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ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 11: Mauricio Dubón #14 of the Atlanta Braves walks to the on deck circle in the fifth inning during the game against the New York Mets at Truist Park on August 11, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images What can you really say about the Braves’ lineup at this point… or ever? Mauricio Dubon is back in left field tonight, and hitting fifth. Monday matchup on the way! pic.twitter.com/urn8aSIWVi— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 17, 2026Dubon had a really fun time in June while the rest of the team was imploding offensively, with a .378 wOBA and .368 xwOBA. Unfortunately, he’s more or less fallen apart as the team clambered out of its doldrums, with wOBAs and xwOBAs in the .280 range irrespective of how you slice and dice the six-ish weeks since June ended. But, here he is, hitting fifth. It doesn’t really matter, but Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Riley have been on a tear in August, so this is a case where the Braves’ lineup construction is relatively staid, even though we’ve seen it get relatively reactionary earlier in the season with regards to other things.The Twins lineup gives Martin Perez a steady diet of righties to contend with:It’s kind of an interesting array. Luke Keaschall will hit leadoff for the first time all season; this will be his second career game in that spot. Kaelen Culpepper has hit seventh a few times and ninth a few times, but never eighth (until this game). This Twins lineup has pretty solid numbers up and down on paper. Hopefully the Perez pachinko comes up favorable for the Braves… or they just crush Bailey Ober.On a batter-versus-pitcher basis, this is a funny one. Three Braves in the lineup have faced Ober: Yastrzemski, Olson, and Dubon. It’s 11 total PAs, but a total crush job: .558 wOBA, .571 xwOBA. Yastrzemski has eight of those 11 PAs and has a very high xwOBA with a low wOBA; Olson and Dubon have each crushed a ball the few times they’ve seen him. The experience for the Twins versus Martin Perez is similar, just 27 PAs across three players. It’s a collective .388 wOBA and .425 xwOBA, with a lot of that coming because Byron Buxton has hit quite well in 16 PAs. But, none of these batter-versus-pitcher things are for anything other than amusement, given the sample.

Tennessee football landed its first commitment in the 2028 class in quarterback Kaden Craft, a four-star prospect from North Carolina.Craft announced his decision on Aug. 17, picking the Vols over Ole Miss, Michigan, and Florida."I'd like to thank my parents for leading me here today," Craft said during a ceremony at his high school. "I'd like to thank my coaches, teammates, friends. With that all being said, for the next three to four years I'll be taking my talents to the University of Tennessee."WATCH: 2028 4-star QB Kaden Craft commits to Tennessee🍊“I honestly believe Tennessee’s coaching staff is one of the best in the country.”More: https://t.co/kt7X8ithFdhttps://t.co/if7XY6pWuGpic.twitter.com/RLZe5ZrsYq— Rivals (@Rivals) August 17, 2026The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Craft is ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the eighth-best quarterback in the class of 2028 and the No. 107 prospect overall. He plays for Lake Norman High School in Mooresville, North Carolina, and is ranked as the No. 4 player in his home state.As a sophomore in 2025, Craft threw for 1,739 yards with 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. He is a dual-threat quarterback, also rushing 120 times for 387 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also plays basketball and runs track, where he has top marks of 11.36 seconds in the 100 meters and 22.96 in the 200 meters.Emmett Siegel covers Tennessee baseball for Knox News. Email: emmett.siegel@knoxnews.com; X: @EmmettSiegel_This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football lands Kaden Craft, four-star quarterback in 2028 class

Adley Rutschman’s brutal Red Sox start could spell trouble after blockbuster trade with Orioles originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.This past trade deadline, the Boston Red Sox promised they were going to make a splash, and make a splash they did, trading a massive package for Baltimore Orioles three-time All-Star and Silver Slugger Adley Rutschman. Rutschman was a huge upgrade for the Sox behind the dish, and was supposed to be the star to help get them to October baseball.However, it seems that so far this trade isn’t working out like it’s supposed to be, as Rutschman has hit a bit of an immediate cold streak.Rustchman was having an All-Star year David Butler II-Imagn Images Coming into his return, Rustchman was slashing .251/.331/.433/.764 with 19 doubles, eight home runs, and 47 RBI in 67 games for the Baltimore Orioles this season. He also earned his third All-Star selection thanks to it, as he was having a much better year than he did in 2025.While he’s been injury-prone this season, he was hitting well, and his cannon of an arm was still working from behind the plate. Though, it’s clear his Orioles self has not translated into his Red Sox self.Rutschman’s Sox debut has been painful David Dermer - Imagn Images Since his return, Rutschman has been going through a pretty painful cold streak. Through his five games back with Boston, he’s gone 1-17, gotten zero RBI, and struck out nine times. He’s now slashing .239/.327/.409/.736, and still has 19 doubles, eight home runs, and 47 RBI in 72 games. How can Boston help him? Kevin Sousa - Imagn Images Unfortunately, there’s no silver bullet for Rustchman’s problem. Boston will probably have to let him ride through this, and hope he can find his swing again. If he could have a day or two in a row off, he could possibly meet with Gradum Gswing, the people who turned Caleb Durbin from one of the worst hitters in baseball into one of Boston’s best sluggers. This seems unlikely though, as Boston’s schedule still has some heavy hitters left.Hopefully, Rutschman finds his swing soon, and helps Boston with a deep push into October baseball.MORE MLB NEWSRed Sox may need to give Willson Contreras a break before his heavy workload catches upRed Sox could get Garrett Crochet back sooner than expected in surprising new roleAdley Rutschman could make his Red Sox debut sooner than expected after quick rehab stint

Featured in this week’s MLB Power Rankings, we highlight the Brewers’ series win over the Dodgers, Joshua Báez’s historic debut, the suddenly slumping Red Sox and the ridiculous AL playoff picture, what’s up with Paul Skenes, and much more.As a reminder, this article is a combination of current performance and long-term outlook.Let’s get into it!⇒ Check out this week’s waiver wire recommendations in fantasy baseballNote: Rankings are from the morning of Monday, August 171) Milwaukee BrewersLast week: 1The Brewers were our top team last week, but they only reinforced that position by taking three out of four from the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. The highlights included a comeback win against Edwín Diaz on Thursday and Jacob Misiorowski striking out both Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman to escape a bases-loaded jam on Saturday. Jacob Misiorowski strikes out Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman to leave the bases loaded pic.twitter.com/FhR4S2GVN1— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 16, 20262) Tampa Bay RaysLast week: 2After going 9-0 for their best roadtrip in franchise history, the Rays made their triumphant return home only to drop the first three games of their series against the Orioles. Of course that happened. Still, the Rays remain in strong position in the AL East as they welcome Shane McClanahan back from the injured list on Monday.3) Atlanta Braves ⬆️Last week: 4Braves fans wanted more than Tyler Mahle to strengthen their rotation at the deadline, but he’s been an impact addition so far with just one run allowed and an 18/2 K/BB ratio in 12 innings across his first two starts. The Braves actually own the best rotation ERA (2.92) in the NL since the All-Star break. Only the Yankees (2.69 ERA) have been better in MLB.4) Los Angeles Dodgers ⬇️Last week: 3Kyle Tucker went 0-for-19 during the Dodgers’ homestand against the Brewers and Royals, which now gives him a shocking .558 OPS at home this season compared to an .840 OPS on the road. With the boos raining down, Dave Roberts had Tucker on the bench on Saturday. Back in the lineup on Sunday, Tucker whiffed on this fly ball he really should have caught in the ninth inning. All will be forgiven if Tucker ends up being a postseason hero, but he appears to be in his own head right now.Kyle Tucker needs to catch this ball.His home woes continue. pic.twitter.com/5Mp9xAuezR— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) August 16, 20265) Chicago CubsLast week: 5The Cubs dropped two out of three to the Cardinals over the weekend. In addition to Edward Cabrera getting knocked around in his return from the IL on Sunday, they lost Dansby Swanson due to an oblique strain.6) New York YankeesLast week: 6After being held to two runs over their previous three games, the Yankees managed to pull out Sunday’s finale against the Blue Jays. Still, the state of the offense remains problematic. The Yankees are last in the majors in batting average (.202) and runs scored (77) since the All-Star break. There’s at least some reason for optimism, though, as Cody Bellinger is closing in on a rehab assignment and Aaron Judge is starting to do some light baseball activities.7) Philadelphia Phillies ⬆️Last week: 9If you build it, Kyle Schwarber will mash a home run. In something that wasn’t scripted but simply the fate of the universe, Schwarber homered to lead off the Field of Dreams Game last Thursday.LEADOFF SCHWARBOMB INTO THE CORN! #MLBatFieldOfDreamspic.twitter.com/tyF9cRVCGx— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 13, 20268) San Diego Padres ⬆️Last week: 11With their superstars performing like superstars, the Padres lead the majors in batting average (.276) and OPS (.803) since the All-Star break. They are 19-10 during that time9) Boston Red Sox ⬇️Last week: 7Baseball gonna baseball. Coming off an insane 27-3 stretch, the Red Sox have dropped seven out of their last nine games. A letdown was inevitable, but it’s fair to question if this offense has what it takes.10) Chicago White SoxLast week: 10Yes, yes, the White Sox swept the Tigers this weekend, but let’s not kid ourselves, the real story from the past week is the Pope Hats. The original plan was for only 2,500 hats to be available for the fan giveaway, but they ended up handing out 40,000 of them.We often see viral moments of fans fighting, which is why this “Peace Be With You” greeting among fans was so dang refreshing.pic.twitter.com/cyTH4qnDtw— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 12, 202611) Arizona Diamondbacks ⬇️Last week: 8Brandon Pfaadt has been nothing short of incredible since being recalled from Triple-A in late June, posting a ridiculous 1.15 ERA and 30/7 K/BB ratio across in his nine starts. The Diamondbacks are 8-1 in those starts, the latest being seven scoreless frames against the Braves as he outdueled Chris Sale.12) Houston AstrosLast week: 12The Astros lost two out of three to the Mariners this weekend, but Friday’s walk-off victory was as dramatic as it gets.CHRISTIAN WALKER WALK-OFF 3-RUN BLAST pic.twitter.com/J7i30EOxP4— MLB (@MLB) August 15, 202613) Baltimore Orioles ⬆️Last week: 20After taking the first three games of their series against the Rays, the Orioles somehow begin the week in playoff position. The American League is ridiculous, and maybe not in a good way.My favorite quote of the week belongs to Pete Alonso, who got his first-ever start out of the leadoff spot on Friday.A funny Pete Alonso scrum about him leading off for the first time in his entire life.“I’m not saying me and him are the same guy, but I’m, like, Schwarber-adjacent. … I can be the right-handed Schwarber, why not?”“This could be fun. … Hopefully it’s 1-0.” https://t.co/UHNgOGgWjh— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) August 14, 2026May we all strive to be “Schwarber adjacent.”14) Miami MarlinsLast week: 14Much like the Orioles, the Marlins are hanging around in the playoff race despite being more in the category of a “seller” at the deadline. Eury Pérez is a major reason they’ve hung around, with back-to-back scoreless outings under his belt. The 23-year-old owns a sterling 1.80 ERA over 10 starts since returning from the IL.15) St. Louis Cardinals ⬆️Last week: 16Will Joshua Báez’s MLB debut ever be topped? What would it take? A perfect game for a pitcher? Either way, the bar has officially been set.With Báez complementing an emerging Jordan Walker and NL Rookie of the Year frontrunner JJ Wetherholt, the future looks bright in St. Louis. 3 home runs in his first 3 Major League at-bats Did Joshua Báez put on the best MLB debut EVER?! pic.twitter.com/P43Qi4d4cn— MLB (@MLB) August 15, 202616) Texas Rangers ⬇️Last week: 13The Rangers just blew a massive opportunity by losing five out of seven while making stops in Anaheim and Sacramento. Despite that, they are a half-game behind the Orioles for the final Wild Card spot. Redemption is possible this week with the Nationals and Angels on the schedule. Most importantly for the Rangers, they have to hope that Jacob deGrom is healthy after he left Thursday’s start early due to triceps fatigue.17) Toronto Blue Jays ⬆️Last week: 24While the Blue Jays dropped Sunday’s finale to the Yankees, they’ve somehow played themselves back into the fray in the AL Wild Card race. Their schedule the rest of the way is quite favorable, so they can’t be ruled out.18) Pittsburgh Pirates ⬆️Last week: 21My “Paul Skenes is fine” t-shirt has a lot of being asking if Paul Skenes is fine. After Skenes topped out at just 96.5 mph with his heater last Tuesday against the Marlins, the Pirates have pushed his next start back to Wednesday.The situation with Skenes has taken up a lot of oxygen over the past week, but how about some appreciation for what Braxton Ashcraft pulled off against the Marlins last Thursday? A complete game three-hitter with 10 strikeouts on just 85 pitches. What the heck? Since pitch tracking first began in 1988, Ashcraft is the first pitcher to throw nine innings with 10 strikeouts on 85 or fewer pitches.19) Detroit Tigers ⬇️Last week: 15It’s foolish to say the Tigers are done — points feverishly at everything going on in the AL — but it’s not looking good after getting swept by the White Sox and losing Riley Greene in the process.20) Minnesota Twins ⬇️Last week: 18Similar to the Tigers, the Twins are also coming off a weekend sweep and find themselves at 4-10 this month.21) Cleveland Guardians ⬇️Last week: 19The Guardians continue to go in the wrong direction, as they’ve now lost 17 out of their last 23 games. On the bright side, on Saturday we saw Cleveland became the third AL team (and 11th MLB franchise) to reach 10,000 wins in franchise history.22) Seattle Mariners ⬆️Last week: 23Cal Raleigh has had a devil of a time this season — and that's putting it lightly — but his solo homer proved to the the difference in the Mariners’ win over the Astros on Sunday Night Baseball.Cal Raleigh lifts this one out! pic.twitter.com/W4HFNT0Mxu— MLB (@MLB) August 17, 2026Nothing like the Crawford Boxes to function as a confidence-booster. What’s done is done, but Raleigh has a chance to change the conversation during the stretch run.23) Cincinnati Reds ⬇️Last week: 22Hunter Greene ended up needing Tommy John surgery last week, so he can be ruled out for the entire 2027 campaign. Chase Burns has emerged as a legitimate ace this season, but it’s a demoralizing loss for this franchise.24) Washington Nationals ⬇️Last week: 17The biggest news for the Nationals in recent days is C.J. Abrams’ pending move to second base. It was inevitable, as Abrams has graded out among the worst defensive shortstops in the majors. Skilled defender Nasim Nuñez will take over shortstop duties for now, but the Nationals surely hope he’s merely keeping the position warm for top prospect Eli Willits. As for Abrams, it will be interesting to see what this means for him moving forward. He’s still a tremendous hitter, and has two years of team control remaining. He’s no stranger to trade rumors, so now teams will at least get a chance to see how he fares at second base down the stretch.25) New York MetsLast week: 25If the Mets were in the American League, they’d have the third spot in Wild Card race. That’s a lie, but you probably thought about checking, didn’t you?The Mets have won 9 out of 12 and are overflowing in good vibes at the moment. Even Kodai Senga is suddenly thriving.26) San Francisco GiantsLast week: 26If you love a good baseball nickname, get excited. The Giants are calling up the man they call “Tugboat” as they look toward who could help the 2027 club. Acquired from the Guardians in the Patrick Bailey trade earlier this year, Matt Wilkinson is a bit of a throwback as a soft-tossing left-hander. Who knows if it will work in the majors, but the Giants want to figure out whether he’s worth protecting in the Rule 5 Draft this offseason.Here’s hoping Wilkinson is successful, mostly because it would be pretty sweet to see some Tugboats accumulating in McCovey Cove.27) Kansas City RoyalsLast week: 27Craig Kimbrel has seen some things in his illustrious career, so the look of sheer awe on his face from this diving Tyler Tolbert catch is something to behold.FULL EXTENSION Tyler Tolbert makes a surreal diving catch! pic.twitter.com/0D01iiWVkg— MLB (@MLB) August 16, 202628) Colorado Rockies ⬆️Last week: 29I asked in last week’s Power Rankings when Zac Veen would get his chance in the majors. Well, here he is. Veen has already slugged a couple of homers in four games, but he also showed off his speed on Sunday.The Zac Veen Experience pic.twitter.com/IEVjgQAUP1— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 16, 202629) Athletics ⬇️Last week: 28Would you believe that another key member of the Athletics' lineup is injured? Tyler Soderstrom landed back on the IL on Sunday as he deals with lingering discomfort in his hip. With the A’s out of it, one wonders if he could be shut down for the remainder of the year.30) AngelsLast week: 30Ben Joyce casually throwing 104.5 mph while closing out games for the Angels, no big whoop.must see Ben Joyce records his second save of the season! pic.twitter.com/f5J1Np61AW— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) August 16, 2026

Red Bull Studios confirm release date for ‘Reggae Girlz’ documentary on Jamaica women’s national teamRed Bull Studios have released both a trailer and a release date for their new documentary ‘Reggae Girlz’.The documentary from Oscar-winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Trish Dalton will stream exclusively on JOLT on 27th August. Viewers will be able to purchase the documentary on major platforms such as Amazon and YouTube from 27th October.Red Bull Studios have overseen the production of the documentary which shines a light on one of the biggest underdog sides in the women’s football. While also recognising the sheer brilliance of the side who became the first Caribbean nation to qualify for consecutive World Cups. The programme follows Jamaica’s journey to the 2023 Women’s World Cup, where they defied expectations in a David vs Goliath saga. They won fans over as they competed with global powerhouses such as France and Brazil.In their first match, Jamaica held France to a goalless draw, before defeating Panama courtesy of a Allyson Swaby header.Their first-ever Women’s World Cup victory appears even more impressive due to the absence of Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw who had been sent off in their opening group stage encounter against the French. Shaw returned and captained the side as they once again defied the odds to draw 0-0 with Brazil to confirm their spot in the Round of 16.Here the journey ended as the side bowed out with their heads held high after a 1-0 defeat to Colombia. The team, who capture the hearts of fans around the world, proved that with heart and determination, anything is possible. Embed from Getty ImagesWhat is the Reggae Girlz documentary about?As well as championing on-pitch achievements, the documentary follows the team on their journey to Australia. Before the 2023 tournament, the national team faced a severe lack of resources, poor planning, and unpaid salaries. The team suffered from poor travel conditions which meant late flight confirmations and unorganised training camps. Due to this, the side went months without any international friendlies and even missed official fixtures due to subpar planning. While the squad recognised substandard accommodation, nutritional plans, and inadequate training infrastructure which made preparation for the tournament less than ideal. It was when the team was struggling that the Bob and Rita Marley Foundation, and Cedella Marley, the Global Ambassador of the Jamaica Women’s Football Team (2014-2024), stepped in to support the team on their journey.Reggae Girlz will be a vibrant portrayal of Jamaica’s heart and soul, with Bob Marley’s tracks featured heavily throughout the documentary. Fueled by the heart and determination of Jamaican people, the film embodies Marley’s iconic words ‘football is freedom’.The film’s official soundtrack — Reggae Girlz: Movie Soundtrack — has been curated by Cedella Marley, daughter of Bob, who is an executive producer on the production.Who is in the Reggae Girlz documentary?The documentary highlights several stars of Jamaica’s historic World Cup campaign, such as Bunny Shaw and Konya Plummer.Embed from Getty ImagesPlummer, born in St. Mary, Jamaica, is a commanding defender and former captain of the national team. The 29-year-old entered the history books by leading her nation out at their first-ever Women’s World Cup in 2019. At just 21, she became the youngest captain in the history of the tournament. Alongside Plummer, Manchester City’s start striker Shaw is featured in the documentary. The all-time leading goal-scorer for Jamaica has been named Concacaf Player of the Year and shortlisted for a multitude of global awards thanks to her finishing ability. Off the pitch, Shaw is a role model for girls back home whose journey mirrors her own. From playing barefoot in the streets, to reaching global stardom.Deneisha Blackwood also plays a prominent role in the show. The 29-year-old, who currently plays her domestic football in Mexico, is a versatile star for Reggae Girlz. Playing at both left-back and in midfield, she is known for her tireless work rate and tenacious defending. She featured in all four matches during Jamaica’s history 2023 World Cup campaign. Watch the trailer for Reggae GirlzRelated related from Her Football Hub:Women’s Regional Leagues enter new era as Tiers 5 and 6 join together in shared ambitionWAFCON 2026: The shift of a new era in African football and the representation it is providingNSL: Six standout players who have defined the 2026 season

Chargers undrafted rookie offensive lineman Jacob Spomer made his mark in Week 1 of the preseason. Spomer was among the many bright spots for the Chargers, so much so that he earned major recognition from Pro Football Focus. Spomer was among the highest-graded rookies, earning a spot in PFF's Rookie team of the week. Spomer was the second-highest-graded player among rookie interior linemen with an 82.0 overall grade. "Chargers undrafted center Jacob Spomer played the entire game and was equally impressive. He didn’t allow a pressure in pass protection and earned an elite 90.0 PFF run-blocking grade across 16 outside-zone rushing attempts. That type of performance should catch Jim Harbaugh’s attention."The 25-year-old made his mark, allowing zero pressures and earning an elite run-blocking grade as well. Spomer has an outside shot at making the roster, mainly due to the Chargers' crowded interior line depth. With that being the case, Spomer has a great chance to make the practice squad if Los Angeles chooses to go that way. Through the first weeks of camp, Spomer has taken third-team reps behind Tyler Biadasz and fellow rookie Jake Slaughter. Spomer played his college ball at Fresno State, where he was named to the First-Team All-Mountain West. He was the highest-rated center overall in the conference according to PFF. Spomer still has a few more live-action opportunities to make his case and prove he belongs on the roster.This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers may have found a gem in undrafted offensive lineman

Eagles predicted to trade one of their 25-year-old edge rushers next offseason originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Philadelphia Eagles have built one of the NFL's best defenses, and did so through the NFL Draft with some incredible picks over the last half-decade.Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean are some absolutely incredible players; all were drafted by Howie Roseman. But there is one issue: it's going to cost a lot to keep them. The Eagles will need to be smart about who to keep.Amid this conundrum for Roseman and the Eagles, ESPN's Seth Walder is predicting that Roseman will trade away one of the Eagles' 25-year-old edge rushers, Nolan Smith Jr. or Jalyx Hunt, during the 2027 NFL offseason.Eagles predicted to trade one of Jalyx Hunt or Nolan Smith"The Eagles will trade Jalyx hunt of Nolan Smith Jr. ahead of the 2027 season," Walder predicts. "They will be entering the final year of their deals and are the second- or third-best pass rusher on the Eagles, in some order, with Greenard aboard."The Eagles splurged this offseason, trading multiple late Day 2 picks to the Minnesota Vikings for edge rusher Jonathan Greenard. He's a nice pickup for the defense and should be a big help for the pass rush.But his addition likely means that one of Smith or Hunt is going to go. Roseman handed a $100 million contract to Greenard, and it's not really feasible to extend both Smith and Hunt.So, it makes more sense to trade one next offseason ahead of the final year of their contracts and land some quality draft compensation in return.Both are 25-year-old edge rushers, though Smith is 54 days older than Hunt. It's a negligible age difference. Both helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl, and both are hitting free agency at the same time.The big difference, however, is that Smith has played one extra season than Hunt. And, maybe most importantly, Hunt just came off a breakout season.MORE: Eagles might've already found their Lane Johnson heir after 6-foot-9 rookie Markell BellHe recorded 6.5 sacks with 52 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 24 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and three interceptions, one of which was a pick-six of Carson Wentz, in 17 games last year for the Eagles.Smith played in 12 games as he dealt with an injury for part of the year, finishing with one forced fumble, 3.0 sacks, 31 tackles, one tackle for loss, and 11 quarterback hits.Hunt seems like the player Roseman and the Eagles are more likely to keep, as his upside might be higher after his impressive 2025 season in Vic Fangio's defense, as he's still learning the position after a switch in college.Smith will also save the Eagles more money if they trade him next offseason compared to Hunt, as he'll be on his fifth-year option, while Hunt is just in the last year of his rookie deal.Walder predicts one of these edge rushers will be traded, and such a move next offseason would make a ton of sense. Of the two, Smith is probably the better player to trade, but for now, Eagles fans should enjoy the 2026 season, as it might be the last with one of these edge rushers.More NFL news:Vikings lose Jamal Adams to brutal season-ending injuryCowboys sign 8-time Pro Bowl pass rusher, 2-time Super Bowl champion Von MillerSeahawks 2nd-round S Bud Clark gets bad news on starting job for Week 1Ja'Kobi Lane's breakout might be real after impressive Ravens preseason debutBrowns' Shedeur Sanders explains bad turnover against Bears

Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss attends the team's NBA preseason basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oct. 12, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)2026-08-17T20:46:10Z LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Buss family has voted to sell its 17.8% minority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to new majority owners Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, ESPN and The Athletic are reporting.The decision Monday by the six children of late owner Jerry Buss will end the family’s 47 years in an ownership role with the 17-time NBA champion franchise. The move also appears to end Jeanie Buss’ tenure as the Lakers’ governor.“We have decided as a family to sell the remaining Buss Family Trust shares to the Bob Iger group as part of the ongoing transaction,” the Buss family said in a statement issued to ESPN. “We love the Lakers, Laker fans and will continue to support Los Angeles, but it is time to use this opportunity to move on and exit gracefully while we still can.”Jeanie Buss, the Lakers’ governor since Jerry Buss’ death in 2013, led the family’s decision to sell a controlling stake in the Lakers to Dodgers owner Mark Walter last year at a valuation of $10 billion. Not all of the six Buss siblings — Jeanie, Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse — were in favor of the deal despite retaining their family trust’s minority ownership stake, and Joey and Jesse were fired from their front-office jobs with the team last November.The siblings have been in frequent conflict since their father’s death, with Jeanie firing Jim from his job as the Lakers’ head of basketball operations in 2017, followed a week later with a lawsuit against her brothers amid an attempt by Jim and Johnny to oust Jeanie from her role as the Lakers’ controlling owner. Walter, who is under federal investigation for tax issues, abruptly reached a deal earlier this month to flip the Lakers to Kushner and Iger at a valuation of $12.5 billion, another record for a pro sports team. Venture capitalist Kushner and former Disney CEO Iger reportedly bought about 65% of the team from Walter, but will now own about 83% of the Lakers — and Jeanie Buss apparently will no longer be able to serve as their governor. Read More She had been allowed to keep the role at least through 2030 under the deal with Walter, and Iger said last week that the new group planned to honor that arrangement — but governors are required to control at least 15% of team ownership. Jerry Buss was a chemist and real estate investor who bought the Lakers, the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and the Forum arena from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979 for $67.5 million. The Lakers quickly entered a renaissance in which they became known for their flashy “Showtime” style of play while winning five NBA titles between 1980 and 1988 behind Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.While the NBA and professional sports became increasingly more corporate, the Lakers remained essentially a family business despite their massive profile and steady success. Jerry Buss and the Lakers have employed many of the basketball world’s greatest players and coaches of the past five decades, and Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to five additional championships between 2000 and 2010 before LeBron James added the 17th in 2020.The sale agreement still must be approved by the NBA’s board of governors, and the process could take months.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Team champions captain Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Travis Smyth, of Ripper GC, and their caddies celebrate onstage after their first-place win following the final round of the LIV Golf United Kingdom golf tournament Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Rocester, England. (Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf via AP)2026-08-17T19:46:25Z LIV Golf is ending its season one week earlier than planned, announcing Monday it will not hold the team championship in Michigan next week and instead crown the team champion this week 20 miles north of Indianapolis.The 12 events this year — New Orleans was previously postponed — is the smallest schedule for LIV since it was launched with massive Saudi Arabia funding in 2022 and featured eight tournaments.Jon Rahm already has clinched the individual season title for the third straight year. LIV Golf Indianapolis, which starts Thursday at The Club at Chatham Hills, will determine who finishes second and third among the players, and the top team.The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, the financial muscle of the rival league from the start, decided in March this would be the final year of funding. LIV Golf announced earlier this month it has an agreement with a lead investor that would sustain a new version of the league for 2027. “By concluding the season now, we can put our full resources behind what comes next and maintain the operational rigor this transition demands,” LIV CEO Scott O’Neil said in a statement.“We are reimagining LIV Golf as a fundamentally new league owned by the players and anchored in a sustainable business model, with an evolved fan experience built for the markets where the game is growing fastest across the globe and the support of world-class partners.” The cancellation of LIV Golf Michigan was not surprising. There have been reports in recent weeks the tournament had not even started preparing with grandstands and other amenities. LIV Golf said ticket holders would get refunds. Read More In another cost-cutting move LIV attributed to “unavoidable changes in the entertainment program,” the league informed Thomas Rhett and Disco Lines their live performances would not take place at LIV Golf Indianapolis.The final event with a $20 million purse that pays $4 million to the winner could be the last big payoff for LIV and its 57 players. LIV did not identify the lead investor or how much of a cash infusion was involved, or say whether it was an investment or a loan. O’Neil has said the LIV 2.0 version for 2027 and onward would involve making players equity owners. He referred to it as a “second bite at the apple” being equity instead of cash.But this likely is the end of $20 million purses for individual outcomes, and there already has been cutbacks. Rahm earned $6 million for winning the points title, down from $18 million the previous two years.“As we concentrate on finishing the season strong and building the next chapter of LIV Golf, we’ll carry the energy and enthusiasm our fans have shown us into what comes next,” O’Neil said.The format for the 2027 season and the rosters also remain unclear. Still to be determined is whether Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau — the two biggest names — and other players who joined the league for its exorbitant prize money will want to stay for LIV 2.0.As for the final event, Joaquin Niemann, Lucas Herbert and Tyrrell Hatton are in the mix for third place, which pays a $1 million bonus. DeChambeau is comfortably in second, which pays $3 million.Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces team has a narrow lead over Australia-based Ripper, with Rahm’s Legion XIII and Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers team all in the mix for the team title.___See AP’s full golf coverage here DOUG FERGUSON Ferguson has been The AP’s golf writer since 1998. He is a recipient of the PGA Lifetime Achievement in Journalism award. twitter mailto

Prosecutors said Duane Keith Davis participated in the shooting as an act of gang retaliation, while the defense pointed to what it described as a lack of hard evidence.

Levels in Lakes Mead and Powell have not been so low since 1957, underscoring a water crisis that plagues seven states that rely on the Colorado River.

2026-08-17T20:51:23Z Four weeks ago, Matt Johnstone received a call from the board-and-care facility in North Hollywood where his 89-year-old father lives. Health Net, the insurance company that pays for his care, was eliminating its assisted living benefit, meaning he would have to move out soon.Johnstone panicked. His father has dementia and needs around-the-clock care. Neither Johnstone nor his brother can afford the roughly $6,000 per month the facility costs, and with health problems of their own, they can’t safely meet his needs at home either. Without insurance coverage, their father could end up on the streets, he said. “He’s declining, and I just don’t know what’s going to happen if the program ends,” Johnstone said. CalMatters is not publishing the father’s name because Johnstone fears the plan will target him for speaking with media.Health Net, one of the largest Medi-Cal insurers in the country, is canceling assisted living benefits for members at the end of the year, according to documents obtained by CalMatters and interviews with providers. Approximately 3,500 Medi-Cal patients like Johnstone’s father rely on Health Net to pay for assisted living costs. Most are elderly, and many have cognitive issues like dementia, senior advocates say. Medi-Cal is the state’s public insurance program for low-income Californians and people with disabilities.CalViva Health and Community Health Plan of Imperial Valley, which contract with Health Net to provide services, have also notified the state of their intent to discontinue assisted living benefits.Health Net’s decision has been shrouded in confusion with little public information. Senior advocates and family members of assisted living residents fear people will become homeless or be shuffled between hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. A disaster in the making?Pauline Shatara, deputy director of California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, said a few assisted living facilities have already confirmed to her organization that residents have been dropped off at emergency rooms.“This is going to be a disaster,” Shatara said.Senior advocates also say the state did not include enough consumer protections to ensure patients stay housed if plans decide to terminate coverage. State regulators dispute that characterization. The assisted living support is an optional Medi-Cal benefit, meaning plans can opt-into offering it to members and decide annually whether the program will continue. Assisted living support is part of CalAIM, California’s broad effort to improve Medi-Cal services and save money by stabilizing high-cost users who often end up repeatedly in emergency rooms. It pays a majority of the 24-hour service costs at board-and-care homes, memory care facilities, or larger group settings, while residents cover room-and-board fees.The average nursing home, which offers a higher level of medical care, costs upwards of $10,000 per month, while an assisted living facility costs between $5,000 to $7,000 monthly. Read More The state created the benefit in part to relieve pressure on a separate assisted living program for low-income patients managed directly by the state, which has an 18,000 person cap and a three- to four-year waitlist. Health Net operates Medi-Cal plans in 10 counties: Amador, Calaveras, Fresno, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare. 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. In an unsigned statement, a spokesperson for the company disputed the assertion that patients would be left without services and would end up unhoused. Affected members will receive care through their individual authorization date, and could be transitioned to nursing homes, back home with in-home supportive services, or to other programs, according to the statement. “We are working closely with members, providers and care management teams to develop individualized transition plans based on each member’s clinical needs and eligibility for other available programs and services,” the company statement said.The statement also said internal data showed the assisted living program “has not led to better care” in terms of fewer emergency room visits or days hospitalized. Health Net told state regulators its decision was fueled partly by an increase in members moving from home to assisted living rather than from nursing homes, a trend that costs the plan money instead of generating savings, according to a termination notice sent to the Department of Health Care Services. The plan also blames regulators for changing program guidelines that had previously allowed Health Net to limit community transitions. “The guidance raises concerns regarding program integrity and long term viability,” the notice reads.The Department of Health Care Services, which oversees the program, refused an interview request. In an emailed statement, officials said the department would communicate with Health Net to “ensure member protections and continuity of care”Health Net’s decision follows a similar one last year to terminate a separate CalAIM benefit with a provider in L.A. County, affecting hundreds of people in temporary medical housing.“Their position is it’s less costly to offer no services than some services,” said Hagar Dickman, director of long-term services and supports for Justice In Aging. No information sparks confusion, ‘rumor mill’When Johnstone first heard about Health Net’s decision, he searched the company’s website for information about the change: Nothing. Then, he picked up the phone.“When I called into Health Net customer service, they didn’t even know what the program is,” Johnstone said. He has not received a letter notifying him of the upcoming termination.Jennifer Horcasitas-Glenn ran into the same problem. Her 75-year-old mother-in-law, Jacqueline Glenn, has dementia and Alzheimer’s. Horcasistas-Glenn and her husband spent nine years caring for Jacqueline at home until recent hospitalizations made it impossible to continue. She has been in a memory care facility since May. Horcasitas-Glenn said she was also notified of the change by a third-party provider, not Health Net, and hasn’t gotten answers from the insurer. Horcasitas-Glenn said she spent days bouncing between customer service representatives and supervisors who had never heard of the program before being transferred to a Health Net social worker who was aware of the changes but had no further information.“I told her I have a plethora of questions I need answered. She said ‘I think you should forward all of your questions to this email,’” Horcasitas-Glenn said. To-date she has not received answers.The health plan notified some major contractors that services would be terminated Oct. 7, according to providers interviewed by CalMatters. But Medi-Cal enrollees themselves have not been notified of changes by Health Net, according to advocates and multiple families interviewed for this story.One of the biggest sources of confusion is when services will actually stop. Many of the plan contracts end in October, but the plan has an obligation to continue services until the end of the year, Dickman said. “The question is, what’s Health Net going to do after October 7? They don’t have contracts with these facilities, so how are they going to provide?” said Jonathan Istrin, chairman of Libertana, one of the groups whose contracts were terminated. Libertana subcontracts with hundreds of assisted living facilities in California, Istrin said, and Health Net doesn’t have the infrastructure to pay those places directly.Health Net must notify members of termination 30 days before the service end date. Providers aren’t certain whether notices will go out at the end of September or beginning of December. For some, the notices may come after members are already evicted, Shatara said..“Right now it can feel like a rumor mill and nobody knows what they should do because Health Net has not been giving anyone any information,” Shatara said.On Aug. 10, Horcasitas-Glenn said she received a letter from Health Net stating that approval for her mother’s memory care facility would be revoked a month early “at the request of the provider.” The provider told Horcasitas-Glenn that they had not requested an early termination and had instead asked Health Net how to accommodate patients who have a right to services until the end of the year. CalMatters independently confirmed this information. “This is baloney. They’re not being transparent about anything, and they’re lying on documents,” Horcasitas-Glenn said. Customer service still doesn’t know what program she’s talking about when she calls.According to state regulators, Health Net members are entitled to services until Dec. 31 as long as it is “clinically appropriate.” If the authorization for a member’s assisted living expires before the end of the year, they should request an extension.State offers few consumer protectionsOther than the 30-day notice, advocates say, the state has very few protections for patients when services are terminated. Health Net has not given patients transition plans, and the state cannot guarantee patients will receive the same level of care elsewhere, Shatara said. Advocates and providers told CalMatters the Department of Health Care Services and Health Net have mutually referred questions to the other organization, offering no clear answers.The Department of Health Care Services in an email argued its patient notification requirements are adequate, stating “Medi-Cal members have strong protections.” Some patient protections include the right to appeal or file a grievance with the plan, access to alternative services, and continuity-of-care requirements. The state also places responsibility with Health Net. According to the termination notice filed with the state, Health Net members “will be transitioned to alternative care settings, including home, as appropriate.”For most patients, home is not an option, Shatara said. Many live on fixed Social Security incomes and give up their primary residence in order to pay room and board fees at care facilities that Medi-Cal doesn’t cover. Their needs are also too acute for family members to meet. The only other appropriate alternative care settings, Shatara said, are nursing homes and hospitals, which may not be able to handle the influx.“It’s inevitable that people will end up in ERs and on the streets,” Shatara said.Some families like Horcasitas-Glenn are contemplating switching to another Medi-Cal insurer that still provides the benefit, but have been told other plans don’t want to approve these expensive long-term services for new patients. Others, like Johnstone, are at a loss. Johnstone’s dad turned a lifelong love of motorcycles and racecars into a successful autobody repair and restoration business in Southern California. Eventually, in his later years, undiagnosed dementia would trap his mind 20 years in the past, Johnstone said, causing him to make poor business decisions and take on enormous amounts of debt and work he could no longer perform. A terminal cancer diagnosis for Johnstone’s mother would also wipe out all of the family’s savings.“There is nothing else,” Johnstone said.___This story was originally published by CalMatters and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

Pornhub's parent company will pay $120 million to settle claims that its platforms violated federal sex trafficking and child sexual abuse imagery laws.The deal settles two 2021 class action lawsuits in California and Alabama that claim Mindgeek, which has since rebranded to Aylo, profited off of child abuse material allegedly posted by abusers to its platforms. In the California case, a woman alleged that her ex-boyfriend posted child sexual abuse videos of her when she was 16 years old to Pornhub. In the Alabama case, two women claimed to have been trafficked as minors and that their trafficker uploaded videos to Mindgeek's sites; one of the women claimed she was drugged and raped at 16, and that her abuser profited off of the videos of her abuse through Pornhub's Modelhub program. The class includes anyone who was under the age of 18 "when they appeared in a video or image that has been made available for viewing" on a Mindgeek-owned or operated website between February 12, 2011 and December 6, 2024.Mindgeek was bought by Ethical Capital Partners and rebranded to Aylo in 2023. Aylo will pay into the settlement fund with an initial $25 million in 2026 followed by six annual installments over the next six years. In a press release, Aylo noted that the settlement "resolves the matter with no admission of liability or wrongdoing by Aylo and remains subject to court approval." In addition to paying $120 million, Aylo agreed to a series of content moderation terms, including verifying that all of the models in uploaded content are over the age of 18, human and automated review of content to prevent child sexual abuse material from going up on its sites, and reporting suspected abuse material to the relevant authorities. Aylo's sites have implemented many of these injunctive reliefs agreed to in the settlement for years. Pornhub Will Pay $5 Million Over Allegations of Hosting Child Sexual Abuse MaterialPornhub’s parent company Aylo and its affiliates settled a lawsuit with the FTC and Utah that alleged the company “deceived users” about abuse material on the site.In late 2020, following allegations of abuse material on the site and being dropped by major credit card processors including Visa and Mastercard, Pornhub overhauled its trust and safety measures to ban downloads, restrict uploads to verified users, and expand its moderation processes. It also launched its “Trusted Flagger Program" — mentioned as part of this settlement's terms — which allows a group of non-profit internet and child safety organizations around the world to immediately disable content it flags as abusive. In early 2021, Pornhub implemented biometric identity verification for uploaders through Yoti, and in 2024, it started requiring written proof of consent from everyone in every video.The attorney for the plaintiff class did not immediately respond to a request for comment.“Over the years, we have put in place robust measures to help protect our platform from abuse. Only verified content creators can publish on our platform, and every upload is subject to a combination of technological tools and human review by trained moderators before it goes live, to confirm that it complies with our Terms of Service, Community Guidelines and related Policies," Aylo management said in a statement. "Many of the commitments in this settlement reflect practices we already have in place. Trust and Safety should be a priority for every online platform, and we all share responsibility for a safer online experience. Every day, our trust and safety and engineering teams work alongside law enforcement, advocacy groups and other stakeholders to prevent online abuse and to hold those abusers to account.”

In the latest high-profile exit, FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour has reportedly left his role in the wake of Gianni Infantino’s controversial plan to open FIFA to private investment, according to a report from The Athletic.A FIFA spokesperson confirmed to the Athletic in a statement that “the working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer” came to an end on Monday. Multiple reports at British outlets indicate that Lamour, who had spent two years at FIFA, was fired.Lamour’s exit from FIFA comes a few weeks after the executive wrote a scathing statement against Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. In the statement, shared with the Associated Press at the end of last month, Lamour said that FIFA staff were “deceived” by Infantino’s push to sell investment stakes and “deserve better than contempt and intimidation.”“It is the project of one person,” Lamour wrote. “Not only must this project not go ahead … but the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions.“And if that means I lose my job then so be it,” Lamour continued. “I will understand and respect that decision. At least I’ll sleep well tonight.”Lamour’s statement was sent to the AP hours after top FIFA advisor Carlos Cordeiro had resigned in opposition to Infantino’s proposal. In a statement announcing his resignation, Cordeiro called the proposal a "defining question for FIFA's future.""Why this deal? Why now? What oversight exists? Who benefits? Was there a competitive process? What governance will be in place? What will investors ultimately gain, and at what cost to football?" Cordeiro wrote.The proposal, which the organization called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), was scrapped entirely just days after its existence was reported.However, calls for Infantino to resign have persisted. UEFA, which had pledged to boycott FIFA events like the World Cup following the announcement of Infantino’s investment plan, is reportedly still planning to do so even after the plan was withrdrawn. Though U.S. president Donald Trump has continued to show support for Infantino, U.S. Soccer has been among the federations calling for “meaningful change” in the wake of the scandal.Infantino, who was placed in office in 2016, is up for re-election in 2027. Despite countries and federations putting out strong statements against the sitting president, FIFA has claimed that Infantino has support from members of the board.An ouster before the presidential election in March 2027 is possible, but would require 43 member associations to trigger a no-confidence vote against him. Instead, the election offers a chance to challenge Infantino’s position, with a handful of potential replacements available to take over.

The Mackenzie Dern era is in full swing in the strawweight division after a successful first title defense against Gillian Robertson at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. Yet despite the champion's relatively dominant effort this past weekend, Dern is far from happy.Speaking on Monday's edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show," Dern expressed that she was proud to get the unanimous decision win. But that’s about it."I'm not happy with my performance. I think I've got so much to get better. I wish I did better," Dern acknowledged to Uncrowned."I wasn't happy with my cardio, my endurance. I wasn't happy with my striking. I wasn't happy with my grappling. I wasn't happy. I should have done a lot of that stuff better. I should have finished that fight, honestly. But Gillian is very tough, too. Obviously I'm not trying to take anything from her, but I really think I should have finished that. I could have knocked her out, I could have submitted her — and I should have, as the champion. And what I know I'm capable of, and for whatever the future is for me."If I fought that performance against someone else coming up, that wouldn't be good."Robertson, while a viable top contender who rode a five-fight win streak into Saturday’s title bout, wasn't the expected first challenger for Dern. The distinction goes to former two-time UFC champion Zhang Weili, whose move up to flyweight last year led to Dern's coronation with an October win over Virna Jandiroba. Zhang ultimately lost her bid for flyweight gold against Valentina Shevchenko in November, which made her return to 115 pounds feel like an inevitability. It still might be, but in hindsight Dern believes the way the cards fell was probably for the best."I don't think Zhang Weili has that good of grappling. I don't think her defense is that good. So, I don't know. MMA math is so crazy," Dern said. "But just me, cardio, endurance-wise, me as Mackenzie, I would not want to fight Zhang Weili feeling the way I felt in that fight [at UFC 330]."In regards to Robertson, Dern admitted she certainly built a healthy disdain for her UFC 330 foe more easily than she would’ve with the always-respectful Zhang. That's not to say trash talk was abundant from Robertson going into the title tilt, but some of her pre-fight comments and assessments of Dern rubbed the champion the wrong way.Had Dern's performance been stronger, she may have even rubbed salt in the wounds of Robertson's defeat."I'm like a super friendly person, so for me, [I] shook her hand and everything after the fight, but I was like, 'Be the bigger person right now,'" Dern said."I felt like she did good and I was the one who didn't do good. I didn't want to talk any smack because I got the win, but I didn't have the performance I wanted to do against her, so I felt like she could have been like, 'Well, you couldn't even submit me.'"Dern will now await her next title challenger, whether or not it's the pound-for-pound great Zhang or someone else. She reiterated Monday that she still isn't calling out Zhang after the win, as she doesn't feel the matchup is needed to justify her own champ status.Ultimately, Dern is mostly eyeing the UFC’s next "amazing card" idea that Dana White teased during fight week. As for opponents, she's more concerned about location than anything else."I don't think that I'm in the position to really pick fights," Dern said. "I'm the champion, so ... there's really nowhere to run. Most likely, they're going to be on a win streak, unless you're talking about the lightweights or the really heavy weights in the men's [divisions] — you can have a No. 10 fight for the belt that's way behind on the rankings. But whoever can kind of sell the fight or talks a lot can cut the line. There's not really anywhere to run."I guess I would be more concerned if I was fighting in China and defending my belt. I'd be more concerned where I wanted to fight with my title defense rather than who. I’ve just got to be ready for all of them."

[Getty Images]Fifa's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour has been sacked by the governing body, less than three weeks after he strongly criticised its president Gianni Infantino's aborted plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors, BBC Sport has been told. In a statement, a Fifa spokesperson would only confirm that "the working relationship between Fifa and Kevin Lamour as Chief Operating Officer has ended on 17 August 2026."Fifa thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him the best of luck for the future."Fifa's staff were informed of the news in an email by its secretary general Mattias Grafstrom on Monday evening, who told them the organisation and Lamour had "agreed to part ways".Last month, Lamour described the controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) plans as "the project of one person", and said "the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions".He added Fifa's own administration was "deceived" about the now abandoned project."Our mission - the mission of the hundreds of passionate, dedicated, and exemplary Fifa employees - is to serve football", he added."A president must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them. Today, we are experiencing the opposite."Lamour acknowledged he had a duty of loyalty to his employer but also to "certain values" and supporting his colleagues."If that means I lose my job, then so be it," he added. "I will understand and respect that decision. At least I'll sleep well tonight."Lamour joined Fifa in November 2024, having previously served as deputy general secretary at Uefa, and was two layers of management below Infantino.Earlier this month, Infantino received the backing of senior executives in a meeting in Morocco, but BBC Sport was told Lamour was not invited.Lamour has been approached for comment.In a letter sent to members of Fifa's Council, and seen by BBC Sport, Grafstrom wrote: "I would like to provide you with an important update regarding a change within the Fifa Administration."Following recent discussions, Fifa and our Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Lamour have agreed to part ways. This decision was made after careful consideration and with great respect for Kevin, both personally and professionally… I felt it was important that I personally provide you this update and I would like to express my gratitude to Kevin for these contributions and for his work and commitment on behalf of Fifa on a daily basis. I wish Kevin all the best for the future."How did we get to this point?Infantino is under increasing pressure following his proposal to create a new company - FFE - to manage the commercial and ticketing rights of all Fifa competitions, including World Cups.FFE was aborted after Infantino's plan to sell 21% of the company to private investment companies received widespread criticism.Uefa, Concacaf - who govern football in North and Central America and the Caribbean - and the Asian Football Confederation publicly opposed the plan, while Uefa threatened to boycott the World Cup if the plan went ahead.Lamour criticised Infantino, while a senior adviser to Infantino, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned.After the proposal was aborted, Uefa and Concacaf withdrew their support for Infantino when he stands for a fourth presidential term at the Fifa Congress in March next year.Several Concacaf members including Mexico broke ranks with their confederation to offer their support for Infantino, while the confederations of Africa, South America and Oceania have backed Infantino.On Monday the Scottish FA became the latest body to withdraw its support for Infantino, following England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.Football governance charity FairSquare said it had written to Fifa demanding Infantino not be allowed to stand for re-election.Scottish FA withdraws support for Fifa president InfantinoThe map showing world's division over InfantinoInfantino broke trust 'through deception' - confederation presidents

More Than 3 Points: The Best Numbers From Chivas’ Win Over SantosFollowing the important 1-0 victory over Santos Laguna in Matchweek 4 of the Apertura 2026, Guadalajara not only added another 3 points to its tally, but also secured back-to-back wins after defeating Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup. In addition, the Rebaño Sagrado put an end to a demanding five-match stretch away from home, featuring two Liga MX games and three Leagues Cup matches, and did so with a positive record.The win in Torreón also brought with it a series of interesting stats and records that reflect the team’s strong form and are worth taking a closer look at:Positive finish to five matches away from Guadalajara. The Rebaño Sagrado wrapped up its five-game stretch away from home with a record of 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss, a run that included both Liga MX and Leagues Cup matches.Torreón continues to suit the Rebaño Sagrado. With this victory, Chivas has won 2 of its last 3 visits to TSM, confirming its recent strong run in the Laguna region.Recent dominance over Santos. Guadalajara has earned 4 wins in its last 5 meetings with Los Guerreros, a trend that continued with the result in Matchweek 4.Another clean sheet for ‘Tala’. Raúl Rangel recorded his second clean sheet of the Apertura 2026 and has now kept 35 clean sheets in official matches with Chivas. In addition, the Rojiblanco goalkeeper was decisive in Torreón, making 2 key saves on the only two shots on target Santos Laguna registered throughout the match.Ricardo Marín, decisive once again. The Rojiblanco forward converted the penalty that became the game-winning goal and continues to make the most of his opportunities, with 1 goal and 1 assist in just 116 minutes played in the Apertura 2026.Milito reaches 50 matches in charge of the Rebaño Sagrado. With this game, Gabriel Milito reached 50 official matches as Chivas’ head coach, taking into account Liga MX and Leagues Cup. His winning percentage with the team stands at 56.6%, with a record of 25 wins, 10 draws and 15 losses.First minutes toward the youth-player requirement. Chivas began accumulating minutes under this rule with Hugo Camberos (80) and Santiago Sandoval (38). Once each player reaches the required 180 minutes in the tournament, the minutes they recorded with the Mexico U-20 National Team during the Concacaf U-20 Championship will also be counted.Thus, the victory in Torreón left the Rebaño Sagrado with much more than 3 points. Guadalajara extended its recent dominance over Santos, confirmed its strength on the road, kept another clean sheet and added individual milestones that give even more value to a victory that allowed the team to continue moving forward in the Apertura 2026.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a significant change in the middle of their defense this offseason, bringing in veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone following the retirement of Lavonte David. Anzalone is expected to take over the weakside “Mo” linebacker role in Todd Bowles’ defense, giving Tampa Bay an experienced presence in a revamped room.But where does he stack up against the rest of the NFL?PFF’s Bradley Locker recently ranked the league’s top linebackers, placing Anzalone at No. 28. Locker’s rankings considered both recent production and a player’s overall body of work, with an emphasis on linebackers who can contribute against both the run and pass.Anzalone has certainly been dependable. He played at least 680 snaps in each of his five seasons with Detroit, though his best overall PFF grade during that stretch was a 69.8 in 2023. Perhaps more encouraging is his recent value, as Anzalone ranks 24th among linebackers in PFF WAR over the past three seasons.For Tampa Bay, No. 28 feels about right.The Bucs did not necessarily need Anzalone to arrive and immediately become one of the NFL’s elite linebackers. They needed a reliable veteran who could stabilize the position, take on coverage responsibilities, and provide leadership alongside a younger group. He has already taken on a mentorship role with second-round rookie Josiah Trotter, who could start next to him.Anzalone may not fully replace what David gave Tampa Bay for so many years, but he doesn't have to. If he provides steady play while Trotter develops, the Buccaneers should be in a much better position at linebacker in 2026.This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Where does PFF rank Alex Anzalone among other LBs in the NFL?

BEREA, OHIO - AUGUST 03: Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Cleveland Browns looks on during the Cleveland Browns Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 03, 2026 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images Day 14 of Cleveland Browns training camp took place Monday, August 17. It’s a big week ahead in the quarterback competition.Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report – Day 14 (8/17/26)1. Reps Plan for the Week: The Browns have a few regular practice sessions this week, including today. On Thursday, though, they have the joint practice against the Bills. Head coach Todd Monken said that if the practice goes well, some veterans or starters won’t play in the preseason game. They are still sticking with the plan to have QB Shedeur Sanders play the first half against Buffalo, QB Deshaun Watson play the third quarter, and QB Dillon Gabriel play the fourth quarter.#Browns HC Todd Monken on the plan for this week for the Bills: -1s will work against each other in joint practice-If practice goes well, vets/some starters won't play Saturday-Sanders will start first half Saturday-Watson will play 3Q-Gabriel will play 4Q pic.twitter.com/Y2v3gEqhhJ— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) August 17, 20262. Injury Updates: After having a solid first preseason game, it was good to see CB Michael Coats back on the field for practice. Also returning to practice were CB Nate Evans, OG Zak Zinter, CB Myles Bryant, and DT Elijah Chatman.Other players remained idle, with a new person being out for practice was DE Alex Wright.3. Do What Works: We know that WR Jerry Jeudy has the talent to win one-on-one matchups and be effective, but something needs to be done to get him back into a groove. Last week, we heard head coach Todd Monken talk about getting Jeudy the ball on crossing patterns. That seems to be working effectively for Jeudy, and could be an asset for the Browns to stick with it, as QB Shedeur Sanders began team drills with it:#Browns Shedeur Sanders on crossing play to Jerry Jeudy to start team pic.twitter.com/VhIc4E9gd5— Fred Greetham (@FredGreetham9) August 17, 20264. Corners Making an Early Impact: The Browns’ cornerbacks had a nice early start, as CB Denzel Ward nearly had an interception, and then CB Michael Coats continued his mid-camp surge to make a case for a roster spot as he picked off QB Dillon Gabriel. All takes of Gabriel being thrown into the starting mix have come to a halt.Michael Coats Jr. with a pass breakup on a Gabriel throw intended for Floriea. Defense dominated the first run-through; Ward dropped an interception with the first group.— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) August 17, 2026Speaking of the Ward miss, Sanders said that his interception against the Bears came when the ball slipped, but then what’s the cause of this one?#Browns Denzel Ward lamenting the missed pick: pic.twitter.com/4uMCcgWxKE— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 17, 20265. Get the Ball in His Hands: You get the feeling that a lot of the Browns’ offense this year will be the simple nature of getting the ball into the hands of WR KC Concepcion, and letting him go to work:2 ➡️ 1 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/VZzsZzg9vX— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) August 17, 20266. Move the Ball Drills Still Not Successful: Both quarterbacks had high completion percentage and touchdown rates in what was considered a lighter practice, but neither of the top two quarterbacks could get the offense into field goal range in the two-minute drill:Browns practice is over. Lighter session in shells but ended with neither Shedeur Sanders nor Deshaun Watson getting the offense into FG range down 3 in a 2-min drill.Sanders’ drive didn’t get a first down. Watson’s drive got close to midfield but he couldn’t draw the defense…— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) August 17, 20267. Brownies: Rookie OT Austin Barber saw some work at guard and OL KT Leveston at tackle with the second-team offense. … Before practice, Monken indicated that RB Raheim Sanders will get his shot at the No. 3 running back role in this week’s preseason game after RB Ahmani Marshall had it last week. … LB Carson Schwesinger still remains out with not much of an update on why.8. Up Next: The Browns will practice on Tuesday, August 18 at 1:15 pm.

HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 16: Former Houston Astros players Geoff Blum (L) and Lance Berkman (R) react after the ceremonial first pitch before Game Three of the American League Championship Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on October 16, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) | Getty Images After the disappointment of last night and dropping yet another contest on Peacock in front of a nationwide viewing audience, I decided to call the one man in Houston would could bolster all of collective spirits. That man is Geoff Blum, the 3-time Emmy Award Winner from Space City Home Network. Geoff joins us exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes. Q: 125 games are in the books. What’s your overall assessment of things?A: The Astros are in good position. They’re sitting atop the A.L. West. One thing I’ve learned about watching this team and this organization and being around the guys in the clubhouse, is they do not panic. It’s easy on the outside to point to a series or a specific game but when you are playing 162 games, you put things into a greater context. There’s still plenty of time to either secure the top spot or lose it, but I’ve learned over the years not to panic with these guys.Q: With Hunter, there was that stretch where we issued a series of walks. Do you sense that something is going on with his mechanics, or is it focus? A: I do think it’s a little bit of the mechanics. When guys come back from injury, the body just isn’t the same which is true of anybody, it can be a position player or a pitcher. Your body reacts and there’s a recovery process. Hunter Brown is hyper competitive, and he’ll go out there and find a way to do it. Q: So, you’re not concerned at all with Hunter Brown down the stretch?A: The velocity is there. Some of his pitches last night were amazing. It’s just a matter of him dialing it in consistently.Q: Where would the Astros be without Peter Lambert?A: Without Peter Lambert, the Astros are not sitting in first place. He’s become the anchor of the rotation. He’s become consistent even with his quiet and humble demeanor. I appreciate his workmanship, his consistency and all that he’s done this season.

FOXBORO, MA. - SEPTEMBER 9: New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski] celebrates his touchdown during the first quarter of the game against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/Digital First Media Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images One of the best players in NFL history will take his rightful spot in the New England Patriots’ Hall of Fame later this year. Rob Gronkowski, the most productive tight end to ever wear the franchise’s uniform, will be inducted in a public ceremony on November 7.The event will take place at the Patriot Place Plaza. No time has been announced yet.@RobGronkowski's Patriots Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place Saturday, November 7! pic.twitter.com/Kks5jcTKEz— The Hall presented by RTX (@TheHall) August 17, 2026Gronkowski will receive the famous red jacket in his first year of eligibility, after he beat guard Logan Mankins and kicker Adam Vinatieri in a fan vote in April. The 37-year-old will become the 38th inductee since The Hall was established in 1991, and the second tight end after Ben Coates in 2008 to receive the honor.A second-round draft pick by the Patriots in 2010, Gronkowski spent the first nine seasons of his career with the organization. The Arizona product saw action in 115 regular season games and recorded 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns. He added 81 catches for 1,163 yards and 12 scores in 16 playoff contests.One of the most productive and decorated players in franchise history, Gronkowski won three of his four total Super Bowls during his time in New England — he later won another ring as a Buccaneer in 2020 — and was voted to five Pro Bowls and named All-Pro on four occasions. He also is a member of the Patriots’ All-Dynasty Team and 2010s All-Decade Team, and the NFL’s 100th Anniversary Team.“It’s just such a prestigious honor to be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame, especially as a first ballot,” Gronkowski said in a media call back in April. “And to do it after so many others have led the way — Tom two years ago, Julian last year, you got the Tedy Bruschis the Willie McGinests — just so many guys that are just so great. And to be in the same category as them, it is just an absolute honor. There’s no doubt about that.”The Patriots will host the Green Bay Packers at Gillette Stadium on the weekend of Gronkowski’s induction.

The Scottish FA used AI to select Scotland's new head coach - Sebastian Pocognoli [Getty Images]Around 20 people made it known to the Scottish FA that they wanted to be considered to replace Steve Clarke as Scotland's new head coach.Not one of them was interviewed.Not because they weren't capable, but because the computer said no.The days of board members sifting through applicants and picking the best are long gone thanks to football analytics and AI.Computers don't choose coaches but they are playing a bigger part in the process than ever before.And so when Steve Clarke called time on his seven years in charge of Scotland, the SFA approached sporting intelligence company Twenty First Group for help.Fans might know little about Sebastian Pocognoli but his name was one of 40 candidates thrown up after the company's supercomputer crunched the data."I've been lucky enough over the past three years to have had my eyes open to it in the English Premier League," said SFA chief football officer, Craig Mulholland."It's not a new thing - everyone's using it."It's about who's using it best," he said.Belgian Pocognoli confirmed as Scotland bossPocognoli 'feels connection' with 'passionate' ScotlandWhat awaits new Scotland head coach Pocognoli?The SFA have their own in-house data team but called on external help when trying to figure out the best strategy for what a Scotland head coach should look like.A digital blueprint for footballing success determined by factors like culture, genetics and even weather."We looked at 10 different countries, similar size to Scotland, similar population base, similar football history and said 'right, what are they doing that we need to make sure we're doing to continue to progress?'"Then you get a data set and put that against the coaches and that leads you to who you actually want to talk to," said Mulholland.The analytics process also dispelled some myths about what makes a good international coach."I thought that someone who had been an international manager before would be more successful, but what the data tells us is that people doing that job for the first time at international level are more successful."I thought older managers tended to be the ones you go for but there's actually no difference in terms of success between those under and over 50."You would think that people from their own country might be more successful but again we found that wasn't the case."Hardest task in the businessData informs rather than decides though.After the AI information gathering, meetings were held with a number of candidates before the SFA finally decided on Pocognoli.Those who follow Scottish football, and Hearts in particular, will be familiar with the success of analytics firm Jamestown.The secretive but very successful company was the brainchild of the Gorgie club's investor, Tony Bloom.In fact, Sebastian Pocognoli won the league in Belgium with Union Saint-Gilloise, in part, thanks to Jamestown's ability to identify players.Top clubs around the world rely heavily on similar companies that have popped over the last decade.Football strategist, Lee Mooney spent six years as the analytics director at Manchester City before setting up his own company, MUD Analytics.Lee Mooney, pictured in 2018, spent years in a high-pressure football environment [Getty Images]He says identifying managers is one of the hardest tasks in the business."If you think about it like Formula One - you have to judge the performance of the driver, independent to the car," he said."And then think 'how much of that win was down to the driver, and how much was down to the car?'"When looking for a manager you have to have a complete understanding of the players first, before you can look to define the value that's being added through coaching."You can't put Pep in charge of Celtic or Mourinho in charge of Everton in-order to validate your predictions, so it's super difficult to solve."Of course, being so open about the use of data means fans could question the merit if it doesn't work out - that's part of the gamble.These days questions are more likely to come if it's not part of process and if Sebastian Pocognoli gets it right, there will be no need for 'ctrl, alt, delete'.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 12: Liam Hicks #34 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs the bases against the Athletics in the top of the third inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on August 12, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images Go Rays!Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!

From left, Coalition for Open Democracy's Voter Education Coordinator Sarah Ortiz, summer student Intern Emma Repici, and Development and Communications Coordinator Kaylie Efstratiou pose behind a large VOTE sign on Aug. 1, 2026, in Peterborough, N.H. (Sam Cassin/InDepthNH.org via AP)2026-08-17T21:34:15Z Nevada cattle ranchers are taking on the highest reaches of the federal government over their rights to graze cows on public lands. They’re fighting this battle not with guns, but with the help of Nevada leaders across the political spectrum. At the center of the fight are the Snows. Justin Snow is a fifth-generation rancher whose dad bought a permit about 40 years ago that allowed the family to graze cows on federal land. This decade, Justin and his wife, Adrienne, got a loan to purchase the permit from his parents, the same way many Americans take out a mortgage to buy a house. They still owe money on it, but the “forage” — the grass and other feed on the public land — belongs to them. From sunrise to sunset each winter, the Snows ride horses across what’s called the Lahontan allotment, where they graze their cattle. “All winter we haul water, pump wells and haul water,” Justin Snow said. “When it’s below freezing, we’re breaking ice all day across that allotment, so the cows can get a drink.” He calculates that the cows eat 122 tons on the land per month. Besides the cost of his loan, he only has to pay a per-cow cost of $1.36 — like a property tax — amounting to a few hundred dollars to use the land. If he had to buy that much alfalfa, it would cost him $25,000 each month. But the benefits aren’t only financial. “The cattle tend to do so much better in those open spaces,” Snow said. “There’s less sickness. They can be a true animal at that point.” For about a decade, the Navy has been eyeing the land on which the Snows graze their cattle. The military has said it needs more space at the Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC), where real-life TOPGUN pilots practice combat. Finally, in late 2022, Congress gave the Navy its shot, sparking years of conflict. Read More Now, the Snows and other ranchers say they may have to shutter family operations going back generations, unless the Navy voluntarily revisits the deal it has offered them — or Congress forces it to negotiate.In response to a request for comment from The Nevada Independent, a spokesperson for Naval Air Station Fallon (NAS Fallon) provided an extensive statement affirming the need to expand in order to protect national security, while emphasizing the Navy’s commitment to working with everyone involved. “We recognize that land in Nevada is more than acreage on a map — it represents generations of hard work, family legacy, and a deep-rooted way of life,” the spokesperson wrote. “We do not take light of the disruption this expansion causes to local ranching families, and we are committed to treating every affected landholder with fairness, dignity, and respect throughout the transition.” 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. This battle is unlike anything the state has seen before. It represents one of the largest military land expansions in decades and could determine how grazing rights are valued — and affect the culture and economy of the West — for years to come. “This is going to set a precedent for the whole Western United States,” Snow said. “I have people from California calling me, Montana. Everybody’s looking over the fence to see what’s going to happen, because this is huge.” ‘Everybody’s up in arms’Conversations about the Navy’s expansion began roughly 10 years ago.“At first, I was just pissed,” Snow said, speaking about those early talks. So were other stakeholders. “It’s kind of a typical deal that stuff happens, everybody’s up in arms, and then everybody just kind of forgets about it,” he said. The problem crystallized when Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in 2022 with the support of the Nevada delegation. The NDAA is a rare “must-pass” bill in Washington, D.C. — meaning it’s one of the few legislative vehicles in which anything regularly gets done. In this case, one of the things it achieved was giving the green light to modernizing the Fallon training complex. Buried in the 1,772-page law were provisions authorizing the Navy to claim public land for aerial training, bombing and other purposes. It instructed the Navy to help grazing allotment holders replace their lost feed with new allotments, if possible. If not, “the Secretary of the Navy shall make full and complete payments to Federal grazing permit holders for all losses suffered,” a directive based on a 1934 law, the Taylor Grazing Act. Patrick Donnelly, the Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity, is no rancher advocate. But he says they could have seen this coming. “What do people think is going to happen when the military takes over a bunch of public land?” he asked. “The public gets shut out and people get screwed.”Director of the Nevada Department of Agriculture, J.J. Goicoechea, who now chairs the group that meets regularly to discuss the naval expansion, said he was worried about the ranchers from the beginning. “We were very concerned that there wouldn’t be any compensation,” he told The Nevada Independent. “We were happy with the language that at least it gave us, ‘Hey, you have to be compensated.’ In hindsight, we probably need to dial that in a little bit tighter on what exactly that compensation means.” Adrienne Snow was blindsided when the bill went to President Joe Biden’s desk. She had been working with some Senate staffers on another project when they mentioned it casually. ″I said, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’” she recalled. “It was the next morning that the county manager messaged (Justin) and said, ‘Hey, this is happening today.’ … What that really felt like to us is we didn’t know our house was back up for sale. And somebody just knocked on our door and said, ‘Hey, I want you to know the offer was signed today, and I got you a great deal. I don’t have a number for you yet.’”Initially, the ranchers hoped they’d be able to coordinate a grazing schedule with the Navy, since hunters will retain some access to the land. But the government refused. Then, they hoped they might receive a replacement allotment. They were told nothing was available. They’d need to accept money instead. According to Sen. Jacky Rosen’s (D-NV) office, payouts to ranchers were new territory. It took good faith negotiations to write the law. But even those who helped design it didn’t realize how ambiguous it was. “I helped secure the Fallon Modernization deal to meet our national security needs with the understanding that the Navy would work in good faith to make sure Nevada ranchers whose grazing permits would be impacted would be justly compensated,” she wrote in a statement. “Ranchers like the Snows have been on this land for generations, and it’s clear from my conversations with them that the Navy’s compensation offers are missing the mark.”Liquidating their cattleBased on expectations for generational losses, the Navy agreed to pay compensation covering 100 years. While calculating its offer, the Navy’s forensic accountant asked the Snows to open up their books to determine the value of their business. But the Snows did not want to give all their financial information to someone who was negotiating against them. “Ranchers take their money every year that they make and they immediately reinvest it,” Justin Snow said. “Our taxes don’t show that we make a lot of money because that money is immediately spent. We’re upgrading the ranch. We really thought that (the accountant is) going to take those numbers and she’s going to try to dissect them and say, ‘Well, you guys don’t make any money anyway, so this isn’t really that worth that to you.’”Goicoechea said he doesn’t blame the ranchers for keeping their financial information private. He would have done the same thing. The Snows got their offer in late 2024. Justin told his 84-year-old dad about it.“I’m like, ‘Well, they offered us $1.48 million,’” Justin recalled. “He’s like, ‘Oh my God, you got to take that.’ He’s like, ‘That’s a lot of money.’”But an offer that might sound good at first was actually a relatively small sum. Based on the premise that the Navy is supposed to pay for 100 years of future losses, its offer equates to $14,000 per year. “It is a considerably lower amount than I think all of us assumed it would be when we’re talking about the generational loss that is associated with these ranches, and we need to keep in mind these are not willing sellers,” Goicoechea said. “They want a ranch.” In a report last year, congressional lawmakers stated they were “increasingly concerned about the Navy’s treatment and proposed compensation for livestock grazing permittees.” They also reminded the Navy that the law was meant to compensate them “for the generational loss of their operations at full market rates.”In his statement to The Nevada Independent, the NAS Fallon spokesperson said that the Navy is working within the law, using a four-step valuation process that accounts for the lost permit and forage, improvements and business value. He said the process relied on localized information from “regional ranch sales, USDA table(s) of cattle pricing history, and industry-standard data.” The Snows said a better calculation would involve the government’s own numbers. Each year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) insures the forage in case the Snows aren’t able to feed their cows with it. The Department calculates its value at more than $800,000 per year. They also said the Navy failed to factor in all of the reasons the permit is valuable. For instance, permits must be tied to a base property — the family ranch, which, unlike the public land, the Snows actually own. Together, the permit and the ranch are more valuable. Plus, the higher costs they pay to feed their cows in the summer are offset by the lower winter costs on public land. And their cattle are adapted specifically for that parcel.“If you put some new cattle out there, it takes four to five years for them to become fully adapted,” Justin Snow said.The ranches monthly operational costs exceed $14,000 several times over — the Snows recently had to buy a new tractor for half a million dollars. A single bull costs $10,000. Buying a new ranch would take several million dollars at minimum. Last year, with no deal agreed to, the Navy fenced off about half of their allotment, Justin Snow said. The section the government took was the best part, where all the stock water wells they had built were located. The cows couldn’t graze there. A 5-mile trip onto the remaining land became a 100-mile trip. The operation was no longer viable, the Snows said, and they had to sell two-thirds of their cows, even as they continue paying for their permit. “This is a 100 percent loss, because it’s not feasible to continue operating like that,” Justin Snow said. “There will be no ranch. The kids will not have that. Grandkids won’t. Great grandkids. It’s gone. … We may have to uproot and leave Nevada. We’ve been here for 46 years. We don’t want to leave.”Jack Payne, another rancher soon to be affected, said it’s as if the Navy is taking out three spokes of a wagon wheel. “I’m telling the Navy, you can’t come in and reimburse me for the three wagon spokes you took out,” Payne said. “You got to reimburse me for the whole wagon wheel that collapsed. And of course, they just look at you like you got owls coming out of your head when you say something like that.”The ranchers say the Navy’s accountants don’t know what they’re talking about. “None of the people on the Navy’s team are experts in grazing cattle,” Adrienne Snow said. “If I, for instance, all I did was sell homes in small town USA, but you hired me because I am legally a real estate agent to come in and frame out a seven- to eight-figure commercial development deal. I do not have the background or the skill set to do that.”She added that the Snows have hired experts and attorneys and cited figures with congressional support, but the Navy will not listen. The law was written so that the Navy had to meet various requirements to move on to the next step of modernization. But cattle ranchers have far less ability to keep fighting and paying for lawyers than the U.S. government. No neutral source would say exactly how the payments to the ranchers should be calculated. All of those who spoke to The Nevada Independent suggested that the Navy’s offer was an egregious lowball, but that the Snows might not get the number they want either.Goicoechea suggested that the value of the forage assigned by USDA doesn’t necessarily represent a fair 100-year payout, but is nonetheless a factor to consider. “That’s another starting point, if you will,” Goicoechea said. “There’s got to be negotiation. I don’t want to get in the middle of it. … I think they need to come back and they need to try to come somewhere in the middle, somewhere between what they did offer, and what that forage is actually worth to a producer, and then to that local economy, and to the state of Nevada.” The NAS Fallon spokesperson told The Nevada Independent that the Navy is committed to maintaining open lines of communication and addressing problems when possible. But the Navy has not provided another offer.‘Fight as hard as they can’The solution seems most likely to come from Congress. “Politicians are sneaky,” said Chuck Kendricks, another rancher whose allotment will soon be affected. “But I have to admit, Jacky Rosen has jumped right on this and said, ‘No, no. You’re going to have to reimburse these ranchers for what you’re taking.’”Rosen has been working on an amendment to the upcoming defense funding bill that would provide additional guidance on how payouts to ranchers such as the Snows will be calculated. “While I’ve had productive conversations with Navy senior leadership, it’s become apparent that we need legislation to clarify how these payments are calculated and ensure Nevada ranchers are made whole,” Rosen wrote in a statement to The Nevada Independent. “I’m currently working to include language in the FY27 national defense bill that would significantly increase payments to the ranchers who are impacted, and I’ve made it clear to the Senate Armed Services Committee that addressing this issue is a top priority as the Senate and House go to conference on the bill.”The amendment is meant to allow flexibility in negotiations, though Rosen’s office expects it will raise the Navy’s baseline offer. The amendment includes factors that must be considered in calculating payments, including the diminished value of the rancher’s own properties and water rights, investments in permanent improvements to the land, problems with their existing loans and other losses. As the Navy has repeatedly argued that it’s meeting its legal requirements, other lawmakers are taking a more neutral stance. “I respect the fact that people want to fight as hard as they can,” Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) told The Nevada Independent. “I guess it’s good news that we’re just fighting about money right now instead of whether they’re going to get to do it or not.”Other pathways to a solution seem less likely. The ranchers have started trying to talk to high-up members of the Trump administration, with little luck. In April, Justin Snow attended a roundtable with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. He tried to convey that this was the federal government’s big opportunity to support American ranchers.“I don’t think he took it like how I wanted him to take it,” he said.“He sure acted like he was paying attention, taking notes, and at the end of that meeting, he told his people, ’I want this fixed,″ Snow recalled. “And then we never heard back from him again.”Finally, this month, Snow reconnected with an adviser to the interior secretary, Tyler Kellogg. In Snow’s recollection of the conversation, he said Kellogg characterized administration officials in Washington as out of touch with issues in the West.Kellogg did not respond to The Nevada Independent’s request for comment. A spokesperson for the Interior Department referred questions to the Navy, saying that the Navy is responsible for the grazing valuation process. The White House did not respond to a request for comment, either.Back in Nevada, the government is reexamining the option of giving the ranchers new allotments. “I think now that they are looking at that potential math, they are trying to scramble and find alternative options that they were not that eager to find previously,” Adrienne Snow said. Payne said that the land in question is not as desirable as what the Navy is taking. Plus, the allotments are far away.Goicoechea wishes the ranchers could receive new forage. But he thinks logistical problems make that unlikely. “They do have some allotments that could be filled, but unfortunately, and I’ll be candid, nothing is going to change, and in two years, we’ll have this same conversation because they don’t have the staff at the (Bureau of Land Management) level or at the Forest Service level,” Goicoechea said. “It’s a feel-good statement that we’re going to fill these vacant allotments, but it can’t happen until we get critical staffing in place.”100,000 acres or 1,000 cowsThe next ranchers whose land is included in the next portion of the Navy’s expansion have already received notifications that their allotments will be closed off within two years. Soon, they will get their offers. They aren’t optimistic. Rancher Donald Brown’s family has been grazing on the land longer than almost anyone. His family secured their permit about eight decades ago. That legacy could soon end. “We’re just all kind of waiting to see what happens with the Snows, and that’ll give us an idea if we even have a chance of fighting to get anything or if they just take it or if they’ll lowball us or what,” he said. Jack Payne told The Nevada Independent he expects his ranch will be cut by about 100,000 acres, or 1,000 cows. He still has a mortgage, based on the number of cattle on it. He said he got the loan from the Small Business Administration “because of the number of jobs we create, and the food and fiber we produce for this country.”If he gets an offer like what the Snows received, he said, “It’s not going to be enough to even pay off the bank, and then we’ve got to go try to buy a replacement ranch somewhere.”In the process, he’ll lose the stability he worked years for. “Before I bought this ranch, we ran cattle in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada,” Payne added. “I missed a large chunk of my children’s childhood growing up because I was going all over the country taking care of our cattle. … Now we were fortunate enough to get ourselves in a position to buy this ranch, which is an hour from our hometown.”But the problem goes beyond a few ranchers. The rodeo culture that draws tourists to Nevada could be endangered. With beef prices at a record high due to the high costs of cattle farming, the turmoil the ranchers are facing could have ripple effects across America.Some of the ranches may be irreplaceable. “Try to buy a ranch in Nevada right now — you can’t even hardly do it,” said rancher Kendricks, who values his allotment’s plentiful water supply and fertile ground for farming. “You can’t even find a ranch like I have in Nevada for sale.” Ranchers and their advocates described repeated stonewalling by the Navy. Kendricks can’t even get the Navy to talk about a number, though he expects he could receive his offer as soon as this month. “They have strung us out so much, it’s unbelievable,” he said. “I hate to sound negative, but after eight, nine years, it does get old. It’s hard on the family. … We do support the Navy. … Like I told that commander, I said, ‘I want you guys to practice bombing and be the best there is. But you have to make sure that we are taken care of.’”___This story was originally published by The Nevada Independent and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jamal Adams (54) hydrates during the team's NFL football training camp Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Eagan, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)2026-08-17T16:38:21Z EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings safety/linebacker Jamal Adams was placed on injured reserve Monday, two days after leaving a preseason game on a cart with a right knee injury.Adams, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, is expected to have season-ending surgery.The 30-year-old Adams was injured in his first game with Minnesota after signing on the eve of the start of training camp. The Vikings signed cornerback Bryce Phillips to fill Adams’ spot on the roster. Phillips originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with Kansas City following the 2026 NFL draft. His brother, Clark Phillips III, plays cornerback for Atlanta after starring collegiately at Utah.___See AP’s full NFL coverage here 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A federal agent wears an Immigration and Customs Enforcement badge in New York, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)2026-08-17T21:31:46Z U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is pitching a plan to help shield local police officers who make immigration arrests from possible financial consequences if they are accused of on-duty misconduct.The agency is proposing to subsidize liability insurance for state and local officers who are trained and deputized to enforce federal immigration laws, according to a planning document published Friday.ICE’s partnerships with local departments have soared since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year and may get an additional boost with liability insurance by removing a hurdle that has made some local police departments reluctant to join. The Associated Press is the first to report on this insurance proposal.Under the plan, officers would purchase insurance covering up to $500,000 in personal liability, which typically funds legal fees, settlements and judgments. Officers would be reimbursed up to $250 annually — roughly what the insurance is expected to cost. One prominent critic of ICE’s immigration crackdown said the program would be yet another way for officers to avoid personal accountability for misconduct.“The concern here is that ICE is going above and beyond to guarantee law enforcement does not have even the slightest risk of liability for violating Americans’ rights while helping ICE arrest people,” said David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, who has called on Congress to make it easier to sue ICE agents for wrongdoing. ICE outlined the plan in a document informing industry officials that it is considering hiring a contractor to help provide outreach, training and communications support for its so-called 287(g) partnerships with local departments, which are named for a section of a 1996 immigration law. The contractor would hire the insurance vendor and process the reimbursements, among other tasks. Read More ICE has asked for industry feedback by Thursday. The proposed timeline for launching the program and its estimated cost are unclear.ICE had no immediate comment on the plan. Arrests by ICE’s local partners have spiked since last yearDuring Trump’s second term, ICE has offered generous financial incentives to participating local agencies, increasing the number who have partnered with the federal government, as well as the number of arrests.Nearly 1,600 agencies in 32 states now have agreements to participate in ICE’s task force model, in which trained local officers can interrogate, arrest and charge people suspected of being in the country illegally, according to ICE 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. Departments qualify for funding to help cover expenses like their officers’ pay, equipment and vehicles. With encouragement from state and local Republican officials, agencies in Florida, Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia have been among the leaders.Arrests made through such programs jumped to an average of 3,000 per month in the first two months of 2026, according to the most recent ICE data provided to the University of California Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project. That compares to a monthly average of 250 in 2024 under President Joe Biden. Local departments, officers worried about liability for ICE workAs local officers increasingly carry out federal immigration work, they and their departments have expressed concerns about the civil liability that could result from claims alleging excessive use of force, wrongful arrest and illegal search and seizure, among other things.That’s because insurance policies that cover their local work may not apply. Pennsylvania’s risk pool, for instance, recently made clear that it would exclude “proactive immigration enforcement activities” from coverage, forcing several participating counties to search for other insurance options.Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe said he found insurance to cover his 13 deputies participating in the program at a cost of $20,000 in annual premiums.“I want to make sure the guys are additionally covered, so we had to spend the money,” he said, adding that federal funding would cover the cost.Federal officers usually enjoy legal immunities and a government-funded defense when they face lawsuits. But those protections may not always apply to local officers, which has heightened their concerns over liability and the need for insurance. While civil lawsuits are the main concern, professional liability insurance typically helps cover legal fees for officers facing criminal investigations as well. Sheriffs’ group says ICE’s insurance idea sounds promisingJustin Smith, a former Colorado sheriff who is executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association, said ICE’s plan sounds promising and that he was anxious to speak with ICE about how the plan would work.Smith said he has shared concerns with ICE that some sheriffs are reluctant to join the partnerships because of the potential liability at a time when immigration enforcement faces intense public protests and media scrutiny. Smith said others who are partnering with ICE have already started facing legal claims tied to their immigration work, which can be costly whether or not deputies are ultimately found to have done anything wrong.“Right now, any time you are working on immigration there is going to be a much higher potential for there being problems and having suits and issues,” he said. “They’re recognizing that it is a different environment. And I think trying to be good partners with us as best they can.” Under their agreements, ICE warns local departments that they are responsible for the costs of incidents that give rise to liability. But it seeks to reduce the risk by saying local officers performing ICE-authorized functions are “acting under color of federal authority,” which would bar lawsuits against individual officers.The agreements also state that local officers who face civil lawsuits can ask the U.S. Department of Justice to represent them, and that ICE will generally support their requests. But the final decision on whether to do so rests with DOJ. RYAN J. FOLEY Foley covers national news for The Associated Press and is based in Iowa City, Iowa. A 21-year AP veteran, he was part of the AP team honored as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in investigative reporting for the 2024 series, “Lethal Restraint.” twitter mailto 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

President Donald Trump gestures to Nathaniel Rai, the boy lifeguard Ryder Williams, left, saved as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)2026-08-17T21:27:19Z WASHINGTON (AP) — A teenage lifeguard and the boy he rescued off the coast of California were reunited Monday at the White House as President Donald Trump honored both as heroes.“What you did was incredible, and everybody saw it,” Trump told the boys, referring to a viral video of the July rescue in Santa Cruz. “When I first saw it, I said, ‘roll that back, I want to see that again.’”Seated alongside 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams and 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai, Trump marveled at how each of them stayed cool in the dramatic ocean rescue in Santa Cruz in July. The boys’ families joined the Oval Office reunion, along with lifeguard Aaron Bohnen, who aided in the rescue.Online videos of the rescue have been viewed millions of times worldwide. The footage shows Williams clutching Nathaniel as heavy waves repeatedly smash into them. At one point, the boys disappear underwater for several seconds before emerging from the surf, Williams continuing to haul Nathaniel toward the shore. Trump hailed Williams as a “real hero.” He told Nathaniel that “God was watching you.” Trump and Williams sat in chairs in front of the Oval Office fireplace, while Nathaniel and others sat alongside on a pair of couches.Asked about the moment, Williams credited those who trained him how to snap into action. “In those dangerous moments that we have, we always try to fall back on our training,” he said. “I really was thinking about how to get the boy out of the water as fast as I can.”Wearing a black uniform with a California State Parks lifeguard patch, Williams said he hopes to train as a paramedic and become a firefighter. Read More Nathaniel, sitting next to his father and sister, nodded along as Trump described the rescue.“Your father is the happiest man in the world,” Trump told him, adding that the boy deserved respect for how he faced the emergency. “The way Nathaniel handled it was — he was cool, considering the problems.”Trump invited them to see the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House. When Williams mentioned his aspiration to become a firefighter, the president said he may be getting “some good recommendations.” “He’s a real hero,” Trump said. “I don’t know if I’d do it. I wouldn’t probably. You’re lucky I wasn’t on the service that day.” 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. As the video drew attention online last month, Trump joined many who shared it. Posting the video on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the boys deserved to be honored.“We’re going to bring this heroic young man, and his family, into the White House with, perhaps, the boy he saved, to give him a High Civilian Honor,” Trump wrote on July 28.In a previous Associated Press interview, Williams described seeing Nathaniel lose his footing in shallow water at Seabright Beach. The water was too rough to get a rescue tube around Nathaniel, who went unconscious. They endured a series of pounding waves before Bohnen, the other lifeguard, helped them get ashore.In the Oval Office, Trump remarked on Williams’ “tremendous grace” in the moment.“It’s so amazing to see this happen, to see it before your eyes,” Trump said. “I’ve seen rescues before. I’ve never seen anything quite like this.” COLLIN BINKLEY Binkley covers the White House and education policy for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington and joined the AP in 2015. twitter mailto

From left, Coalition for Open Democracy's Voter Education Coordinator Sarah Ortiz, summer student Intern Emma Repici, and Development and Communications Coordinator Kaylie Efstratiou pose behind a large VOTE sign on Aug. 1, 2026, in Peterborough, N.H. (Sam Cassin/InDepthNH.org via AP)2026-08-17T21:36:32Z From court challenges on student IDs to new requirements for absentee ballots, voting in 2026 will bring a number of changes for Granite-staters for students and residents who have moved in-state or between states.“The laws have changed a lot, so if you voted in 2025 or 2024, this year will be different,” said Olivia Zink, executive director of the Concord-based nonprofit voting rights group the Coalition for Open Democracy told InDepthNH. “They limited the amount of documents that can prove domicile, they’ve added requirements for absentee ballots. If you’re going to vote for the first time, remember ACID: Age, Citizenship, Identity, Domicile.”On Tuesday, Zink’s group filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to preserve the use of high school and college-issued IDs for voting purposes. The suit is targeting House Bill (HB) 323, which was signed into law by Gov. Kelly Ayotte in June. The Coalition for Open Democracy coordinates voter registration and outreach efforts across New Hampshire and filed suit to block the Secretary of State’s Office from impacting the voting rights of students.“(The Coalition’s) work is directly impacted by HB 323, which takes away student IDs – whether those are high school IDs or college IDs — as a valid form of identification when obtaining a ballot,” Ben Horton, a legal counsel who’s working on the case explained. Horton continued, saying Secretary of State David Scanlan’s April 23 directive — which barred student IDs when registering to vote, requesting an absentee ballot, or checking in at the polls — unlawfully extends HB 323 and that the law did not bar students from using IDs to register. A spokesperson from Scanlan’s office could not be reached for comment.Horton said they had a meeting with a judge this morning, and they have a motion hearing scheduled for Aug. 31. Read More He added there’s a significant portion of young voters — people between the ages of 18-24 — who don’t have access to a driver’s license, which he said is the predominant way young voters would identify themselves after HB 323 passed and was signed into law. He said while other options such as passports or military IDs could still be used, the vast majority of voters will use drivers’ licenses.Horton said this is going to negatively impact the youth vote right now, but that it will also only get more pronounced over time as the percentage of young people, who either wait to get their license or choose not to get one, increases. “It’s adding this extra layer of bureaucracy with literally no actual difference in the amount of types of documents that are being required; it’s just adding another step. This does nothing to further election security… When you install these roadblocks the first time people are able to vote, you’re not just denying them the right to vote when they’re 18, you’re potentially creating a pattern of non-voting that is going to extend for years, or possibly decades,” Horton 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. Rep. John Sellers, R-Bristol, co-sponsored HB 323 and said he’d like to see a more secure government-issued ID that students can use for voting purposes rather than the school-issued IDs. He added he doesn’t see the lawsuit resulting in allowing student IDs to be used again, unless the legislature changed to be controlled by Democrats. “Right now, with Republican control, it’s not going to happen,” he said.“It’s a simple change to not allowing student IDs as valid identification cards, because there’s maybe a potential for voter fraud, and we’re trying to cut down on fraud. We’re also trying to make sure people are not just residents but are also domiciled here in New Hampshire,” Sellers said. No evidence of widespread voter fraud in New Hampshire has been presented.House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson, D-Exeter said, “For over ten years, young Granite Staters have been able to use a student ID to prove their identity when casting their ballots. Without a single case of fraud to point to, Republicans took that option away. Young adults deserve a real say in the decisions that shape their rent, their schools, and their futures.” What Changed This YearTo register to vote you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age and domiciled in the city or town where you plan to vote. Durham Town Clerk Rachel Deane said students will not be able to use their high school, college or any other student IDs this year and most will likely need to get a driver’s license to prove their identity and age. “A driver’s license can do three: domicile, identity and age if it’s a New Hampshire drivers license with a New Hampshire address,” Deane said. If the license is from another state, then a student would need to prove they are living in New Hampshire. “If you’re coming in to vote with the town clerks, it is typically 5 days before the election that we close the voter rolls down so the supervisor prints the checklist for the election. In the state of New Hampshire you can register to vote on the same day. If you have all the required proof, you can register to vote.”At registration, you need to prove four things: Age, Citizenship, Identity and Domicile. Identity and age: driver’s license, government-issued photo ID or passport. or passport cardU.S. citizenship: Birth certificate, passport, naturalization papers, proof you are currently or previously registered to vote in New Hampshire or a qualified voter affidavit sworn under penalty of voter fraud if you lack documents. Earlier in the year House Bill 1569 eliminated the option to use a qualified voter affidavit (QVA) to attest to citizenship, but the Coalition for Open Democracy challenged the law and a judge struck it down on May 29, restoring the right to use a QVA. The state is appealing the ruling, but for the Sept. 8 primary, the QVA will be available.Domicile: New Hampshire driver’s license or non-driver ID with current address, New Hampshire vehicle registration, federal picture ID with current address, government-issued check, benefit statement, or tax document showing your current domicile address.However, if you don’t have any of those, you can complete an attestation form saying you have none of those documents and bring one of these: a rental or lease agreement, a utility bill or other bill with your current address, a confirmation of domicile form signed by a property owner, manager or tenant or a homeless confirmation of domicile form.The domicile attestation is different from the QAV, Schreiber emphasized. The attestation covers missing domicile documents; the QVA covers missing proof of citizenship.If you are already registered in another New Hampshire town, you generally only need to prove identity and domicile to update your registration.That does bring in another wrinkle. This year will be the first year that the NH Secretary of State will do annual purges of the voter list.“We’ve got people getting letters saying they’ve been removed from the voter list, so I urge everyone to check,” Zink said. “Someone in a nursing home moved from one unit to another and was removed, another person put their home in a trust and the deed changed.”___This story was originally published by InDepthNH.org and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press. 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

We look at the crowded race to replace Byron Donalds.

Ms. Peltola, the Democratic Senate candidate, fired a longtime senior aide and named a new campaign manager.

Brick fireplaces can be total stunners, but depending on the color, age, and condition of the brick, they can also feel like “a very dull sea of brown,” per Emily Hauffler of House and Hens. Fear not: There are affordable ways to make a boring brown fireplace stylish, as evidenced by these 10 redos — and an 11th in Emily’s home. READ MORE...

2026-08-17T22:20:13Z RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Discord, the popular platform for gamers to communicate online, said on Monday it suspended its livestreams in Brazil after criticism that it failed to protect children and adolescents. The move takes place in the wake of a suicide case.Brazil’s government under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the country’s Supreme Court have tried to regulate the use of the internet by minors, with mixed results so far, at a moment when countries, including Australia, Canada and Indonesia, are undertaking similar efforts. The decision comes after Brazil’s national agency of data protection ordered the suspension last week. The U.S.-based company added it is in conversations “to seek a solution that allows us to reestablish those resources for our users in Brazil.”“We remain committed to working with public policymakers in Brazil to help create an online experience that is safer for all, on Discord and across the internet,” said the platform. A suicide draws attention to digital protections for minorsIn July, an underage girl in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul was allegedly coerced by other users into committing suicide during a livestream on the platform, putting the company under increased scrutiny. Brazil’s first lady Rosângela Lula da Silva, known as Janja, said on Aug. 6 that the platform should be taken offline, citing the case. “I can’t accept seeing a 13-year-old girl self-harming live on the internet, on Discord, hanging herself and dying,” said Janja at a ceremony in the capital, Brasilia, during which Lula signed a law that increases the punishment for those who commit sexual violence against children and adolescents.Five teenagers were arrested in connection with the death, according to an Aug. 4 statement by Brazil’s justice ministry. Read More “Livestreams have been repeatedly used to facilitate violence, harassment and the incitement of self-harm and suicide,” the country’s data protection agency said in a statement Wednesday.The agency cited robust evidence that the company had not sufficiently prevented risks of exposure to content that “represent serious violations of the rights of children and adolescents within its service, especially inducement, incitement, instigation, or assistance to violence, self-harm, and suicide,” it said. Discord has more than 90 million active daily users worldwide, according to its website. 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. In a statement to The Associated Press Wednesday, Discord said groups or individuals who promote or encourage violence have no place on the platform. It denied that the July case was shown live.The platform said it was committed to user safety and has dedicated teams working “to disrupt violent groups, remove violative content and take action against bad actors on our platform.” It added that it had investigated a private server where individuals involved in criminal activity are believed to have encouraged self-harm, and shut it down before the recent death of the 13-year-old. Discord complaints surge as Brazil confronts online threats to children and teensIn recent years, Discord has been cited in investigations and reports worldwide involving extreme violence, including threats or planning related to school attacks, the distribution of abusive material, grooming and coercion of minors, and the encouragement of self-harm and suicide.The number of complaints involving Discord between January and July increased by 54% compared to the same period last year, according to data from Safernet Brazil, a nonprofit that defends human rights on the internet.The case of the 13-year-old girl “is not an isolated episode, but the tragic outcome of a pattern that we have documented and denounced for years,” Thiago Tavares, the organization’s president, said in a statement on Aug. 11.Tavares added that Brazil’s digital law imposed “clear duties of prevention, risk mitigation, age verification and cooperation with the authorities” and that non-compliance must generate accountability.But Thiago Ayub, director of technology at Sage Networks, a company specializing in network engineering, criticized the agency’s decision, which he attributed largely to Janja’s comment.“The most immediate consequence is the migration of users that inappropriately and even criminally use the platform to another one which isn’t under the spotlight,” Ayub said. “In this way, the protection of children and adolescents diminishes instead of increasing.” Brazil’s internet regulations put pressure on Discord, X and other platformsBrazil rolled out a law seeking to boost protection of minors online earlier this year. The law requires that minors under 16 link their social media accounts to a legal guardian to ensure supervision.Digital services must also implement an effective age verification mechanism that goes beyond self-declaration that the user is over 18 to protect them from accessing inappropriate or prohibited material.In February, Discord postponed its controversial age verification policy after receiving backlash from users with concerns about their privacy. It later said in a statement that it was nonetheless rolling out age assurance measures to comply with Brazilian law. The Trump administration has accused Brazil of targeting American social-media companies, and cited the issue among the reasons for imposing tariffs on Brazilian imports. In 2024, Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered the shutdown of X until the network owned by Elon Musk complied with orders to remove accounts spreading disinformation.___Savarese reported from Sao Paulo.___Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america MAURICIO SAVARESE Savarese is a reporter since 2004, with a vast experience covering soccer and politics. English, Español, Português, some French and a bit of Italian. twitter instagram facebook mailto 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The Chicago Bears may be without running back Kyle Monangai for their season opener.Monangai went down with a right knee injury in practice on Sunday, and will now miss several weeks with a hyperextended knee, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. A specific timeline there is not yet known. While the outcome of the MRI is apparently being considered positive, it absolutely puts Monangai at risk of missing their regular season opener.Play Yahoo's new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now!Monangai got tangled up with Bears defensive tackle Gardy Jarrett near the sideline near the end of a run in practice on Sunday, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs. The practice, taking place just a day after the team’s 34-10 preseason win over the Cleveland Browns, was being held in just shorts and shells. It was described as a “freak incident,” and Monangai ended up slowly walking into the team’s practice facility after a few minutes on the ground. The Bears selected Monangai in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Rutgers. He had 783 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie while shining alongside starter D’Andre Swift. Together the two led the Bears to the third-best rushing offense in the league last season, putting up 144.5 rushing yards per game, behind only the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens. The Bears went 11-6 last season and won the NFC North before going on their deepest postseason run since the 2010 campaign.The Bears will open the season against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 13, which is just under a month out. If Monangai’s recovery is delayed at all over the next four weeks, the Bears may enter the regular season without their solidified second option in the backfield.

New Orleans Saints rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson is expected to be sidelined for about two months with the hamstring injury he suffered last week during training camp, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport.#Saints WR Jordyn Tyson is expected to miss about two months with a hamstring injury suffered last week, sources tell me and @RapSheet.The eighth overall pick sought multiple medical opinions on an injury HC Kellen Moore said is separate from the one he had in the spring. pic.twitter.com/RoZRluA0ET— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 17, 2026This story is being updated.

Looking to gear up in Adidas swag?Colorado State officially announced Aug. 4 a switch in apparel provider from Under Armour to Adidas.It was a hurried change that took place over a matter of months, rather than the course of roughly a year as is usually the case in a move like this. Given the quick turn, CSU athletic director John Weber told the Coloradoan "our public Adidas merchandise will be a bit limited" to begin, with more inventory rolling out in the coming months.But there is Adidas gear to be found. Where? The Coloradoan checked it out and here's what we found.Where to buy Adidas gear in Fort CollinsTwo popular spots in Fort Collins had Adidas gear with CSU branding. The BT Imprintables Green & Gold Shop in Campus West (1107 W. Elizabeth St.) had a selection of Adidas gear with CSU logos.That included pullovers and T-shirts in a variety of colors and included some orange throwback options.Dick's Sporting Goods in Midtown (205 E. Foothills Pkwy.) also had a selection of CSU gear, including pullovers, hoodies, T-shirts, long-sleeve shirts and even a faux jersey (CSU has not yet released its new Adidas football uniforms).The Adidas gear is also available on the Dick's Sporting Goods website.What about the CSU bookstore?The CSU bookstore inside Lory Student Center was still filled with Under Armour branding and gear the morning of Aug. 17. No Adidas gear was available, but workers at the bookstore told customers some will be in this week. No Adidas gear is available on the bookstore website yet either.Weber said upon the Adidas announcement that CSU's stores would have gear by later in August. CSU freshman move-in is this week and classes begin Aug. 23.Sports reporter Kevin Lytle can be found on social media on X, Instagram and Threads @Kevin_Lytle and on Bluesky.This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Where can Colorado State fans find Adidas gear? Here's what we found

Missouri junior tight end Brett Norfleet, left, and freshman wide receiver Donovan Olugbode celebrate after Norfleet’s touchdown in the fourth quarter on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Faurot Field in Columbia. | Hannah Henderson/Rock M Nation Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Missouri fans and fans across the country.Mizzou Football will be looking to improve the passing game in a big way this upcoming season. Ole Miss transfer quarterback Austin Simmons will look to lead the way for what is hopefully a new and improved Missouri offense this year under coordinator Chip Lindsey. Simmons will have plenty of weapons at the wide receiver position to work with as Mizzou brought in some key transfers. That includes his former Rebel teammate Cayden Lee — who is coming off of a productive juni0r season with Ole Miss — contributing for 44 receptions, 635 yards, and three touchdowns. Can Simmons and Lee establish their chemistry this season? Cincinnati transfer Caleb Goodie is another name to watch — who had 29 receptions, 484 yards, and two touchdowns last season with the Bearcats. Goodie’s biggest strength is his speed. Will he be able to use YAC (yards after catch) to his advantage? Donovan Olugbode headlines Mizzou’s returning wide receiver core after a productive freshman campaign — contributing for 30 receptions, 401 yards, and two touchdowns. Is a “Luther Burden type” sophomore season in store for him? And while it’s difficult to see a tight end being a “go-to” guy, Brett Norfleet has the talent to put up some big numbers heading into his senior season. Can he stay healthy, and can this coaching staff utilize him to be more of a factor in the passing game? In the receiving department, he has 75 receptions for 686 yards and 10 scores. Now, there’s context behind those numbers, as he’s missed some time and played with injury, while the Tigers’ offense hasn’t asked much from their tight ends in the receiving game in recent years.But when thrown to him, his catch radius is impressive, and he is capable of running routes vertically downfield. Entering his fourth season with the team, there’s no doubting his ability as an SEC tight end; the question is whether Mizzou will utilize him more than they have in past years.In our latest SBN Reacts survey, we ask you this: Who will lead Mizzou in receiving yards this season? Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys:

Boston, MA - May 21: Customers line up outside the Cheers Pub next to a note of condolence and flowers in honor of the late actor George Wendt who played Norm on the TV show Cheers. The actor was 76. (Photo by Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images Full lineups not yet available. Particularly Boston’s. Roster movesThe Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ 40-man roster remains at 40.Reinstated from the 60-day injured list: RHP Justin Martinez (sprained right ulnar collateral ligament)Reinstated from the 10-day injured list: OF Jordan Lawlar (strained right hamstring)Optioned to Triple-A Reno following yesterday’s game: RHP Gerardo Carrillo + INF Tyler LocklearDesignated for assignment: RHP Andrew HoffmannA lot of moves to get through here, with the return of a long-anticipated bullpen arm topping the moves. The last time Martinez pitched in the major leagues? June 9th, 2025. That’s one year, two months and eight days ago. So it has been a while. He made four rehab appearances, and all reports were, he looked very good. Certainly can’t complain about the numbers. 13 batters faced, one hit and twelve outs, six by the strikeout. He reportedly hit 102.4 mph in one of those outings, so the velocity is certainly there. It’s good to have him back, though I am sure we will see Carrillo again soon: potentially when the rosters expand in two weeks.Lawlar’s layoff hasn’t been quite as long: just shy of two months since he went on the IL for the second time this year. He also missed two months with a broken wrist earlier in the year, and was back for little more than a week before the hamstring issue send him to the treatment room again. He was hitting .316 with an .856 OPS at that point, albeit over just 44 PA, so hope he can find that form again and stay healthy. Locklear may well also be back in September too, and his numbers this year had certainly been a massive improvement over his first two seasons, with an .806 OPS (albeit also over just 42 PA). Hoffman loses his 40-man roster spot, after coming from the Royals for Randal Grichuk at the 2025 trade deadline. The numbers haven’t been great, with a 6.08 ERA for Reno, and 7.71 over 11.2 major-league innings. Though he hasn’t actually pitched at all for over two months, his last appearances being June 5, thanks to a lat strain. But among all the moves, one which didn’t happen may be the most significant. Nolan Arenado remains on the roster, so fingers crossed his strained trunk (!) isn’t too bad. According to Gambo, Arenado “may try to grind through the injury.” He’s not in the line-up today, but should be available off the bench if needed.

The new data on vaccine exemptions during the 2025-26 school year come just a week after President Trump signed an executive order calling to scale back childhood shots.

The sister of Lindsey Graham was appointed to his Senate seat on an interim basis. She must win a runoff next week against a conservative House member to serve a full six-year term.

Also, killings plunge in Baltimore. Here’s the latest at the end of Monday.

A mother and daughter from Georgia attending the Indiana Fever’s victory over the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, Aug. 17, in Atlanta say they were “made to cover up” their T-shirts by league security staff at the arena.Video captured inside State Farm Arena and posted on social media shows Kasey Thomason and her daughter Annie covering up their XX-XY shirts with shirts provided by the Dream.XX-XY Athletics, which bills itself as a brand “here to protect women’s sports and spaces,” was founded by former gymnast and former Levi Strauss chief marketing officer Jennifer Sey. XX-XY has also organized rallies around WNBA games this season in "Support of Sophie Cunningham” after the Fever star made comments about transgender athletes participating in women's sports.In a statement provided to USA TODAY Sports, the WNBA said the fans shouldn’t have been made to cover their clothing."The WNBA is aware of interactions at last night’s game in Atlanta in which fans were asked by league security to cover their shirts,” a league spokesperson said. “This should not have happened.”The Atlanta Dream provided an additional statement to USA TODAY Sports that said: "The Atlanta Dream believes in creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. Unfortunately, at last night’s game, WNBA security took actions that fell short of that standard. At no point were Dream personnel involved in the decisions made by WNBA security."In a video posted by X user Adam Francisco, Thomason and her daughter explain what happened.“We were made to cover up our XX-XY shirts at this game. They gave us T-shirts during overtime and told us we had to leave or cover our shirts up. This just happened,” Kasey Thomason said. “... We did nothing. We were just sitting there. I didn’t make signs — I wanted to make signs, but I didn’t. I did nothing.”Thomason and her daughter said they spent more than $1,000 on tickets and were there to support Cunningham and “women in women’s sports, because it’s just common sense.”Last month, Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton was fined and suspended by the WNBA for five home games for comments she made to two fans wearing XX-XY shirts while watching the Storm play against Cunningham’s Fever.The WNBA finds itself at the center of a debate around transgender athletes participating in women’s sports following Cunningham’s comments in an ESPN story where she said, "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." In subsequent interviews, Cunningham has doubled-down on that statement.Earlier this month, the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) released a statement denouncing transphobia and other forms of hate. The WNBA also released a statement, following an anti-hate task force meeting.“There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others,” the WNBA said in that statement.In 2024, NCAA president Charlie Baker testified to the Senate he knew of fewer than 10 transgender student-athletes out of more than 510,000 college athletes. No transgender women play in the WNBA.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA says fans ‘should not have’ been asked to cover up XX-XY shirts

After reports broke that Texas A&M basketball was the favorite to land a talented transfer guard from Texas, he officially announced his commitment to the Aggies on Monday evening. Jordan Pope has spent the last two months in Austin healing from foot surgery, awaiting the 2022 eligibility ruling, which grants the class of 2022 an additional year in college. Texas did not leave a roster spot open for his potential return, which allowed Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillan to add another talented shooter to an already stacked roster entering the 2026-27 season. The 6-foot-1 California native averaged 13.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists, including 15 games scoring 15 points or more for the Longhorns last year. Welcome to Aggieland, Jordan Pope 👍#GigEm | #BuckyBallpic.twitter.com/iEjPnBIg72— Texas A&M Basketball (@aggiembk) August 17, 2026Pope earned All-PAC-12 honors during his time with Oregon State, before transferring to Texas as the No. 3-ranked guard in the nation. After not being utilized to his full potential in his junior season with the Longhorns, Pope exploded onto the scene this past year and played a key role in Texas' success in the NCAA Tournament. While he will be competing for playing time alongside various talented transfers like Kansas State guard PJ Haggerty, who ranked as one of the top scorers in the country in 2025-26, Pope has the opportunity to be a massive star in McMillan's high-paced system that favors volume shooters. His commitment to the Aggies on Monday marks the third former Texas player to join McMillan's squad, joining forward Preston Clark and big man Jamie Vinson. Pope is eligible to play for now, but this could all change if the ruling by the Colorado judge on July 31 gets overturned. He is also named in the age-based eligibility lawsuit against the NCAA in California, as he pushes for a temporary restraining order, which could protect him regardless of the outcome of the July 31 ruling. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M basketball lands massive commitment from Texas guard

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 16: Bo Bichette #19 of the New York Mets and Carson Benge #3 celebrate after the Mets defeated the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on Sunday, August 16, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Phebe Grosser/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images In the past two weeks, the Mets have swept two series and only lost one series. They were shut out in two of their three losses in the past 12 games, but other than that, the offense has ironically produced considerably better since losing Juan Soto. Francisco Lindor has been raking, Bo Bichette earned what I think is his first fireball of the year, Luis Torrens has gone on a power surge, and several guys who had been performing poorly are trending upwards. PlayerLast weekThis weekFrancisco Alvarez, CGabriel Arias, INF—Brett Baty, UTILCarson Benge, OFBo Bichette, 3BA.J. Ewing, OFFrancisco Lindor, SSCristian Pache, OF—Jorge Polanco, DHLuis Robert Jr., OFMarcus Semien, 2BLuis Torrens, CEric Wagaman, 1B/DHJared Young, 1B/DHLet’s start with our raging hot hitters. Despite having half the number of plate appearances as the everyday players, Luis Torrens leads the team with ten runs batted in over the past 12 games (of which he played in 7 of them). Of his eight hits, half of them were home runs—good for a scorching 332 wRC+, which is by far the best mark on the team. Torrens has also walked four times and scored six runs. Francisco Alvarez, by contrast, has not done nearly as well, but has an at least respectable 91 wRC+ in his last 41 plate appearances. Of his 7 hits, three went for extra bases—two doubles and a home run. He also continues to walk at a much higher rate than at any point in his career, drawing five free passes over the past two weeks. Unfortunately he leads the team in strikeouts as well with 18. Bo Bichette is our other fireball recipient, posting a 197 wRC+ in 53 plate appearances. He leads the team in hits with 18, of course buoyed by his 5-for-5 performance in Pittsburgh in the Mets’ 11-1 victory over the Pirates. Bichette also scored seven runs, drove in nine runs, and walked six times. Since his five-hit day on August 9, Bichette has only gone hitless in one game. Francisco Lindor has been almost as good and I considered giving him a fireball as well. Lindor’s 11 hits are second only to Bichette for the team lead and he leads the team in runs scored with 11 and walks with seven. He has gone deep three times and driven in seven runs. In Juan Soto’s absence, Lindor has been the engine of the Mets’ offense in the month of August, including collecting the walk-off knock in the Mets’ come from behind victory on Saturday. Like Lindor, Jared Young marks his second straight meter in the green with a 174 wRC+ in 45 plate appearances, still playing nearly every day. His ten RBIs in the past two weeks match Torrens for the team lead and his eight runs scored are second only to Lindor for the team lead. Of his 15 hits, six went for extra bases, including a home run and two triples. Carson Benge has rocketed into the green with a blistering 189 wRC+ in 48 plate appearances. He got fireball consideration as well, especially considering how well he continues to play in the field, generating highlight reel worthy catches and outfield assists. Benge is getting it done on both sides of the ball, driving in eight runs and scoring eight runs in the past 12 games. He matches Young’s hit total with 15 and five of those went for extra bases, including a triple and three home runs. Unfortunately A.J. Ewing’s struggles since the break continue; he put up a 61 wRC+ in 54 plate appearances over the past 12 games. Of Ewing’s 8 hits (good for just a .174 batting average), half went for extra bases, but he hasn’t hit a home run since July 8. Ewing scored six runs and drove in six runs, but he has not driven in any runs in two weeks and he has struck out 14 times over that span. Jorge Polanco has continued to struggle as well, but it says something about how bad he was before that a 62 wRC+ is an improvement. He amassed five hits in 26 plate appearances, two of which went for extra bases, including a home run on August 5 that helped lift the Mets to an extra-inning win over the Guardians. That represented his only run scored and one of his two RBIs in this two-week span. We’re still a far cry from Polanco being anything resembling a productive hitter, but there have at least been signs of life. Similarly, though the performances of Marcus Semien and Luis Robert Jr. haven’t been anything to write home about, they are at least trending in the right direction. Robert joins Lindor, Bichette, Benge, and Young among the Mets that have notched double-digit hit totals in the past 12 games. Two of his eight hits went for extra bases—both home runs, one of which came on the same day as Bichette’s five-hit game. Though Bichette stole the spotlight that day, Robert drove in four in that game and he had just one other RBI in all of the other games in the past two weeks combined. Robert posted a 105 wRC+ in these 12 games. Semien, meanwhile, also went deep twice and amassed seven hits in total. He scored five runs, drove in six runs, and walked five times—good for an 84 wRC+. Brett Baty also went from “bad” to “just kind of mediocre” in this early part of August, putting up an 82 wRC+ in 29 plate appearances, being reduced to a part-time role due in part to Jared Young’s consistent production. Baty went back-to-back with Polanco in that win over the Guardians on August 5 and five days later, he hit the first grand slam of his career in Atlanta, helping power an 8-5 victory over the Braves. That grand slam represented four of his five total RBIs over this 12-game span. He also walked three times and scored four runs. But he had just 4 total hits in those 29 plate appearances. There are a couple of new faces on the meter this time around. Cristian Pache was called up to the Mets when an outfield spot became available after the Mets traded Tyrone Taylor at the deadline. Pache has gone hitless in his first six plate appearances, but has scored a run. Right after the Mets played the Guardians, Cleveland designated Gabriel Arias for assignment and the Mets picked him up. Eric Wagaman, who went 1-for-2 with a run scored, was optioned to Triple-A when the Mets added Arias to the roster. Arias went 0-for-5 during his brief Mets tenure and it turns out he may be a one-and-done for the meter series and a future Mets Sporcle answer because earlier today, the Mets designated him for assignment just nine days after acquiring him.

MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 28, 2026: Bo Davidson #91 of the San Francisco Giants takes a lead at first base during the eighth inning of a spring training game against the Athletics at Hohokam Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images A rather poor weekend for the San Francisco Giants, but a tremendously exciting weekend for their Minor League Baseball affiliates. Let’s dive into the 15 games that were played on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Link to the 2026 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.NewsAAA Sacramento outfielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week. It was very well earned. You’ll find out why in a moment. Also very well earned was the promotion of outfielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL), the organization’s home run leader. He moves up from High-A Eugene to AA Richmond. And, in case you missed the news, Sacramento LHP Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson has been called up for his MLB debut! AAA Sacramento (68-49)Friday/Saturday Game 1: Sacramento River Cats lost to the Las Vegas Aviators 10-5 [box score]Saturday Game 2: Sacramento River Cats beat the Las Vegas Aviators 3-2 (7 innings) [box score]Sunday: Sacramento River Cats beat the Las Vegas Aviators 15-11 [box score]A lot of fun storylines going on with the River Cats over the weekend, though it took them awhile to get started … Friday’s game was postponed at the start of the 3rd inning, and resumed on Saturday. The big story is a very exciting one, though: right fielder/left fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) has taken off. It was an absolutely dreamy weekend for the lefty, who hit 4-7 with a walk and a strikeout across Saturday’s games. But he was just getting started. Oh my goodness was he only just getting started.On Sunday, Davidson put forth one of the best games that any Giants prospect has had this year. His 1st at-bat? He drew a walk.His 2nd at-bat? He ground out, but at 95 mph.His 3rd at-bat? He went the other way for a double.Bo doubles and brings in Bandura 👏 pic.twitter.com/v8Q1847Xzq— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) August 17, 2026His 4th at-bat? Just a casual 440-foot, 109-mph grand slam.BO DAVIDSON JUST SENT IT 440 FT. GRAND SLAM! 💥 pic.twitter.com/HHxmPQv2rn— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) August 17, 2026Oh, sorry, did you think we’re done? No, no, no, no.His 5th at-bat? Another home run.BO MY GOODNESS. 🤯Bo Davidson hits his 2nd HR of the night! pic.twitter.com/l4CtMBMcSX— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) August 17, 2026His 6th at-bat? A 100.6-mph double. BO DAVIDSON RAKES IN HIS 8TH RBI OF THE NIGHT! 💪 pic.twitter.com/srfmerwq8B— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) August 17, 2026The total damage? 4-5, 2 homers, 2 doubles, a walk, and 8 runs batted in. And just for good measure, on Saturday, he ended the game with a walk-off catch.BO ENDS IT 😤 pic.twitter.com/2x789ghw4H— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) August 16, 2026Davidson, like many prospects, really struggles to find his grip when he advances to a new level. But when he takes off, he takes off, and his AAA experience has highlighted that. Just look at his performance since getting promoted in mid-July: First 22 games: 17-86, 0 home runs, 3 doubles, 10 walks, 21 strikeoutsNext 5 games: 14-22, 4 home runs, 3 doubles, 2 walks, 2 strikeoutsThat, my friends, is someone who has figured it out. And who, despite such a slow start, is already up to an .820 OPS and a 114 wRC+, with a sub-20% strikeout rate in AAA. Might we see the recently-turned 24-year old in the Majors before the year ends? The opposite — albeit it far less dramatically — has happened with third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL), who was promoted at the same time as Davidson. Harber started out red hot but has been cooling down, but over the weekend hit 1-4 with a strikeout … but drew 4 walks (he didn’t play on Sunday). That’s a mighty fine weekend, though Harber hasn’t been doing much damage with the actual bat lately: after hitting 4 homers and 3 doubles in his 1st 14 games with Sacramento, he has just 1 homer and 2 doubles in 12 games since. He’s having a particularly hard time with off-speed pitches, but hey, that’s what AAA is for! In all, it’s a .916 OPS and a 138 wRC+ for the 25-year old, and a wildly successful debut stint at the highest level of the Minors.Marcelo Mayer continued his rehab over the weekend, as the former top-20 prospect gears up for a Giants debut sometime this week. It was a tale of 3 acts over the weekend for Mayer, who played second and third base: in the 1st game, he went 3-6 with a double and 2 strikeouts; in the 2nd game he didn’t play; and in the 3rd game he hit 1-6 with 4 strikeouts. Mayer giveth, and Mayer taketh away!Fantastic weekends for center fielder/right fielder Scott Bandura and first baseman/DH Diego Velasquez (No. 31 CPL). Bandura hit a lovely 7-15 with 3 doubles, a stolen base, a walk, and a strikeout, while Velasquez went 3-11 with a triple, 2 doubles, 2 walks, a stolen base, and 3 strikeouts. Bandura, a just-turned 25-year old lefty who has really taken off over the last 2 months, is up to an .850 OPS and a 124 wRC+ through 72 AAA games, with 17 stolen bases. Velasquez, a 22-year old switch-hitter who normally plays the non-first base infield positions, has an .832 OPS and a 119 wRC+ through 11 games at the level. This was his 1st stolen base in AAA, where he’s fitting in beautifully.Bandura ties it up with a double! 😎 pic.twitter.com/duDgx14qQF— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) August 16, 2026Second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL) and center fielder Grant McCray made their Sacramento returns after getting optioned. Furman hit 3-7 with 2 walks and sacrifice fly, while McCray went 1-5 with a 3-run double, a stolen base, and 3 strikeouts. Left fielder/shortstop Shay Whitcomb made his organizational debut and hit 3-12 with 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, and an error. WELCOME BACK GRANT MCCRAY! 🥳Grant McCray knocks in a 3-Run Double in his return with the River Cats! pic.twitter.com/bjaaTYNcJ1— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) August 17, 2026The best pitching performance belonged to LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL), who had his best appearance since returning to the rotation following a brief bullpen stint. Whitman was awesome on Sunday, pitching 4 innings and allowing just 5 mild-mannered baserunners (4 singles and a walk) en route to 1 run allowed, with 6 strikeouts. That’s a fantastic game!Whitman wasn’t as efficient or strike-dependent as those numbers would suggest, though, as he needed 72 pitches to get through those 4 innings, and threw just 45 of them for strikes. There’s a lot for him to work on, but then again, he only just got to the level. Whitman has a 5.09 ERA and a 5.57 FIP in 16 games (8 starts) with the River Cats. RHP Anthony Molina made his 2nd appearance since the Giants acquired him and moved him to the rotation. It didn’t go well, as he gave up 4 hits, 2 walks, and 2 runs in 2 innings, while striking out 2. Better luck next time. LHP Cesar Perdomo had a decent start, pitching 6.2 innings (a deep start!) while giving up 5 hits, 3 walks, and 2 runs, with just 2 strikeouts. Not the most exciting, but encouraging given the struggles he’s been having since getting recently promoted to AAA. Steps in the right direction! RHP Joel Peguero (No. 27 CPL) made his 2nd rehab appearance and gave up hits to the 2 batters he faced on Friday before the game was postponed. That was his only appearance of the weekend, and he’s now yet to retire any of the 5 batters he’s faced since starting his rehab. RHP Braxton Roxby had another strong outing, pitching 1.1 no-hit frames with a walk and a strikeout, lowering his ERA to 3.54 (albeit with a 4.88 FIP).AA Richmond (66-46)Friday: Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Harrisburg Senators 9-7 [box score]Saturday: Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Harrisburg Senators 7-2 [box score]Just 2 games for the Squirrels, who had Sunday’s game rained out.That pair of games though? Well, they weren’t interesting, so I’m not sure why I had a lead-up like that.Third baseman Dayson Croes had the best weekend, as he hit 3-8 with a home run, a walk, a sacrifice fly, and 2 strikeouts. Croes was a feel-good story last year, when he signed as a 25-year old and proceeded to hit comfortably above average in the ACL, High-A, AA, and AAA. But his follow-up campaign has been poor, as he’s hit below average in both AA and AAA, as well as in his rehab stint in the ACL. He’s now at over 200 plate appearances in AA this year, with just a .660 OPS and a 78 wRC+. Add in the fact that he turns 27 in October and doesn’t have a lot of defensive value, and it he might need more days like he had this weekend to keep his pro baseball dreams alive.Croes missile alert in Harrisburg! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/82oQM2zqLI— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) August 15, 2026Catcher Jancel Villarroel (No. 42 CPL) has been a little slow to adapt to AA after an excellent year in High-A, but Friday was a nice game for him, as he hit 2-4 with a double and 3 runs batted in, before not playing on Saturday. Left fielder Jack Payton struck out in both at-bats on Friday, but went 3-4 with 2 doubles on Saturday, albeit with a strikeout an an error. Villarroel, a 21-year old righty, has a .565 OPS and a 53 wRC+ through 16 games with Richmond; Payton, a just-turned 25-year old righty, has a .739 OPS and a 101 wRC+ through 71 games at the level.Jancel splits the gap to score a pair in the sixth and we’re back in front 😤 pic.twitter.com/4Rqf3g9tBP— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) August 15, 2026Jack Payton's RBI double makes it a four-run deficit in Harrisburg pic.twitter.com/sWprWM1w5n— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) August 16, 2026Modest, but not altogether bad, weekends for the top prospects in Richmond, as shortstop/DH Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) hit 1-8 with 2 walks and a strikeout, while center fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) went 2-10 with a triple and a strikeout. Kilen, last year’s 1st-round pick, has an .863 OPS and a 125 wRC+, while Cohen, last year’s 3rd-rounder, has a .743 OPS and a 97 wRC+. Not good pitching performances. Kind of some throwback ones, though, as the stat lines look like something from a different decade for the starters: on Friday it was LHP Charlie McDaniel, who gave up 10 hits, 1 walk, and 5 runs in 6.1 innings, with 4 strikeouts; on Saturday it was LHP Tyler Switalski, who allowed 8 hits, 2 walks, and 6 runs in 4.1 innings, though he struck out 8. Both pitchers are having a very difficult time adjusting to life in AA, as McDaniel has a 5.23 ERA and a 4.42 FIP, while Switalski has a 9.00 ERA and a 6.84 FIP. Switalski’s homer numbers in his short career are one of the more odd things you’ll see. The 2024 16th-rounder debuted last year and, across 96.2 innings in Low-A and High-A gave up just 3 home runs. This year? He’s doubled that figure through 6 AA starts alone, and in 100.2 innings across High-A and AA has ceded 19 big flies. High-A Eugene (69-44)Friday: Eugene Emeralds beat the Hillsboro Hops 6-5 [box score]Saturday: Eugene Emeralds beat the Hillsboro Hops 8-4 [box score]Sunday: Eugene Emeralds beat the Hillsboro Hops 5-3 [box score]And with that, the Emeralds are flying high once more, and float into the off-day with a 4-game winning streak. 25 games above .500! Must be nice.It was all about the long ball for the Emeralds, who used 7 home runs over the weekend, with the big fly accounting for 11 of their 19 runs. That included one from the organizational leader, as center fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL) stayed juuuust ahead of Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) by bopping his 24th homer of the year, as part of a 3-11 weekend that also featured a double, a walk, an outfield assist, and 2 strikeouts. And with that, Diaz can kiss his splendid time in the Pacific Northwest goodbye, as he’s using the off-day to fly across the country and join AA Richmond. An incredibly well deserved promotion for the recently-turned 21-year old, who has been on an absolute tear this summer. Since the start of July, the right-hander from Cuba has hit a stunning 51-154, with 14 home runs, total 24 extra-base hits, and 6 walks, and 25 strikeouts. He ends his time in High-A with an .843 OPS, a 114 wRC+, and just a 16.7% strikeout rate. He’ll need to learn to be more selective at higher levels — both to keep the power up and add to the paltry 3.6% walk rate — but my goodness there is a very talented player in there!You’re seeing this right… Lisbel Diaz went yard again!His 21st HR of the year puts the Ems up 4-1 in this contest#RootedHerepic.twitter.com/eZleSximPR— Eugene Emeralds (@EugeneEmeralds) August 16, 2026All-or-nothing weekends for a pair of prospects with big power bats, right fielder Cam Maldonado (No. 34 CPL) and left fielder Walker Martin. Maldonado hit just 2-11 with 2 strikeouts and a stolen base, but smashed a 2-run bomb; Martin went 3-12 with 4 strikeouts and an error, but had a solo blast and a double. Maldonado has shown off the power since a recent promotion, as he has 3 dingers in just 8 games with Eugene, giving last year’s 7th-round pick an .842 OPS and a 112 wRC+. Martin, who is now playing left field after starting his career at shortstop and later moving to third, is up to 18 homers on the year, but still has just a .721 OPS, an 89 wRC+, and a 33.7% strikeout rate.No job is too big for Cam Maldonado!The Ems OF crushes a HR 432 feet off the batter’s eye to retake the leads#RootedHerepic.twitter.com/dvItXVfYfS— Eugene Emeralds (@EugeneEmeralds) August 17, 2026Also continuing his high-homer season was third baseman Zander Darby, who is getting the bulk of the reps at the hot corner now that Martin is in the outfield. Darby has had a few issues this year, namely with strikeouts, but he’s been a home run machine and has a strong overall line. He had a game that epitomized his season, going 3-11 with a 2-run blast, a double, and a sacrifice fly, but striking out 5 times. The 23-year old, taken in the 12th round in 2024, has 16 homers on the year, along with an .825 OPS and a 116 wRC+ … but a 31.4% strikeout rate. Some adjustments need to be made, but there’s certainly something there!Catcher Daniel Rogers logged his 1st homer at the level, going 3-5 with a big fly and a double.Daniel Rogers is on the board! His first High-A HR puts the Ems on top early#RootedHerepic.twitter.com/XEfufG1jaf— Eugene Emeralds (@EugeneEmeralds) August 16, 2026But no one could compete with designated hitter Robert Hipwell, who went 3-10 with a pair of home runs, though he struck out 4 times. It’s been a tough year for Hipwell, the team’s 6th-round pick in 2024. He has just a .174 batting average and a 42.5% strikeout rate with Eugene, though a 16.9% walk rate has boosted his .665 OPS up to an 86 wRC+. He’s gonna need a lot more weekends like this to save his prospect status, though, especially since he’s a bat-first corner infielder/DH.Two consecutive days with a HR for Robert Hipwell!Hipwell’s 6th HR of the year left the yard at 105 mph to tie this game up at 1#RootedHere@HipwellRobertpic.twitter.com/sBDcFtp8cI— Eugene Emeralds (@EugeneEmeralds) August 16, 2026Shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) didn’t climb the home run leaderboards like that quintet of players, but he continued his excellent season, hitting 3-9 with a double, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 2 stolen bases. The 19-year old switch-hitter just looks unbelievably comfortable against Northwest League pitchers, and through 54 games has an .849 OPS and a 125 wRC+, with 8 stolen bases and just a 16.9% strikeout rate. Even those of us who were extremely bullish on Level didn’t expect him to hit this well this quickly in High-A! He’s setting himself up for a no-question AA assignment to open 2027, when he’ll turn 20 right as the season is kicking off. Don’t pinch yourself, you’re not dreaming!!RHP Niko Mazza had a stellar start on Friday, throwing 6.1 brilliant innings while allowing just 3 hits, 2 walks, and 1 run, with 8 strikeouts. The 2024 8th-rounder had an ERA that lived in the 2s for much of the season, but it went from 2.50 to 4.10 with a quartet of ugly starts in late July and early August. But with this outing, he announced that he is back to his old run-suppressing ways!Mazza, who now has a 3.91 ERA and a 4.22 FIP on the year, still needs to get his walks in check — he’s issued 5.1 per 9 innings — but pretty much everything else in his profile is shining. He’s striking out 10.2 batters per 9 innings, and has only allowed 68 hits in 92 innings. Also, try this on for consistency when it comes to baserunners allowed: he’s pitched 92 innings, with 68 hits and 52 walks. Last year, in 93.1 innings? 68 hits and 52 walks. Wild! LHP Luis De La Torre (No. 14 CPL) had another rough go of it, giving up 3 hits, 3 walks, and 1 run in just 3 innings, with 2 strikeouts, while only throwing 36 of 62 pitches for strikes. LDLT has really had the exact same story all year long: so many strikeouts (10.9 per 9) and so few hits (65 in 91.2 innings), but so many walks (7.3 per 9), too many homers (10), and way too many runs (5.20 ERA, 5.23 FIP). RHPs Gerelmi Maldonado (No. 21 CPL) and Marty Gair, who have some of the nastiest stuff in the system but struggle to harbor it, both pitched, with predictable results. Maldonado struck out 2 in a scoreless inning, but allowed a hit and 2 walks, while Gair gave up 2 walks in a no-hit inning, with 1 strikeout. Maldonado has a 3.14 ERA, a 6.30 FIP, and 40 strikeouts to 38 walks in 28.2 innings; Gair has a 4.35 ERA and a 3.82 FIP across 2 levels and 2 organizations, with 71 strikeouts to 25 walks in 39.1 innings. Low-A San Jose (64-50)Friday: San Jose Giants beat the Fresno Grizzlies 6-4 [box score]Saturday: San Jose Giants beat the Fresno Grizzlies 9-2 [box score]Sunday: San Jose Giants beat the Fresno Grizzlies 10-9 (11 innings) [box score]The Baby Giants, like the Emeralds, cruise into the off-day on a 4-game winning streak. And they sure did it in style, as Sunday’s game was pure drama. San Jose trailed 8-5 going into the bottom of the 9th inning, but mounted a rally, which resulted in a game-tying single by designated hitter Oliver Tejada. Oliver Tejada with a 2-RBI single to tie the game! Off to extra innings. pic.twitter.com/xQmycdZiVR— San Jose Giants (@SJGiants) August 17, 2026They trailed 9-8 going into the bottom of the 10th inning, and had 2 unproductive outs, when right fielder Tanner Mally tied things up with a clutch single.And they walked it off in the bottom of the 11th despite opening the inning with a line drive double play that erased the Manfred Man. And getting the winning knock? None other than the potential superstar in the making, Josuar González (No. 2 CPL), who singled home the winning run.JOSUAR GONZALEZ WALKS IT OFF IN THE 11th INNING! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/aVz6cwjnNq— San Jose Giants (@SJGiants) August 17, 2026González was, once again, the star on offense for San Jose. He had a brilliant trio of games, hitting 5-13 with 2 triples, a double, 3 walks, a stolen base, 2 strikeouts, and 2 errors. Josuar Gonzalez rips one into right to add on two more! pic.twitter.com/cfWNqfScB3— San Jose Giants (@SJGiants) August 16, 2026The 18-year old switch-hitter is only 77 games into his Low-A experience, but he’s already acing the test: his average (.342), isolated slugging (.211), walk rate (16.6%), OPS (1.067) and wRC+ (162) are among the very best in the league, while his strikeout rate sits at a lovely 18.2%. It’s hard to put to words how impressive he’s been, and I’m holding out hope that he has a brief introduction to High-A at the end of the year.Josuar Gonzalez with a triple to send three home! That's his third triple this week. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vxCxIrdGws— San Jose Giants (@SJGiants) August 17, 2026Interestingly, González played second base in all of these games, while Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL) played short. Previously, the pair had been switching off on a day-by-day basis … it’s unclear if the Giants are wanting to now switch series by series (as Jhonny Level and Gavin Kilen did in Eugene), or if they’re temporarily moving González to second base in hopes that it will be less stressful on his body, as he’s pulled his hamstring twice this year.As for Hernández, he’s been coming along slowly at the level, but hit 6-15 over the weekend, albeit with 6 strikeouts. The numbers are ugly for Hernández, as he has a .634 OPS, a 59 wRC+, and a 30.3% strikeout rate, but that’s to be expected for a 17-year old in his debut season. Enjoy the Luis Hernandez RBI single, stay for Josuar Gonzalez FLYING to score from first… pic.twitter.com/2odoh5q5Fy— San Jose Giants (@SJGiants) August 16, 2026It was a balanced offensive weekend, as the Baby Giants scored a lot of runs but, other than González, no one really stood out. Mally, a 17th-rounder who is still the only player from the team’s 2026 class to debut, hit 3-10 with 2 walks, a hit by pitch, a sacrifice fly, and 2 strikeouts, bringing his OPS to 1.020 and his wRC+ to 159 through 9 games. Center fielder Andy Polanco had a nice time out, hitting 6-12 with a double, 2 walks, a stolen base, and 3 strikeouts. Polanco, a 2024 11th-rounder in his 2nd season, has been all about the defense and the swiped bags (he has 36), while his hitting has lagged (.722 OPS, 81 wRC+, 30.9% strikeout rate). Another day, another RBI knock for Tanner Mally! Giants up 3-1 in the 5th. pic.twitter.com/RR0wOcM32X— San Jose Giants (@SJGiants) August 16, 2026Friday was an exciting game, as RHP Miguel Mendez made his organizational debut. Mendez, who came over in the Robbie Ray trade, had only pitched once since mid-June, so this was a rehab assignment. He wasn’t very sharp, as he gave up 2 hits and a hit batter in 2.1 innings, with just 1 strikeout, which tagged him for a run despite the fact that he didn’t allow any hits. It’ll be interesting to see if the Giants assign Mendez to High-A and or AA when he’s up to speed … or just keep him rehabbing in a low-pressure environment for the rest of the year.Also rehabbing was RHP R.J. Dabovich, who pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout. Dabovich has now made 3 rehab appearances and has pitched wonderfully. Great to see him healthy at long last; it had been far too long since he’d pitched regularly.LHP Leandro Rodriguez had his best start since getting promoted, as he gave up just 3 singles, 0 walks, and 1 run in 4.2 innings, while striking out 5 batters. The 20-year old had an awesome stateside debut in the ACL this year … he only had a 4.18 ERA and a 4.35 FIP, but finished with 11.0 strikeouts to 2.1 walks per 9 innings. He was especially strong late, as he had a 40-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his June and July starts in Arizona. Nice to see that show up in his 4th Cal League appearance. More struggles for RHP Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL), who needed 59 pitches to get through 3 innings, allowing 3 hits, 3 walks, and 2 runs, while striking out 4. After starting to get his walks in check in July — he issued just 4 free passes in 19 innings — Martinez’s pair of August starts have featured a combined 6 walks in 4 innings, with 9 earned runs. He’s up to a 5.42 ERA and a 5.21 FIP, and while the walks (5.1 per 9) remain a concern, the strikeouts (13.2 per 9) give you reason to dream.Dominican Summer League Black (34-20)Friday: DSL Giants Black lost to DSL Arizona Red 7-6 (7 innings) [box score]Saturday: DSL Giants Black lost to DSL Arizona Red 18-6 (7 innings) [box score]Awesome weekend for the Camacaro brothers. Shorstop/third baseman Keiberg hit 2-7 with a home run, a walk, a stolen base, and a strikeout, while second baseman Alexander went 3-6 with a home run and a walk. Keiberg, who is about to turn 20, has a 1.014 OPS and a 152 wRC+ in his 4th DSL season; Alexander, who is about to turn 19, has an .807 OPS and a 105 wRC+ in his 2nd season.Shortstop Joniel Hernandez, who continues to look like the steal of the Giants 2026 trade deadline, hit 4-7 with a home run, a walk, and a stolen base, while getting caught stealing once. The 17-year old righty in his debut season has a .966 OPS, a 135 wRC+, 10 stolen bases, and just a 15.5% strikeout rate. He is going to find himself positively flying up prospect boards.Dominican Summer League Orange (30-23)Friday: DSL Giants Orange beat the DSL Mariners 7-4 (7 innings) [box score]Saturday: DSL Giants Orange beat the DSL Tigers 1, 5-3 (7 innings) [box score]The star in these games was center fielder Jose Valdez, who is quietly putting together a super strong debut season. The 17-year old lefty hit 1-4 in these games, with a 3-run home run, 3 walks, and 2 stolen bases. He has an .860 OPS and a 112 wRC+ on the season, with 6 home runs and 12 stolen bases. That might not be enough to get him a ticket to Papago come 2027, but it should certainly put him on people’s radars. Home run tracker24 — Lisbel Diaz — [21 in High-A; 3 in Low-A]23 — Bo Davidson x2 — [4 in AAA; 19 in AA]18 — Walker Martin — [High-A]17 — Cam Maldonado — [3 in High-A; 14 in Low-A]16 — Zander Darby — [High-A]7 — Keiberg Camacaro — [DSL]6 — Robert Hipwell x2 — [High-A]6 — Joniel Hernandez — [DSL]6 — Jose Valdez — [DSL]5 — Daniel Rogers — [1 in High-A; 4 in Low-A]4 — Dennys Riera — [DSL]3 — Dayson Croes — [1 in AAA; 2 in AA]3 — Alexander Camacaro — [DSL]

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 11: Mason Barnett #63 of the Athletics pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays in the top of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on August 11, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images This past weekend, the Athletics finished the homestand on a positive note, winning two of three games against the Texas Rangers for their first series victory at Sutter Health Park since the end of May. The A’s will look to carry that momentum into this roadtrip, which begins tonight with the first of a four-game series against the Kansas City Royals. Both teams entered this season with playoff expectations, yet find themselves in last place in their respective mediocre divisions with two of the three worst records in the league.A major reason behind the A’s success against the Rangers was their starting pitching, as all three starters tossed six solid innings, giving the Green and Gold the chance to win each game. Tonight, A’s right-hander Mason Barnett will start the series opener in Kansas City, looking to deliver his best outing since joining the starting rotation and give the team another quality start.The 25-year-old enters his 18th appearance and fourth start of the season with a 1-3 record, a 6.16 ERA, a 1.45 WHIP and 36 strikeouts over 38 innings. After lasting five innings in his first start a few weeks ago, Barnett has failed to make it past four innings in his last two outings. Most recently, he took the loss against the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing five runs on five hits and three walks over four innings pitched.With the A’s not receiving an off day in between these two series, the team needs Barnett to pitch efficiently and effectively. Today would be as good a day as any for the youngster to earn his first win as a starting pitcher this year. Additionally, a quality start could help him maintain his place in the rotation. Veteran left-hander Jeffrey Springs will return from the injured list soon. He will likely replace either Barnett or tomorrow’s scheduled starter, Jack Perkins. Here’s the A’s lineup for this evening’s road trip and series opener:New series on deck. pic.twitter.com/kQrjeLvoa3— Athletics (@Athletics) August 17, 2026The A’s starting nine features several players who have been swinging the bat well lately. First baseman Jeff McNeil put together a four-hit night, while center fielder Henry Bolte recorded back-to-back three-hit games. Right fielder Lawrence Butler is on a much-needed hot streak, homering in four of his past five games. Speaking of home runs, third baseman Tommy White finally lived up to his “Tommy Tanks” nickname by hitting his first major league home run yesterday. Zack Gelof, who will serve as the designated hitter, has been one of this season’s pleasant surprises, from his offensive prowess to his newfound defensive versatility. Those players, along with banged-up shortstop Jacob Wilson, will need to capitalize on any scoring opportunities the A’s get today. There may not be many, as the A’s will face Royals right-hander and 2026 MLB All-Star Michael Wacha. The 35-year-old enters his 25th start of the season with a 5-8 record, a 3.46 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP and 117 strikeouts over 150 2/3 innings.Wacha has gone winless over his past seven starts, although he has pitched well, posting a 3.86 ERA during that stretch. He received a no-decision in his last start against the Los Angeles Dodgers after allowing three runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings. Wacha will look to fare better after losing to the Athletics earlier this season in Sacramento. In that April outing, the veteran pitcher allowed four runs on eight hits over five innings, yet he was facing a more complete lineup than the A’s current injury-depleted group. Will the A’s offense do damage against Wacha again, or will the Royals right-hander shut them down?And Kansas City’s’ starting nine looks like this:Opening the homestand with a four-game set vs. the A's. pic.twitter.com/Da1hVH79E4— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) August 17, 2026The Royals still revolve around shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.,who is one of the best players in the sport. Young slugger Jac Caglianone’s emergence gives Witt protection in the lineup and adds another threat for opposing pitchers. Additionally, Kansas City’s lineup became stronger just in time for this series, as the team activated third baseman Maikel Garcia and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino from the injured list before the game.If Barnett wants to have success tonight, he must avoid hanging breaking balls and issuing free passes. That’s what Royals hitters will be looking for, as opposing hitters have teed off on his breaking pitches, hitting five home runs and posting roughly a .545 slugging percentage.Gotta win today and we need some help to get out of last place. Not just in our division, but in all of baseball. Time to make it two wins in a row. Let’s go A’s!Follow the Game:Watch:Athletics – NBCSCAListen:Athletics -Talk 650 KSTE, A’s Cast

Former Baltimore Ravens NFL football player O.J. Brigance, center, current senior advisor to player development, is pushed by a nurse outside of a committee room in Annapolis, Md., March 10, 2015, after testifying to Maryland lawmakers against a right-to-die bill. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)2026-08-17T22:35:09Z OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — O.J. Brigance, who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens before waging an unyielding battle against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, has died. He was 56.The Ravens announced Brigance’s death on Monday.“We are devastated by the awful news that we have lost O.J. Brigance,” Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said in a statement. “O.J. was a beloved legend, mentor and man to everyone who was fortunate enough to know him. He was a vibrant person who became one of the first Ravens heroes with his passionate play, including the first tackle in the 2000 Super Bowl.”Brigance was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2007. Not long after that, he and his wife, Chanda, formed the Brigance Brigade Foundation, an organization whose mission is to “equip, encourage and empower” those afflicted with ALS. Despite using a wheelchair and a communication device that translated his messages, Brigance served as senior adviser for player engagement with the Ravens, a job he started in 2004. In addition to assisting players in each phase of their career, Brigance proved a source of motivation within the organization.“Every day I walk by, not just to tell him how much I love him, but to tell him that he is the one thing that lets me not complain about anything,” Ravens Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis said in 2012, his final pro season. “I played with that guy. His spirit is just awesome.” Brigance is the only player to win a Canadian Football League title and a Super Bowl championship for a team in the same city, Baltimore. Read More “While winning CFL and NFL championships are great personal remembrances, I wouldn’t say any of these events define me,” he said. “Rather, they are part of an accumulation of life events which catapulted me to do what God wanted me to accomplish. If you were to remove any of those events, I wouldn’t be the same person or have the position of influence. With that being said, I consider the Brigance Brigade to be the most significant achievement of my life because of my ability to touch the lives of others.”Brigance said his career as a professional football player — he played linebacker and on special teams — helped prepare him for the fight against ALS. “Many people think football is all about strength and physical ability,” Brigance said in a 2012 interview with The Associated Press. “While these are integral parts of one’s success, the fortitude, discipline and the desire necessary to play the sport are characteristics that are readily transferrable to everyday life.”Brigance didn’t set out to be an example of how to live under difficult circumstances, but he had no intention of letting ALS get him down. He and Chanda collaborated to help and encourage others with the disease.“I have found that when adversity strikes, there is a decision to be made. We chose to respond and continue to live, and also help others living with ALS to respond also,” he said. “We have found that we have been a great encouragement not only to those within the ALS community, but to people in all walks of life.”Orenthial James Brigance was born Sept. 29, 1969 and played in college at Rice in his hometown of Houston. He began his professional career in 1991 as a linebacker for the British Columbia Lions. He played three seasons with BC, making 20 sacks in 1993, before joining the Baltimore Stallions. In his second season in Baltimore, the team won the 1995 Grey Cup. In 1996, Brigance was signed by the Miami Dolphins as a free agent. He was twice voted a team captain during his four seasons there and was the Ed Block Courage Award recipient in 1999. He was honored with the NFL Players Association’s “Unsung Hero Award” that same season.Brigance’s lone season with Baltimore was 2000. He had a team-high 10 tackles on special teams during Baltimore’s playoff run, which ended with a 34-7 win over the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.Brigance played for the St. Louis Rams in 2001 and 2002, and his final game was with New England in 2002.“I am devastated and at a loss for words. O.J. was one of the most genuine, sincere people I have ever known,” Ravens executive vice president Ozzie Newsome said. “From the moment he arrived in Baltimore, you could feel his energy. His amazing smile, welcoming nature and infectious personality made everyone around him feel like family.” And his tenacity would serve him well long after his playing days ended.___See AP’s full NFL coverage here

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Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during the inauguration ceremony for the new president of the state-run oil company Petrobras, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado, File)2026-08-17T23:20:55Z SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Monday that oil drilling in northern and northeastern coastal regions could be “a passport to the country’s future” after visiting a Petrobras offshore drilling vessel following a find announced last week near the mouth of the Amazon River.Petrobras, Brazil’s majority state-owned corporation, said on Friday that it had detected hydrocarbons during exploratory drilling about 180 kilometers (112 miles) off the coast of Amapa state. The country’s coastal regions near the mouth of the Amazon are known as the Equatorial Margin.The exploratory drilling began in October. Environmental and Indigenous groups have since sued the Brazilian government and Petrobras to halt exploration, arguing the licensing process failed to properly consult traditional communities, underestimated spill risks and did not adequately assess climate impacts. The company has long argued it has never caused spills in its drillings.“When I say ‘passport,’” Lula said, “I’m not denying my commitment to the fight for a day when we no longer need fossil fuels, because Brazil will continue to be the king of biofuel innovation and will remain a major player in renewable energy.”Lula, who faces what is expected to be a tight election in October for a fourth term as president, spoke at an official event in the municipality of Oiapoque in Amapa after visiting the vessel. Lula has pushed both for drilling and alternative energyUnder Lula, Brazil has backed the need to transition away from fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas that heat the planet and impact its climate. The position was touted at the U.N. climate summit Brazil hosted last year, and also in other forums, such as an April meeting in Colombia that focused on shifting away from fossil fuels. At the same time, the country is ramping up new drilling investments. The Equatorial Margin is believed to hold significant oil and natural gas reserves, and preliminary estimates suggest the basin could contain up to 10 billion barrels of oil, with a potential value of about 3.8 trillion reais ($720 billion).“All of our studies indicate substantial potential. This discovery confirms our findings, and we will continue exploring,” the Petrobras president, Magda Chambriard, said Monday about the latest find. The company still needs to conduct further research to determine how much oil the area contains, she added.Still, according to Shigueo Watanabe Jr., an energy expert with the Brazilian nonprofit ClimaInfo, commercial drilling remains a distant prospect at this stage. Determining whether extraction would be commercially viable would require further research that could take up to a decade. Read More Lula’s announcement appears to follow a political calendarLula spoke in Oiapoque a day after kicking off his election campaign at the Vila Euclides Stadium outside Sao Paulo — a city where he rose to political fame 47 years ago as a metalworkers union leader during the country’s 1964-1985 military dictatorship. The leftist leader, who is running against Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro — the lawmaker son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro — said Chambriard, the head of Petrobras, has told him the new-found oil is of high quality. Lula, wearing the orange uniform of oil workers, held up a small bottle of black crude oil that he described as “blessed,” and said that he would like to keep it in a safe.At stake, he said, are both “the interests of the country and the interests of the company,” referring to Petrobras. “And Amapa’s right not to end up as merely an exporter of acai and tucunare,” he said, referring to the region’s top products, the coveted berries and the freshwater fish.Displayed behind him was a huge photo of Lula from his visit to the drilling vessel earlier Monday, showing the president holding up both hands stained with black crude — a gesture he famously made in 2008, when he announced the discovery of vast offshore oil reserves in southeastern Brazil. Back then, Lula was at the height of his popularity. Now, he has become a polarizing figure, with opinion polls showing that nearly half of Brazilians approve of his administration, while a similarly large share disapprove of it.Breno Rodrigues de Messias Leite, a political scientist and professor at the Federal University of Amazonas, said Lula’s Monday trip sends an important message to voters, especially in northern Brazil and its state capitals, where he has faced criticism. “For the Amazon, the possibility of gaining access to some of the world’s largest oil reserves changes the equation,” Leite said. “Lula wants to be reelected, and he wants the states in the northern region, especially Amapa, to have an electorate that is favorable to him,” he added.___The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA Sá Pessoa covers the Brazilian Amazon rainforest for The Associated Press. She is based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. twitter mailto