyncratic voice opens the record, describing the genre with a real poetry, delivered atop a haunting rendition of Blind Willie Johnson’s 1927 gospel blues classic, “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground.” “This is music that gave voice to a people, to their pain, their hope and their resilience,” Freeman recites. “Music isn’t just melody, you know. It’s memory, it’s history wrapped in ribbon, the echoes of lives lived and lost, heartache and hope all tangled together. And nowhere is that truer than in the blues.” Freeman wants to keep the blues aliveThe last song on “Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience” sees singer-songwriter Muddy Waters’ great-nephew Keith Johnson covering Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson’s “I Lied to You” from the Oscar-winning 2025 film “Sinners.” It brings the 100-year story of blues to its coda, but it also serves as a reminder of the film’s ability to bring the genre into mainstream conversation. That’s something Freeman hopes to accomplish, too. He wants to make sure blues is not forgotten.“It is a responsibility that we’ve taken on. And the hope is that it, like everything else that catches on, takes root, as it were. You know, the blues is actually America’s music,” he says. “So, it’s incumbent upon us to water it, nurture it, keep it alive, keep it going.”Meier adds that their album project predates “Sinners” — he says director Ryan Coogler told him the film’s juke joint was partially inspired by Ground Zero Blues Club; the film is set in Clarksdale after all — but it has been “a wonderful coincidence” that both works have the power to bring the blues to the masses.And maybe one day, “Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience” will receive the same kind of critical praise given to “Sinners.” The album is eligible for the 2027 Grammy Awards.“We will be submitting in multiple categories,” says Meier. “You got room on your trophy shelf, Morgan?” “Yeah, yeah. I want it,” Freeman smiles. Adding Grammy Award-winner to his Academy Award-winner title? “Sounds pretty good to me.” MARIA SHERMAN Maria Sherman is the music reporter at The Associated Press. She is based in New York City. mailto

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A group of Cuban men in Mexico was charged with smuggling people to the United States. One of its leaders said Raúl Castro’s grandson helped, according to interviews and court records.

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College football is full of athletic marvels, especially in this day and age. The modern era of training and recovery has given way to athletic freaks of nature. While most of those guys end up being four- and five-star talents out of high school, some trickle through the cracks. Iowa has been the beneficiary of that over the years, with players like Tristan Wirfs and Cooper DeJean ending up in Iowa City.The Hawkeyes have their fair share of athletic freaks on this year’s roster as well.The Athletic's Bruce Feldman released his annual college football Freaks List. These are players that can naturally do things that most other guys can’t. Iowa had three players on the list, beginning with offensive lineman Kade Pieper at No. 8:"It’s almost a given that we’re going to have a Hawkeye O-lineman on here. The 6-3, 298-pound former Nebraska state champion shot putter was named a first-team All-American last year by PFF after starting 13 games at right guard in 2025. Last year, Pieper came in at No. 22 on the Freaks List after setting an Iowa record (4.13) for fastest short shuttle among offensive guards. Among guards, he also posted the vertical jump record at 37.4 and the best 10-yard dash at 1.52. This offseason, he set the program record for heaviest squat by a guard, doing 680 pounds."The next Hawkeye mentioned was transfer defensive lineman Kahmari Brown. Despite playing at the FCS level last season, Brown came in at 27th on Feldman’s list:"A second-team FCS All-American last year at Elon, Brown led the CAA program with 16 TFLs, 12 sacks, three forced fumbles and eight QB hurries. This offseason, the 6-2, 258-pound Brown, a former high school running back in North Carolina, broad jumped 10-3, vertical jumped 40.2 inches and was timed at 1.56 in his 10-yard split. All exceptional numbers for a nearly 260-pound edge rusher."The final Hawkeye mentioned was versatile defensive back Zach Lutmer, who dropped in at 37th on the list. Feldman had plenty of praise for Iowa’s defensive Swiss Army knife:"The Hawkeyes have a remarkable DB pedigree, and the 6-1, 203-pound Lutmer is next in the pipeline. He was a second-team All-Big Ten pick last season after making 71 tackles with 5.5 TFLs and three interceptions. This offseason, Lutmer showed off his elite agility by clocking a 3.81-second shuttle time, setting a new record for Hawkeye DBs — especially impressive considering the program has produced the likes of Cooper DeJean, Micah Hyde, Josh Jackson, Desmond King and Bob Sanders. That 3.81 would match the fastest shuttle time ever recorded at the NFL combine, which Brandin Cooks ran in 2014. Lutmer also did a 41.9-inch vertical jump and squatted 575 pounds."Even with a lot of talent off to the NFL from last season’s squad, there’s still plenty of guys for fans to keep an eye on. Pieper, Brown, and Lutmer should be near the top of that list.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 Zach on X: @zach_hineyThis article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football places trio on annual 'Freaks List'

Kentucky basketball head coach Mark Pope gives an update on the upcoming 2026-27 season during a press conference in Lexington, Kentucky July 24, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co Good morning, BBN!Summer practice has ended for Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats, but there is still one big question that is surrounding the program: will they fill the 15th roster spot?For the longest time, it seemed it would be filled by an international player, but with the recent injunctions filed for fifth-year players, that has opened up a whole other plethora of options for the UK staff.Will it be Mark Mitchell, Keyshawn Hall, or Jaxon Kohler? That is the part it seems the staff is still figuring out, but Coach Pope made it clear they are aggressively looking to add someone in that spot.Joining the Field of 68 on Monday, Pope had this to say:“We’re very aggressively looking at every opportunity, like we always will. If there’s something that arises that can really help us be better, we’re going to take advantage of it.”It seems that there’s a good chance that UK will have a new player come Big Blue Madness, though it’s far from a done deal, especially with the fall semester about to begin.Will the Wildcats manage to add someone? Who will it be? Let us know down in the comments section who you hope to see fill that 15th roster spot for the WildcatsTweet of the DayKentucky Football fall camp like you've never seen it before. Fall Camp All-Access: Week One 🎥 pic.twitter.com/3IRY6ADNyE— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) August 10, 2026A little over three weeks away!HeadlinesKentucky Slotted at No. 3 in AVCA Preseason Top 25 Coaches’ Poll- UK AthleticsLETS GO!Kentucky’s 2027 recruiting class continues to trend as a top 25 group- KSRWill Stein and his staff continue to impress on the recruiting trail. Jason Patterson seems to be breaking through in UK’s running back room- Cats PauseThe Cats running back room seems to be getting deeper.CBS Sports believes Youngstown State could upset Kentucky to open Will Stein Era- KSRYeah this would stink. Panathinaikos made Jokic ‘serious’ offer; to try again in ’27- ESPNThis would have been a wild move. Teddy Bridgewater on retirement from NFL: ‘This time it’s official’- ESPNStill would have loved to seen Teddy have a completely healthy career. Quinnen Williams, Cowboys agree to massive $105.9M extension, making star DT one of NFL’s highest-paid- CBSA big contract for Williams in Dallas. Five NFL teams we’re not talking about enough: Seahawks under the radar again? Packers take next step?- CBSThe season is almost here. Who is flying under the radar?

Spirit of Shankly write to Liverpool FC over potential Bezos investment; club has issued a replyLiverpool FC supporters group Spirit of Shankly (SoS) has written a letter to the club to seek ‘further information and greater clarity’ on prospective investment in LFC from a consortium involving Jeff Bezos.On Monday, Sky News reporter Mark Kleinman broke the news that the group of potential investors (led by Amit Bhatia and also including Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin) is nearing a deal to purchase a stake of approximately one-third in the Merseyside club.SoS writes to Liverpool FC over potential consortium investmentCommunicating via its official website, SoS confirmed that it has written to Liverpool FC with five key questions regarding the potential sale of a stake in the club:When is the ownership expecting to conclude a potential sale?What will the purchasers get in return – board seats, level of involvement in the control of the club on and off the pitch, dividends or other financial returns?Is this part of a planned wider sale, or a one-off?What is the reasoning for FSG considering such a sale?What due diligence is being done on the potential investors/owners? This is about their plans, reasons for purchase and involvement in sports or business elsewhereThe group also requested a meeting with Liverpool FC to discuss the matter, with the club responding to affirm that ‘if anything became more formalised, they would be willing to meet with the Supporters Board’.SoS added: ‘The latest report of a 30% sale and the consortium set up to buy it is significant. The ownership and custodianship of our club is paramount to SOS and all supporters. ‘We have witnessed similar sales at other clubs resulting in notable changes in the running of that club and football operations, leading to decisions and behaviours that many would not want to see at Liverpool.’Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustSupporters’ concerns are completely validWe welcome the proactivity of SoS in contacting the club with those pertinent questions regarding the potential investment from the Bhatia-led consortium, given the extreme importance of what it could mean for LFC and its supporters.There are legitimate queries to be addressed in terms of whether the investment group is coming on board with a view to ultimately gaining majority control at Anfield and succeeding FSG at the helm, and what their reasons are for wanting to get involved in Liverpool.No shortcuts can afford to be taken on exercising due diligence over the backgrounds of the people involved in the consortium. Bhatia may be the driving force, but Bezos is its most globally recognisable figure, and some of his previous actions may come as a major red flag to LFC fans.He pledged vocal and financial support to Donald Trump in the most recent U.S. presidential election, backing a politicial leader whose right-wing populism is at odds with the socialist, collective beliefs of the Reds’ fan base.Concerns have also been raised about the consortium treating LFC as a pure money-making machine rather than a historic and globally revered football club, with fears that loyal fans could be priced out and have their opinions completely neglected.We’ve already been through the wringer with Tom Hicks and George Gillett, so any large-scale investment in Liverpool should be treated with the utmost caution, especially in this particular instance.

FORT WORTH, TX - OCTOBER 26: TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Jack Bech (#18) runs up field after a catch during the Big 12 college football game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and TCU Horned Frogs on October 26, 2024 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images TCU football is moving closer to its 2026 season opener against North Carolina in Dublin, Ireland on Aug. 29. As the Countdown to Kickoff continues, we’ll highlight a former Horned Frog whose jersey number coincided with the number of days remaining until the opener. At No. 18 is former TCU wide receiver Jack Bech!A transfer from LSU, Bech played sparingly in 2023 and became TCU’s No. 1 receiver during the 2024 season. At the time of his departure, Bech became the fifth player in program history to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards during a single season. He finished the 2024 season with 62 catches for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns and averaged 16.8 yards per reception. He was named a semifinalist for both the Biletnikoff Award and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award as well as a Second-Team All-Big 12 recipient and a Phil Steele All-American Honorable Mention.Bech, who played in 20 games over his two seasons in Fort Worth, was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Bech made 16 appearances during his rookie season, catching 20 passes for 224 yards and averaging 11.2 yards per catch. Prior to TCU, Bech played two seasons at LSU. He led the Tigers in receptions (43) and posted 489 receiving yards and three touchdowns as a true freshman in 2021.

Chelsea and Manchester United both offered a chance to sign Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-SkellyMicheal Carrick at Old Trafford with Xabi Alonso at Stamford Bridge and Mikel Arteta at the Emirates Stadium. Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United have both been offered the chance to sign Arsenal’s highly rated 19-year-old midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly in a surprise late summer transfer window move, according to Football London.The unexpected availability of the Hale End academy graduate stems from Arsenal’s high-profile midfield overhaul. Following the Gunners’ £75m deal to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United, competition for starting places under Mikel Arteta has intensified. To help balance the books and manage squad size after a busy summer, intermediaries have presented Lewis-Skelly to top Premier League clubs as a potential market opportunity.Both Chelsea and Manchester United have held long-standing interest in the England youth international, and are currently assessing their defensive and midfield depth late in the window. Able to play as an inverted left-back or a press-resistant central midfielder, Lewis-Skelly offers the tactical flexibility and composure highly prized by top managers. His ability to drive forward in transition and operate in central spaces makes him a versatile asset for tactical systems requiring positional adaptability.For Chelsea, Lewis-Skelly is a familiar profile to recruitment staff at Stamford Bridge, who tracked his progress prior to his breakthrough at Arsenal. The Blues see his tactical adaptability as a good fit to strengthen their squad across multiple positions.Manchester United, led by INEOS and manager Michael Carrick, are also assessing their squad depth as they seek reliable cover for Luke Shaw and additional energy in central midfield. Old Trafford executives rate Lewis-Skelly as a high-upside English talent who fits their current recruitment focus on top domestic prospects.While Arsenal would usually prefer to keep one of their brightest academy prospects, the shift in squad hierarchy following recent arrivals has created a genuine opening for a sale. With both Chelsea and Manchester United alerted to his availability, decision-makers at both clubs are considering whether to formalise their interest before the transfer deadline.

2026-08-11T10:46:33Z SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Two former Chinese military servicemembers were arrested in South Korea for alleged espionage, accused of acts including intercepting communications between fighter jets and ground control and collecting information on movements of U.S. armaments, police said Tuesday.Police said that one of the suspects, a Chinese national in his 60s, set up an interception device consisting of an software-defined radio receiver, an antenna and a laptop at a hotel near an air base jointly used by South Korean and U.S. air forces in southern South Korea.Police said the man is accused of intercepting communications between fighter jets flown by South Korean and U.S. pilots and air traffic controllers at the base several times since 2024.Police said he previously served in the Chinese military but refused to disclose further details about his identify. The police statement said the man was arrested Monday for violating laws on aiding the enemy and protecting communication secrets. Police said they were conducting a forensic examination of his laptop to find if he relayed any of the intercepted communications to Chinese authorities. The man told investigators that it was his hobby to listen to communications between civilians planes and air traffic controllers and he wanted to listen to communications involving fighter jets as well. Police said they also arrested another Chinese man in his 40s on Monday on accusations of illegally collecting information from the U.S. military headquarters near Seoul, including information on U.S.-South Korean military drills, photos showing the movements of weapons at the headquarters, and personnel changes of top U.S. military officers, according to police.Police allege that he obtained some of the information from a South Korean woman working at the U.S. command. Police say he gave her money in return for the information and they suspect the pair had a romantic relationship. Read More The man, who runs a military supply store near the U.S. command, argued during questioning that he sought the information believing it would help his business. Police said the man also previously served in the Chinese military. Police said he violated laws on aiding the enemy and protecting military installations in South Korea. 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. Calls to the Chinese Embassy in Seoul were unanswered after business hours Tuesday.The police announcement came a day after South Korean and U.S. militaries said they would start large-scale annual exercises next week. The U.S. stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea to help deter potential aggressions from North Korea. HYUNG-JIN KIM Kim is an Associated Press reporter in Seoul, South Korea. He reports on security, political and other general news on the Korean Peninsula. twitter mailto