Diretório

Purdue basketball will have a new look in the 2026-27 season: NCAA career assists leader Braden Smith, Boilers career 3-pointers leader Fletcher Loyer and big man Trey Kaufman-Renn are gone after becoming the recruiting class with the most wins in program history.However, given the recent rounds of NCAA rules changes, lawsuits and injunctions, any or all of them could seek more eligibility. Would coach Matt Painter take him back? He says no.The 22nd-year coach wouldn't begrudge any of them applying for more eligibility; it just wouldn't be with Purdue."Trey wouldn't apply for this ... even though everything can be battled these days," Painter said on the "Inside College Basketball" podcast with Jon Rothstein. "The other two guys, there's just no way we could take them back because these other guys, it's their turn. You've given them that word."That trio combined for more than 5,400 points and a 117-32 record. Smith is now with the Indiana Pacers, Loyer is set to enter training camp with the Los Angeles Clippers and Kaufman-Renn was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves."I wouldn't be against any one of them going somewhere else, if the money was extreme," Painter said. "I'd support that 100%."Painter acknowledged the recent stability in his program allows him the luxury to avoid bidding wars for high-profile transfers.Matt Painter talks current Purdue basketball team for 2026-27Painter told Rothstein he likes the look of his new backcourt: C.J. Cox, Gicarri Harris and Omer Mayer return, Antoine West Jr. redshirted last season and Indiana Mr. Basketball Luke Ertel is in the mix."We could put three point guards out there some of the time," noting he likes the physicality of that group.The coach's primary concern is inside physicality. The Boilers always have a lot of height, with Daniel Jacobsen (7-4) and Raleigh Burgess (6-11) returning. Painter believes Enzo Shahrvin, a 6-9 Frenchman known for his rebounding, will help Purdue keep up with the likes of Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois."Can we compete at a high level on the glass in the Big Ten? I think if that answer is yes, we can stay at a (national contender) level," Painter said. "If not, you're going to battle that possession more."Here's the full podcast: Purdue basketball roster 2026-27Returning playersC.J. Cox, junior guardAntoine West Jr., redshirt freshman guardDaniel Jacobsen, junior centerJack Benter, sophomore wingOmer Mayer, sophomore guardGicarri Harris, junior guardRaleigh Burgess, redshirt sophomore forwardSam King, redshirt senior forwardJack Lusk, senior guardJace Rayl, senior guardGrand transferCaden Pierce, from PrincetonTransfer Enzo Shahrvin, from FranceFreshmenSinan Huan, center from Georgetown Prep (Md.), via ChinaJacob Webber, guard from La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind.Rivers Knight, forward from La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind.Luke Ertel, guard from Mount Vernon in McCordsville, Ind.Nathan Baird and Sam King have the best Purdue sports coverage, and sign up for IndyStar's Boilermakers newsletter.This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue basketball coach Matt Painter wouldn't want Smith, Loyer, Kaufman-Renn back

Purdue basketball will have a new look in the 2026-27 season: NCAA career assists leader Braden Smith, Boilers career 3-pointers leader Fletcher Loyer and big man Trey Kaufman-Renn are gone after becoming the recruiting class with the most wins in program history.However, given the recent rounds of NCAA rules changes, lawsuits and injunctions, any or all of them could seek more eligibility. Would coach Matt Painter take him back? He says no.The 22nd-year coach wouldn't begrudge any of them applying for more eligibility; it just wouldn't be with Purdue."Trey wouldn't apply for this ... even though everything can be battled these days," Painter said on the "Inside College Basketball" podcast with Jon Rothstein. "The other two guys, there's just no way we could take them back because these other guys, it's their turn. You've given them that word."That trio combined for more than 5,400 points and a 117-32 record. Smith is now with the Indiana Pacers, Loyer is set to enter training camp with the Los Angeles Clippers and Kaufman-Renn was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves."I wouldn't be against any one of them going somewhere else, if the money was extreme," Painter said. "I'd support that 100%."Painter acknowledged the recent stability in his program allows him the luxury to avoid bidding wars for high-profile transfers.Matt Painter talks current Purdue basketball team for 2026-27Painter told Rothstein he likes the look of his new backcourt: C.J. Cox, Gicarri Harris and Omer Mayer return, Antoine West Jr. redshirted last season and Indiana Mr. Basketball Luke Ertel is in the mix."We could put three point guards out there some of the time," noting he likes the physicality of that group.The coach's primary concern is inside physicality. The Boilers always have a lot of height, with Daniel Jacobsen (7-4) and Raleigh Burgess (6-11) returning. Painter believes Enzo Shahrvin, a 6-9 Frenchman known for his rebounding, will help Purdue keep up with the likes of Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois."Can we compete at a high level on the glass in the Big Ten? I think if that answer is yes, we can stay at a (national contender) level," Painter said. "If not, you're going to battle that possession more."Here's the full podcast: Purdue basketball roster 2026-27Returning playersC.J. Cox, junior guardAntoine West Jr., redshirt freshman guardDaniel Jacobsen, junior centerJack Benter, sophomore wingOmer Mayer, sophomore guardGicarri Harris, junior guardRaleigh Burgess, redshirt sophomore forwardSam King, redshirt senior forwardJack Lusk, senior guardJace Rayl, senior guardGrand transferCaden Pierce, from PrincetonTransfer Enzo Shahrvin, from FranceFreshmenSinan Huan, center from Georgetown Prep (Md.), via ChinaJacob Webber, guard from La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind.Rivers Knight, forward from La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind.Luke Ertel, guard from Mount Vernon in McCordsville, Ind.Nathan Baird and Sam King have the best Purdue sports coverage, and sign up for IndyStar's Boilermakers newsletter.This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue basketball coach Matt Painter wouldn't want Smith, Loyer, Kaufman-Renn back

Reggie Walsh played for Chelsea in pre-season [Getty Images]Wigan Athletic have signed Chelsea midfielder Reggie Walsh and Manchester City midfielder Charlie Gray on season-long loan deals.Walsh, 17, has made four senior appearances for the Premier League side and became their third-youngest player when he made his debut against Djurgarden in the Conference League in May 2025.Gray, 20, has been with City since he was an under-9 and made his senior debut against Brentford in the Carabo Cup last December.Both players could feature for Gary Cadwell's side in Saturday's League One game at home to Leyton Orient."It's the perfect stepping stone I need in my career. Being 17, I need to play men's football, and I believe this is the perfect environment for me to be in and build my career," Walsh told the club website.All done deals in August 2026All the latest Wigan Athletic news

Anel Ahmedhodzic made 103 league appearances for Sheffield United [Getty Images]Burnley have signed Feyenoord defender Anel Ahmedhodzic for an undisclosed fee on a four-year deal.The 27-year-old Bosnia international joined the Dutch side from Sheffield United last summer and made 35 appearances in all competitions.He is Burnley's seventh summer signing as they look to win promotion back to the Premier League this season."I've played at Turf Moor against Burnley before and it's always been a really good atmosphere, I'm excited to call it home," he told the club website.He could feature for the Clarets in Sunday's Championship trip to West Bromwich Albion.All done deals in August 2026Latest Burnley news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Burnley - what do you want to know?

Gen. Christopher LaNeve, vice chief of staff of the Army, testifies at the Capitol in Washington, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)2026-08-20T21:25:14Z WASHINGTON (AP) — An Army unit based in Europe that was specializing in drone warfare has been directed to end its efforts to learn and use the battlefield technology and return to being a traditional infantry battalion, officials said Thursday.For more nearly a year, soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade have been experimenting and building their own drones, as well as participating in drills on waging unmanned warfare after Ukraine pioneered such tactics in its yearslong conflict with Russia. Last November, 600 soldiers formed a battalion that specialized in drone warfare and was set up to be used as a dedicated unit that could deploy anywhere drones were required.Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army’s acting chief of staff, has ordered the battalion to refocus on its core mission of being an airborne infantry unit, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal Army deliberations. The Wall Street Journal earlier reported the change. The move comes amid a broader reshuffling of the Army under LaNeve, who has been its top uniformed leader since Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suddenly ousted Gen. Randy George in April.The decision also comes despite the Iran war showing the need for the U.S. to learn lessons about drone warfare from Ukraine. Iran has deployed its low-cost Shahed drones against ships and bases, killing U.S. troops, downing an Army helicopter and forcing the military to expend precious supplies of advanced interceptors.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in March that Ukrainian officials were helping five countries in the Middle East and Gulf region counter Iranian drone attacks, while the United States and European countries were among others that had requested support. Drone unit had expected to continue its work before Army leader’s oustingThe overall 173rd Airborne Brigade, which is based in Italy and Germany, has been involved in drone warfare even before last November. In May 2025, the Army highlighted that soldiers from the brigade were designing and building their own attack drones in a new “first-person view (FPV) drone lab” at Caserma Del Din, Italy. Read More Its commander at the time, Col. Joshua Gaspard, said in an Army media post that his soldiers “see videos of FPV drones in Ukraine all over Instagram and the news media” and they were “excited to be using these systems.”The unit also dabbled in artificial intelligence, which Hegseth has been pushing, and designing drones resistant to jamming. This is our AP Ground Game newsletter. You can subscribe below and we will email it you 3 times per week. Sign up for the Ground Game Newsletter: Your guide to the biggest stories in politics, policy and U.S. elections. 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 site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. An Army statement said the specialized drone unit will wrap up its experimentation following two major exercises in Germany this month and next, then “deliver what it learned there, together with the past year’s findings, to the Army to inform force design and future experimentation.” A third official, who, like the others, spoke on condition of anonymity to detail internal moves, noted the expectation was always that the exercises would be a “culminating event” for the drone battalion and that its future would then be reevaluated. During George’s tenure, most expected the unit to continue its work in drone warfare, the official said.“The unit was tasked to study and absorb lessons from dedicated unmanned systems forces, including those developed by the Ukrainian armed forces, and to provide that feedback to the Army in support of the Department’s direction to accelerate U.S. military drone dominance,” the Army said in a statement. The Army had previously prioritized efforts to use dronesIntegrating drones into the Army’s tactics was a major focus for LaNeve’s predecessor. George, alongside Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, last year rolled out what they called the Army Transformation Initiative, which pushed to add “modernized (unmanned aircraft systems) into formations.”George, who became Army chief of staff under President Joe Biden, regularly spoke about the need to accelerate development of new drone systems and get them in the hands of regular soldiers, not just specialized units. After George was ousted without explanation in April, LaNeve took his place. He was George’s deputy and an officer whose career has seen a meteoric rise under Hegseth.LaNeve was commanding the U.S. Eighth Army in South Korea when he called in to the Commander in Chief Ball during President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2025 and welcomed him back to office. In March 2025, LaNeve was transferred to the Pentagon, where he became Hegseth’s top military adviser. Trump then nominated LaNeve to be the Army’s vice chief of staff last October.In a guiding memo for the Army published Wednesday, LaNeve argued that “the next war will not look like our last” and that soldiers need to “learn, innovate, and adapt faster by pairing our human ingenuity and judgment with advanced technologies like autonomy and artificial intelligence.”However, the memo does not mention drones and closes by arguing that “there are timeless truths in war.” “This is the Army we must be: disciplined, lethal, and relentless — an Army that closes with and destroys the enemy, leaving no doubt about the will and power of the United States,” the document says.

This photo provided by Kenya Red Cross shows Kenya Red Cross emergency response teams during a multi-agency rescue and recovery operation in response to a helicopter crash near Mt. Ololokwe in Samburu, Kenya, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Kenya Red Cross via AP) ADDITION: Removes reference to killed tourists2026-08-20T21:21:48Z MIAMI (AP) — The family of a Miami restaurateur say they are “devastated and heartbroken” after he and six others were killed by a safari helicopter crash in a remote part of northern Kenya.A helicopter crashed Wednesday morning while flying from the Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County, according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. Roger Duarte, founder and owner of George Stone Crab, was identified by family members as a passenger. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, officials said. The U.S. State Department said five of those killed were U.S. citizens.“The magnitude of this tragedy is impossible to comprehend, and there are no words to express the depth of our pain,” the statement from Duarte’s family said. “We ask that you keep them all and everyone who loved them in your prayers.” The statement also named the five other passengers and the pilot.Among those killed were an executive with Telemundo, the U.S.-based Spanish-language network owned by NBCUniversal, and the director of Ecuador’s national intelligence service.José Suárez was the president and general manager of the Telemundo-owned stations in Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers, Florida. Telemundo and NBCUniversal executives called Suárez a deeply respected leader and beloved friend in a memo sent to staff and obtained by The Associated Press“José was an exceptional colleague and mentor to many,” the message said. “He cared deeply about his teams, the communities they served and the essential role our stations play in people’s lives. He brought energy, humor, warmth and a strong sense of purpose to his work, and his impact was felt far beyond the stations he led.” Michele Sensi-Contugi, director of the Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center, died in the crash, along with his wife, fashion designer Stephany Hollihan. Read More “In this moment of deep sorrow, the government extends its heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones and close associates,” Ecuador’s presidency said in a statement posted on X. Sensi-Contugi, a friend and close associate of Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, and Hollihan were visiting Kenya as tourists. She was a U.S. and Ecuadorian citizen. They are survived by their two children. The last two passengers were identified as Adam Hlavaty and Henry Parra, a South Florida married couple. Hlavaty was a real estate executive and co-founder of a development company called MRKT Group. Parra co-founded and helped manage an aviation maintenance company for nearly three decades after serving in the U.S. Navy as an aviation support tech. 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. Parra’s former company said in a statement that he was a builder in every sense of the word.“Henry was also deeply committed to the Miami community, generously supporting charitable organizations and initiatives that created opportunities for others and strengthened the city he called home,” the statement said.The pilot was identified as Josh Outram, founder of Africa Heli Adventures. A conservation group called Save the Elephants posted their condolences on Facebook.“Josh worked briefly with Save the Elephants as one of our dedicated and experienced fixed wing pilots, and we are deeply saddened by his passing,” a post said. The helicopter crashed in a rugged area in the foothills of Mount Ololokwe, a popular tourist destination in the country, local media reported. The helicopter, owned by local company Lady Lori Helicopters, was carrying guests with travel company &Beyond. Lady Lori Helicopters said in a statement that the aircraft was operating a charter flight when it crashed.Tropic Air Kenya, a local safari operator, said in a statement that it dispatched two of its helicopters to aid search and rescue operations.The aviation authority said the aircraft was a Eurocopter EC130 B4.Helicopter crashes have happened with increasing regularity in Kenya, which has a vibrant tourism industry that depends on domestic carriers to ferry visitors to distant places like Mount Ololokwe.In February, a legislator was among six people who died after a helicopter crash in a hilly area of western Kenya.

A microbiologist points out an isolated E. coli growth on an agar plate at the Washington State Department of Health, Nov. 3, 2015, in Shoreline, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)2026-08-20T21:20:56Z NEW YORK (AP) — Minnesota health officials are warning consumers not to eat certain brands of alfalfa sprouts that have been tied to an unusual outbreak involving different disease-causing bacteria. Officials say 23 people in Minnesota have become ill with either E. coli or salmonella infections, with two of them hospitalized. Three had salmonella, and one of them also had a strain of E. coli bacteria called STEC O168:H8. Seven other people were sickened with a different version of E. coli, called STEC O103:H25. Thirteen more had yet another strain, STEC O26:H11.Wisconsin investigators have identified another 18 cases of illness tied to alfalfa sprouts, Minnesota officials said.The illnesses are being linked to alfalfa sprouts produced by Everything Sprouts, a Minnesota grower, and sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands to restaurants and grocery stores, Minnesota officials said. Minnesota investigators say they are working with Wisconsin and federal health officials to pinpoint the source and scope of contamination.Food poisoning outbreaks tend to be defined by one type of germ. “It’s very unusual to have two bugs,” said Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer who has worked on food safety cases for decades. But it’s not surprising that alfalfa sprouts might be the culprit, he added. It’s easy for the seeds to harbor contaminants, it’s difficult to clean them, and it’s easy for contaminants to spread when they are grown in warm water, Marler said.Shiga toxin-producing E. coli — or STEC — can cause stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea. Infections can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe complication that involves acute kidney failure and other severe problems. Read More Salmonella poisoning can cause diarrhea, fever, severe vomiting, dehydration and stomach cramps.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. MIKE STOBBE Stobbe mainly covers public health for The Associated Press. twitter mailto

Multipurpose rooms, because of the nature of what they are (essentially combining two separate spaces, with their own goals and needs, into one), can easily become overwhelming and a headache. For June Cruz, that room was her dual laundry room and mudroom. It had no storage or organization, which made it a dysfunctional area. “It was essentially a drop zone for our coats, shoes, and bags, as well as our weekly laundry,” June describes. READ MORE...

With practice having been over for 30 minutes Thursday, Aug. 20, one Cincinnati Bearcats player remained on the field near the student section.Doing a version of shadow boxing, he would get into a three-point stance, then rise up, dodging mythical blockers. He then went to the goalpost and worked on a move around it as if it were an all-league left tackle.Thomas Johnson is one of 22 transfers, coming from UNC-Central, where he had 12 sacks, 49 tackles and 18 tackles for loss. Like several Bearcats, he's trying to prove he belongs in power conference football.UC Bearcats football depth chart UC Bearcats football depth chart projections, takeaways on Aug. 17UC Bearcats football scrimmage 5 takeaways from Cincinnati Bearcats dress rehearsal scrimmage Aug. 15"I'm an HBCU guy," Johnson said. "You've got to earn your respect."Wearing the black shirts, the defense has embraced new coordinator Nate Woody's 3-4 blitzing, aggressive attack. Likewise, the offense has benefited, as every score is earned. Come Sept. 5, Johnson will be looking at that Nippert Stadium student section again with his teammates on the major conference stage.5 takeaways from Cincinnati Bearcats Aug. 20 training camp 1. Cincinnati Bearcats set tone Aug. 20 with major tackleIn an early 11-on11 drill, UC quarterback JC French IV flipped a screen pass to running back Cole Tabb. Tabb has been tough to bring down in practice, but on this morning it was "3-on-3" as offense No. 3 collided with defensive player No. 3, Antwan Peek Jr. Even for a practice thud, it was a violent collision.Peek grinned through his helmet and liked the hit. Oddly, so did Tabb."That's definitely a little wake-up to get you ready for the season," Tabb said. "Sometimes you kind of want that physicality. He's a great player that brings a lot of speed and awesome power. He helps me prepare for what I'm going to see in the season."Said UC linebacker Damaine Wilson, "His bloodline just shows what type of player he's going to be or that he is. Seeing that was nothing new. He does that every day."2. UC Bearcats backup quarterback battle JC French IV is pretty well set as the starter, but Samaj Jones and Liam O'Brien have traded off reps after him. Jones had a good scrimmage last week, and both players have been impressive with their run-pass option plays and their ability to scramble.The cerebral O'Brien from the Ivy League (Penn) could be on the job in investment banking, but is taking advantage of a final year of eligibility to play Big 12 football."Liam's probably the smartest quarterback I've been around," UC co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Pete Thomas said. "We have to pull him back a little bit. He wants all the information, all the checks. He's so smart, he overthinks a little bit. It's fun having him in the room to pick his brain a little bit."Thomas said each quarterback dedicates the season to someone and puts a picture up on the wall. O'Brien dedicated his to his parents, then revealed the family tree included grads from Cornell, Harvard, Yale and MIT."Some stuff he says goes right over our heads," Thomas said.3. UC's offensive line remains in headlinesJust days after guard Evan Tengesdahl was named a First Team Associated Press Preseason All-American, left tackle Joe Cotton was named to the Panini Senior Bowl watch list. The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Sioux Falls, South Dakota native started all 13 games at left tackle for Cincinnati last fall, anchoring an offensive unit that allowed the fewest sacks (8.0) and tackles for loss (43.0) in the Power Four. His performance earned him All-Big 12 honors and an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week nod following a dominant performance against Iowa State. He's also on this season's Outland Trophy Watch List.Canadian Nolan Latulippe has been selected as one of the top professional prospects in Canada, earning the No. 12 spot in the Canadian Football League (CFL) Scouting Bureau's Preseason edition of the Class of 2027 prospect rankings. The 6-foot-8, 315-pound Latulippe will see time at tackle this season.4. UC fans should get to know LB Damaine WilsonThe Bearcats have recently had some luck getting linebackers to the NFL with Ivan Pace Jr. and Jake Golday with the Vikings and Jack Dingle with the Bengals. Now joining Jonathan Thompson, Simeon Coleman, Montay Weedon and Brian Simms III is Wilson from Georgia State, who is expected to be a starter.Wilson is 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds."I'm really just a dog; I go get to the ball any way I can," Wilson said. "I strive to be great. When you talk to God every day, you have to live up to what the hype is. Sometimes the hype can get to your head."Wilson is learning a lot from senior Thompson, who is on the Preseason Butkus Award list, and he was influenced to come to Cincinnati based on the number of linebackers they've sent to the NFL."Jake Golday, I texted him before I committed," Wilson said. "I asked him how is Coach Bras (linebackers coach Cort Braswell). He was like, 'He got me to the league,' so why not?"5. Who mans middle for UC Bearcats defensive line?Marques Parker and Thomas Johnson look to be outside starters, but the nose tackle position could be a variety of guys. Southern Illinois transfer Elijah Gunn at 6-foot and 307 pounds and freshman Jonathan Rulo at 6-foot-1 and 320 pounds could get time, as will 6-foot-2, 335-pound speedy specimen Josh Hough."Josh Hough has had a good training camp getting himself ready to play," defensive line coach Walter Stewart said. "He's a college running back, so he's still got some of that athleticism. It's really impressive. That's a big man that can move."Stewart also likes the production he's seen from Johnson, who he describes as a "20 TFL guy and a violent player". As for the chatty Parker, Stewart says the guys use some of his sayings as motivation and that he's good at rallying the troops."He's a talker, that's just who he is," Stewart said.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC Bearcats defense swarming, popping as end of training camp nears

When the Pittsburgh Steelers defense takes the field at the start of Friday's preseason game against the New York Jets, they will do so against Jets starting quarterback Geno Smith. New York beat reporter Connor Hughes is reporting that the Jets plan to start Smith on Friday.It is unclear how much the Steelers plan to play their starters on defense but no matter who is on the field, this will be a great test for the defense. This is especially true in the secondary, where defensive backs Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey remain on the PUP list. Sources: #Jets QB Geno Smith will start tomorrow’s game against the #Steelers— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) August 20, 2026On the other side, Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy said neither of the team's top two quarterbacks will play. Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph are getting the night off and it will be youngsters Will Howard and Drew Allar splitting the game as McCarthy continues the evaluation process.It is assumed that rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik will replace Smith after his allotted time. Klubnik was very good in his rookie preseason debut last week.This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers vs Jets: Geno Smith to start vs Pittsburgh in preseason showdown

Reds center fielder Dane Myers had played 82 games in the outfield this season without making an error for Cincinnati. That changed on Thursday at the absolute worst time. With the Reds up a run on the Cardinals and two outs in the ninth, JJ Wetherholt hit a seemingly harmless fly ball to left field that should have ended the game. Yet, left fielder TJ Friedl — a regular center fielder — was battling the sun. And Myers came running in to call off Friedl.That was when everything unraveled. After calling off Friedl, Myers reached for the ball only to have it deflect off his glove. Notice that Myers had his sunglasses on top of his hat, which probably didn't help matters. Two runs scored on the error, and the Cardinals ended up piling on for a six-run ninth. DANE MYERS DROPS THE FINAL OUT AND THE CARDINALS LEAD pic.twitter.com/QwHkpZ8L8B— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 20, 2026Despite the demoralizing error and the sudden five-run hole, the Reds did make a rally in the bottom half of the ninth. But the Cardinals held on to win, 10-5. The scene after the game said it all. Myers remained in the dugout alone in a state of disbelief. Dane Myers is still in The Reds dugout reflecting on the error of the season. pic.twitter.com/PZmqzrv4gp— SDQL GURU (@sdqlguru) August 20, 2026He told reporters after the game: "Shaded over a good bit. We had talked before the play. Anything in that gap with how we were shaded was supposed to be mine," Myers said. "So, I know the sun may have been tough. Pretty loud for the last out of a game. I called him off and just didn't make the play."It was a play he had to make, and he knew it. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Reds center fielder had demoralized postgame reaction after dropping would-be final out

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints took to the spotlight with their fight-filled joint practice earlier this week—and the NFL took notice.Over the past few seasons, the league has cracked down on what it considers bad sportsmanship, from taunting and excessive celebrations to gestures mimicking firearms. Now, it looks like joint-practice brawls could be the next item on the NFL’s hit list.Dallas Cowboys-New Orleans Saints Brawl Gets ExpensiveSep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) runs with the ball during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn ImagesCredit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConnectAccording to Mark Maske of Front Office Sports on X, the NFL has fined both the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints $500,000 each following their fight-filled joint practice at the Cowboys’ summer home in Oxnard, California, earlier this week.The league also reminded teams that they were warned ahead of training camp about their responsibility to keep unsportsmanlike behavior in check at joint practices—particularly when things have the potential to turn dangerous and cause injuries.The NFL said: “The Competition Committee has made sportsmanship—including at joint practices—a point of emphasis over the past several years. All clubs were reminded by memo prior to training camp of their responsibility in preventing unsportsmanlike behavior at joint practices…— Mark Maske (@MarkMaske) August 20, 2026And there’s already precedent for the NFL dropping the hammer on teams after joint-practice fights. The Detroit Lions and New York Giants were each slapped with $200,000 fines for their 2024 altercation.Things got heated enough between Dallas and New Orleans that Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer and Saints head coach Kellen Moore even discussed whether to pull the plug on practice early. Ultimately, though, the coaches decided to let the session run its course and finish on schedule.Schottenheimer revealed Tuesday that the NFL had requested the practice film as it reviewed the chaos for potential discipline. The $500,000 team fines can be appealed, although it remains unclear whether either franchise plans to fight the league’s ruling. Any fines handed down to individual players involved in the scraps would likely be handled by their respective teams.One of the biggest flashpoints came when Saints undrafted rookie Brock Rechsteiner tossed Cowboys eighth-year safety Jalen Thompson to the turf during one of the melees. Social media footage captured the moment, while Cowboys edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku and Saints center Erik McCoy also found themselves tangled up in the action.The NFL’s message is pretty clear: joint practices are supposed to provide valuable reps against a different opponent—not turn into a preseason fight club.And there’s little time for either side to cool off. The Cowboys and Saints are set to square off again in the preseason finale next week.

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty ImagesJames Harden has joined an elite list of NBA players featuring LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant after signing a $97 million deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.Harden has returned to the Cavaliers on a three-year contract that includes a player option for the third year and a trade kicker. During his previous stint with the team, Harden appeared in 26 regular-season games, averaging 20.5 points, 7.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds.The 11-time All-Star will now earn an estimated $32.33 million per year under the new contract.Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty ImagesJames Harden makes another splashWith the deal, Harden becomes only the fourth player in NBA history after James, Curry and Durant to eclipse $500 million in career earnings.ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the agreement on his X handle, formerly Twitter, writing: “BREAKING: James Harden has agreed to a new three-year, $97 million contract to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with a player option and a trade kicker, agents Mike Silverman, Troy Payne and Brandon Grier of Equity Sports told ESPN.”The trade kicker in the deal provides additional protection for Harden if Cleveland decides to trade him. If the Cavaliers move him, his payout would automatically increase by 15%, with the new team responsible for paying the difference.In terms of the numbers, the clause could increase his salary by around $4.85 million annually.With the Cavaliers letting go of Dean Wade, Dennis Schroder and Max Strus while bringing Harden back on a long-term deal, it will be interesting to see how Cleveland’s starting lineup takes shape alongside Donovan Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.Read more:See inside Luka Doncic’s $18k per hour private jet for LA Lakers teammatesScottie Scheffler sets season-worst record during disappointing first round at the BMW ChampionshipHow much Bryson DeChambeau has earned on LIV Golf compared to Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler on the PGA Tour

LGBTQ+ people now make up 12% of adults across the United States, a percentage accounting for roughly 26.5 million people (higher than the entire population of Florida), according to an analysis of U.S. Census data conducted by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the HRC’s educational and programmatic arm. The foundation analyzed 2.4 million entries in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Plus Survey, a self-reported federal data collection method which captured some LGBTQ+ information from 2021 through 2024, before the current presidential administration removed sexual orientation and gender identity measures from hundreds of federal data collections. The foundation’s analysis estimates that among U.S. adults, 2.34% are transgender or gender expansive, 3.27% are lesbian or gay, and 7.08% are bisexual. Related Go woke, avoid going broke? New study shows that pro-DEI companies do fine Among LGBTQ+ adults, the foundation estimated that approximately 65% are bisexual, 30% are lesbian or gay, and 21% also identify as transgender or gender expansive (with 5% overall identifying as both straight-identifying and trans or gender-expansive). About 54% of LGBTQ+ adults are younger than 35 (while only 22% of non-LGBTQ+ adults are below that same age), and 32% of them being between the ages of 18 and 24, the foundation reported. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Interestingly, the foundation also estimated that 18% of LGBTQ+ adults are Hispanic (compared to 13% of non-LGBTQ+ adults), while LGBTQ+ people only make up 4% to 7% of adults in other racial groups. Also, the foundation estimated that 10% of the adults in 40 out of 50 states identify as LGBTQ+. The states with lower percentages of LGBTQ+ adults included five southern states, three mid-western states, New Jersey, and West Virginia. A map showing the estimated percentage of LGBTQ+ adults living in every state. | HRC Foundation While the foundation admits that there is no single definitive count of LGBTQ+ adults, the methods and conclusions of its recent analysis differ from other recent estimates. Gallup’s estimates, released last February, found that 9% of U.S. adults identify as LGBTQ+, but its count was based on telephone interviews. The foundation wrote that the privacy of self-reporting surveys may encourage more people to out themselves as LGBTQ+. This data is particularly important considering the fact that, since January 2025, approximately 360 federal data collections have removed at least one sexual orientation or gender identity measure. “Removing LGBTQ+ people from federal data does not make communities disappear — it makes them harder to see, understand, and serve,” the foundation wrote. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A person prays before receiving a free boxed lunch at City Life Center in Gary, Ind., Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, more than a week after a deadly storm passed through the area. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)2026-08-20T22:14:51Z GARY, Ind. (AP) — Tens of thousands of residents in northwest Indiana were in survival mode Thursday as they endured a ninth day without power, throwing out spoiled food, lining up for hot meals and searching for places to charge their phones.In Gary, Indiana, schools remained closed after the deadly Aug. 11 storm downed trees and power lines. Residents turned to social media to find open laundromats and working Wi-Fi, while others sought food, diapers and cleaning wipes for low-income neighbors.Meanwhile, heavy rains in central Ohio brought flash flooding that covered roadways Thursday morning in Columbus, the state capital, where emergency crews rescued motorists from stranded cars and saved a 12-year-old boy who was swept off a bridge.Northern Indiana Public Service Co. said 68,000 customers were still without power as of Thursday morning, the majority of them in Lake County beside the Illinois border. The utility said it has restored power to 306,500 others since Aug. 11. But power is not expected to be fully restored until Tuesday in some places, including Gary. Courtney Page-Tan, an Indiana University Indianapolis professor who studies community resilience, said health concerns grow each day of a prolonged outage. With many people using generators, poor ventilation can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. In addition, those reliant on medical devices risk having them lose their charge, while refrigerated food once safe to eat could pose health risks as it spoils. “Nine days is a long time for a community to be without power,” Page-Tan said. Residents are exhausted from days without powerShatiya Hardin, a hair stylist in Gary for 25 years, has been unable to open her salon since the storm. She said residents in her lower-income neighborhood initially took the outages in stride. But now patience is wearing thin.“We’re always in survival mode in Gary. And I think that’s probably why it wasn’t so much of an uproar because the first few days, it was like, ‘OK, we’re used to this .... but this is the second week now,” Hardin said. “It’s not OK for us to continually be in survival mode, doing the best that we can.”More than a week after the initial storm, many residents in East Chicago, Indiana, who lost power regained it, but then lost it again. Kevin Mejia, who has a community Facebook page, was in that category Thursday. “If I make one post, I get 500 comments,” Mejia, 30, said. “A lot of people have been reaching out to me for food: ‘Hey, I threw out hundreds of dollars in groceries.’ Elderly people don’t know who to turn to.” Read More He’s been sleeping on the floor because his mattress is too warm. With no power, his window air conditioners are silent. Raydia Martin, assistant director of the Flourish Community Hub at Flourish Church in Gary, said the “silver lining” has been the response from volunteers and community groups. 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. “We thrive best, you know, as humans on certainty and predictability,” Martin said. “So for something so devastating to happen so quickly, it definitely takes a toll on people mentally. Just not knowing what’s coming next, where the next meal is going to come from, and when this is all going to be over. We need to have a light at the end of the tunnel.”The utility, NIPSCO, has called the destruction “unprecedented and widespread,” and said crews from around the country have arrived to help repair downed wires, broken poles and damaged equipment. Illinois, which is served by a different utility, recovered sooner from the same storm.“No service territory is the same,” said Melody Birmingham, an executive at NIPSCO’s parent company. Schools across northwest Indiana are still closedThe power outages have also disrupted the start of the school year for thousands of children.Gary’s school district, with about 4,300 students, started its school year in early August but has been closed since Aug. 13 and will remain closed through at least Friday, officials said.Portage Township Schools had to cancel its Aug. 12 start of classes because of the storm and now is planning an Aug. 25 launch of the academic year. Officials this week said there are “existing safety concerns regarding trees down across several properties and damage that needs to be repaired.”Page-Tan said school closures can have significant consequences for vulnerable families.“For a lot of households that live paycheck to paycheck, if they are missing work because they’re unable to find childcare, it can be detrimental to the stability of a family,” she said. Flash flooding brings new woes to central OhioAbout 250 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Gary, heavy rains drenched Columbus, Ohio, with more than 3 inches (7 centimeters) of rain in 12 hours, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said. Two women who were on foot and trapped in a flooded creek were rescued, Fire Division Lt. Nick Davis said. He also reported that first responders saved the life of a 12-year-old bicyclist who was swept off a bridge in high water. The city was still cleaning up from severe weekend thunderstorms when the heavy rains struck midweek.“We’ve been all hands on deck supporting residents since last week,” Ginther said Thursday morning at a news conference. “We’re going to be focused on recovery, even with this curveball from Mother Nature.”___Rico reported from Atlanta and White from Detroit. Dylan Lovan in Louisville, Kentucky, contributed. LAURA BARGFELD Bargfeld is a video journalist for The Associated Press based in Chicago. mailto R.J. RICO Rico is a U.S. Desk editor and reporter based in Atlanta for The Associated Press. He has covered housing, immigration and activism in the South. twitter mailto

The Harvard Medical School is seen Aug. 18, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)2026-08-20T22:20:26Z BOSTON (AP) — Harvard Medical School says it agreed to pay $53 million to settle class action lawsuits by relatives of body donors whose remains were sold on the black market by its former morgue manager.Harvard Medical School Deans George Q. Daley and Bernard S. Chang announced the development in a letter to the community on Tuesday, calling the actions of former morgue manager Cedric Lodge “despicable, abhorrent, and a flagrant betrayal of our values as a medical community.” Pending court approval, Harvard said that two class action settlement funds totaling $53 million will be established to resolve the lawsuits. A Harvard Medical School spokesperson on Thursday referred to the letter when asked for comment and said they had no additional information to share.The lawsuits were brought by 47 relatives of people whose remains were potentially mishandled and sold. The remains were donated for research and education. Harvard has said it cannot determine precisely which donors’ remains Lodge stole. After he was charged in 2023, the school said it reviewed information from federal investigators along with records showing when donors’ remains were sent for cremation and when Lodge was on campus to determine which donors may have been affected. The settlement covers relatives or designees of people who donated their remains to Harvard Medical School between Jan. 1, 2018, and March 31, 2023.Last year, Lodge was sentenced to eight years in prison for stealing and selling body parts “as if they were baubles.” Authorities said Lodge was at the center of a ghoulish scheme in which he shipped brains, skin, hands and faces from cadavers to buyers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. His wife, Denise Lodge, was sentenced to just over a year in prison for assisting him. Six other people who bought remains from Cedric Lodge also pleaded guilty and have been sentenced, according to Harvard. Read More In one example, Cedric Lodge provided skin to a buyer so it could be tanned into leather and bound into a book, a “deeply horrifying reality,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan Martin said in a court filing. After Harvard finishes using a donated body for research or teaching, the body typically is returned to the family or cremated. Lodge acknowledged removing body parts before cremation. Harvard has said he acted without the school’s knowledge or permission. 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 their letter, Daley and Chang said Lodge’s actions “do not reflect the reverence we hold for the altruistic individuals who selflessly donate their bodies” to the school’s Anatomical Gift Program.“We reaffirm our deep sorrow and empathy for the families of donors who may have been impacted,” they said.In addition to the payments, Harvard Medical School agreed to provide families with a statement condemning Lodge’s actions and summarizing improvements made to the Anatomical Gift Program. The school also plans to establish an annual financial aid scholarship for medical students beginning in the 2027-28 academic year to honor anatomical donors.Harvard said it has enacted recommendations from a panel of outside experts appointed in 2023 to review the program after Lodge was charged. 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Experts worry that the conflict in Iran and other regional dynamics are setting the stage for a Somali pirates’ comeback.

Also, Russia takes advantage of Ukraine’s depleted stockpile. Here’s the latest at the end of Thursday.

The aircraft carrier has been deployed for nine months, largely in support of U.S. operations against Iran, and is now heading home to San Diego.

State Sen. Aisha Wahab, a Democratic candidate for Congress in California's 14th district, speaks during a primary election night event on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Hayward, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)2026-08-20T22:48:24Z SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmaker Aisha Wahab secured victory Thursday in a special election to serve the rest of former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s House term, which ends in January.Swalwell, a Democrat who was running for California governor, ended his campaign and resigned from Congress in April after he was accused of sexual assault and harassment. He has denied the allegations.Wahab defeated Bay Area Rapid Transit Director Melissa Hernandez in the special election in the state’s 14th Congressional District, which covers parts of Alameda County on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay.Wahab has championed housing affordability and access. She also wrote a bill in 2023 to ban caste-based discrimination, which garnered national attention. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed it, saying such discrimination is already outlawed by civil rights protections. Wahab became the first Afghan American elected to public office in the U.S. when she won a Hayward City Council seat in 2018. She’ll be the first Afghan American to serve in Congress.She and Hernandez will face off again in a separate November election determining who will serve the next full two-year term. SOPHIE AUSTIN Austin covers California state government and politics for the Associated Press. She reports on environmental, education and reparations policies. twitter mailto

Baltimore Orioles' Pete Alonso (25) reacts after hitting a foul ball during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)2026-08-20T22:41:06Z BALTIMORE (AP) — Pete Alonso skipped sideways toward first base while his drive sailed toward the foul pole in left field. Then he tossed the bat aside, seemingly convinced he’d hit a home run.From that distance and that angle, however, it was hard to be too certain.Alonso’s deep fly was ruled foul, and the call stood after a review in Baltimore’s 5-3 loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday night. That led to plenty of outcry — and calls for baseball to use technology to evaluate possible home runs near the foul pole.It doesn’t sound like that is imminent.If baseball were to start using additional technology on fly balls like these, it would have to be developed, tested and installed by MLB, according to a person with knowledge of the issue. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. Unlike with the Automated Ball/Strike system, Hawk-Eye data above the foul pole is unlikely to be accurate that far from the field. It’s based on data from the first part of the ball’s flight, with the rest of the path estimated — meaning factors like wind aren’t fully accounted for.Before Thursday’s game, Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said the front office had communicated with Major League Baseball about the call. “Just said that there wasn’t enough video evidence to overturn the call on the field,” Albernaz said.One angle showed the ball on the right side of the pole and another showed it on the left side. Neither provided much clarity on where the ball was at the moment it passed the pole and the wall in left, which was the key question.If the ball were lower, the camera angles might’ve shown it passing in front of or behind the pole, but when a hit sails higher than the top of the pole, it’s not easy to find a definitive view. Read More The difference between a home run and a foul ball is substantial, so it’s understandable players would want to feel confident those calls are correct.“Obviously, this is a big game in division, so obviously this one’s going to be a little bit more amplified. But this happens quite a few times throughout the season, more than you would think,” Alonso said after the game. “I think having a camera or laser shooting straight up, we have all the technology, analytics and whatever and funds. I don’t see why we can’t do it.” The ABS system launched in the majors this year, and MLB has been experimenting in the minors with technology allowing challenges to checked swing calls.___See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is not holding back. Take the fact Burrow was at the center of a skirmish with the Chicago Bears during joint practice on Thursday. Or any number of quotes from Burrow, conveyed from the quarterback himself or by teammates this summer. Or, Burrow’s head-turning commentary about how he views this season for the Bengals as all-in and is tired of the “next year” talk.“I’m trying to put it out into the world. I’m trying to manifest it,” Burrow told reporters after practice. “I’m trying to show our guys the urgency that I have and that I want us to have as an organization to go and make it happen.”Burrow wasn’t done: “You can keep pushing it down the road, or you can talk about it now and say, ‘This is the year.’ And I’m tired of saying, ‘Next year, next year, next year.’ This is it. Life is too short to keep pushing things down the road. I’m trying to instill some urgency and some intensity in everybody to go and be great every day and try to go make it happen.”Burrow has been treating 2026 as a now-or-never year for the Bengals the entire offseason, but this seems to be the first time his talk about it has really caught national fire. Regardless, this follows repeated comments from Burrow this offseason about changing up his leadership style a bit. These very public comments aimed at creating a sense of urgency are, it seems, doing their job in the locker room. This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Joe Burrow’s comments after Bears joint practice turn heads

Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Football with Josh & HaydenApple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeFantasy Football Favorite Picks - Josh and Hayden cover Josh's Top 14 Favorite Picks for the 2026 Fantasy Season. Does he know ball? How many running backs under 200 lbs make the list?📲 FOLLOW OUR NEW SOCIALS!IG: https://www.instagram.com/yahoofantasyjhTIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@jhfootballshowTWITTER: https://x.com/YahooFantasyJH0:00 Fantasy Football Top 14 Picks (Josh's Version)0:50 Amon-Ra St. Brown3:05 Kenneth Walker III5:37 Malik Nabers8:58 Jaylen Waddle12:22 Jadarian Price17:49 Christian Watson21:51 Parker Washington24:34 George Kittle27:26 Brock Purdy30:30 Bill Croskey-Merritt33:15 De'Zhaun Stribling36:21 Keaton Mitchell39:04 Juwan Johnson41:04 Jonah Coleman43:30 Mike Washington Truth Serum45:39 Jeremiyah Love Truth SerumINGLEWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 14: Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) runs to the visitor side after scoring a touchdown during the NFL game between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams on December 14, 2025 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Josh's Favorite Pick Every Rd VOD - Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron JudgeAaron Judge has been out for the New York Yankees since May 31 as he recovers from a rib fracture.The postseason is getting closer, and if the Yankees want to make a World Series run, they need Judge back in the lineup. He has been playing catch and running as part of his buildup, but on Thursday, Aaron Boone revealed he has started hitting off a tee, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.“It seems to be going well," Boone said, per Hoch.Judge has plenty more hurdles to clear before he is back in right field, but if he can start hitting, then the Yankees could at least get him in the lineup as a designated hitter. There is still no timeline for Giancarlo Stanton to return, so Judge serving as the designated hitter is not off the table.Looking for the perfect gift for a baseball player in your life? Check out our brand new baseball lifestyle brand!The three-time MVP was hitting .248 with a .907 OPS before his injury. He had 17 home runs, but by his standards, he was having a down year. Still, it's clear what type of impact he can have on the Yankees lineup. Cody Bellinger is already on a rehab assignment as he finds his way back, so getting Judge as well could give the Yankees a huge boost.Judge has expressed confidence that he will be back before the regular season ends, and the fact that he is already hitting off a tee supports that. Hitting against velocity will be the next big step for him.More MLB: A's Get Crushing Injury Update On All-Star Shortstop

Like so many joint practices before it, a collaboration between the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins quickly escalated into a melee. Thursday’s joint practice between the two teams in Miami got physical fast, with a large number of players getting involved in multiple scrums and having to get separated by coaches.Play Yahoo's new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now!Dolphins right tackle Austin Jackson and Giants right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor were both reportedly ejected from practice after throwing punches. Giants backup quarterback Jameis Winston was reportedly also involved in the fight, and was taken out for a few plays.Jackson, who was reportedly kicked out after punching Giants linebacker Arvell Reese in the helmet, later returned to Miami’s offensive line for the final series.All out brawl 👀👀 Dolphins Defense vs Giants Offense pic.twitter.com/W3Lnmh0t3Y— TonyH (@TonyH305) August 20, 2026Austin Jackson gets put on his back. Things are getting very chippy at the Dolphins Giants joint practice pic.twitter.com/SUTNXFLDrQ— Dean Rodriguez (@Bigworm954Dean) August 20, 2026It was the second NFL joint practice to break out into a fight this week: The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints ended up in multiple skirmishes in a practice on Tuesday. The league went on to fine the teams $500,00 each.In a press conference after Thursday’s practice, Giants head coach John Harbaugh spoke on the tendency for these joint practices to escalate.“It’s just football,” Harbaugh said. “It’s not a game, so you don’t have the same, quite, guardrails on it. And it’s a violent game. And so, in this sort of an environment, you have these rules of engagement that aren’t really rules of the game.“And then somebody perceives somebody else goes over the line, or they do go over the line, and somebody needs to protect somebody, and that’s where it goes. And I think as long as it doesn’t get out of control where we get a violent type of situation, it’s fine.”Harbaugh said that players who took certain actions in a melee would be punished like they were in a game, which is why Eluemunor was kicked out of practice.“We decided that anybody that threw a punch in those scrimmages would be treated like a game,” Harbaugh said. “He [Eluemunor] didn’t really throw a hard punch, but it was to the facemask, and that’ll get you in the game. So, that’s a 15-yarder at least. So, we decided that we were following those rules of engagement, and that’s what we did with that one.”Like Harbaugh, Dolphins HC Jeff Hafley also planned to take out players who threw a punch, saying in a press conference ahead of Thursday’s practice that he would be “very, very disappointed” in any players who did so. Hafley spoke about trying to keep his players from getting involved in fights, saying that the “mentally tough” approach was to find ways to stay focused on the next play when they get frustrated.“It’s the same thing that I say every day to the team. I mean, that’s not tough. Anybody who’s been around me and watched us play, I wanna toe the line and I wanna play physical and I wanna be tough, but fighting’s not tough,” Hafley said. “In a game, what’s gonna happen when you’re frustrated? You’re gonna get thrown out of the game? If you throw a punch, you’re gone.”The Dolphins coach also pointed out that ejecting players will be easier than ever: Starting this season, league personnel can talk to on-field officials about potential disqualification without being called, as part of a crop of new league rules.Unfortunately, those warnings didn’t seem to fully take hold ahead of Thursday’s practice. It’s not clear if the NFL will decide to fine these teams the same hefty fine as the Cowboys and Saints. Punishment of individual players will be up to their teams.

The Atlanta Falcons wrapped up their second joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday and will have Friday off before returning for Saturday's preseason matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium. Both teams seem to have gotten through another day without any major injuries, but the Falcons can't feel great about how their offense performed this week in practice.In today's Falcons Wire Recap, Arthur Blanks sells a 10 percent ownership stake in the franchise, Michael Penix Jr. prepares to meet with his doctor, Matt Ryan takes the field at his old stomping grounds, and we catch up on the latest news from Atlanta's second joint practice with the Colts. Colts bring the pressure in joint practice No. 2The Falcons returned for another day of practice against the Colts, and things got a little chippy. While there were no major fights, a minor scrum broke out between Atlanta's defense and Indy's offense during the red-zone period. Tua Tagovailoa made some nice throws in these red-zone drills, but the Falcons first-team offense continued to sputter out around midfield in 11-on-11 drills.And while Drake London caught his share of passes, Atlanta's offensive line had some issues slowing down the Colts' blitzes, which led to plays like this fourth-down stop below.bringing the pressure 💥 pic.twitter.com/OkUlhmgEvc— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) August 20, 2026Penix meeting with doctor today, hopes to be clearedThe Falcons are looking for someone to run away with their starting quarterback job, but thus far, Tua Tagovailoa has been underwhelming and Michael Penix Jr. has yet to be cleared for contact. However, Penix expects to be cleared sooner rather than later. Penix spoke with reporters following Thursday's joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts and said he plans to meet with his doctor later in the day."I know that call will be coming up soon," Penix said this afternoon . "Talk to my doctor, see where he thinks I am, see how he feels about everything and then we will go from there."Falcons QB Michael Penix to meet with doctor, hopes to be cleared📸 Dale Zanine, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect https://t.co/5Xxj01afeTpic.twitter.com/2Y8CbuHVfT— The Falcons Wire (@TheFalconsWire) August 20, 2026Falcons to sell 10% of team to private equity firmAccording to a report by Michael Ozanian and Jessica Golden at CNBC, the private equity firm Arctos has agreed to buy 10% of the Atlanta Falcons from team owner Arthur Blank at a $10.6 billion valuation.That means Mr. Blank (or his limited partners) will be getting a cool $1.6 billion from the partial sale, although it won't be coming all at once. CNBC's report states Arctos will be paying for the 10% ownership in two installments over the next 18 months:"Private equity firm Arctos has agreed to buy 10% of the Atlanta Falcons, according to two people who asked not to be named because they are not authorized to speak on the matter. Arthur Blank currently owns just under 73% of the Falcons. It is unclear if the 10% being sold is just Blank’s stake or includes limited partners."Private equity firm to buy 10% ownership stake in Falcons📸 Dale Zanine, Dale Zanine-Imagn Images https://t.co/AMxlEpnb79pic.twitter.com/aPCoXTkye4— The Falcons Wire (@TheFalconsWire) August 20, 2026Matt Ryan spotted throwing to WRsThe Falcons hired former league MVP Matt Ryan as their president of football over the offseason, but the team still has a major question mark at the position Ryan used to play. Ryan, who was traded to the Colts in 2022 after 14 seasons in Atlanta, was again spotted throwing the Falcons wide receivers during warm ups. Watch as Ryan tosses a pass to wide receiver Beaux Collins, as shared by Josh Kendall of The Athletic below.Former Falcons (and Colts) quarterback Matt Ryan out here, warming up the wide receivers. pic.twitter.com/z8P3RTZvbI— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) August 20, 2026Falcons-Colts joint practice highlights We've rounded some clips from Thursday's joint practice session with the Colts from various beat reporters on social media. While there wasn't much, we did find a few clips that you might enjoy below.Drake in the zone 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IjmsKMm064— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 20, 2026WRs vs. CBs one-on-ones:Raylen Sharpe vs. Darnay Holmes. Throw from Riley Leonard. pic.twitter.com/zFnGKcpN1G— Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) August 20, 2026QBs pic.twitter.com/ShxUiBTD2G— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) August 20, 2026Aside from a couple of nice wins by Colts receivers, the Falcons’ DBs just had a really good 1-on-1 period. Mike Ford had a pick and nearly everyone had a PBU. pic.twitter.com/KWJQZBoAVr— Will McFadden (@willmcfadden) August 20, 2026The Falcons are off on Friday but will face the Colts in their second preseason game on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons Recap: Joint practice Day 2, Penix nearing return?

Aisha Wahab, a Democratic state senator in California, will fill out the term of Eric Swalwell, who resigned from the House amid accusations of sexual misconduct.

A foreign policy specialist, she was politically savvy and well versed in global issues, and traveled widely with her husband, Henry A. Kissinger, on his diplomatic missions.

BEREA ― Browns fans who are still missing Myles Garrett some two-and-a-half months since the June trade sent him to Los Angeles Rams, just know this. You have someone to commiserate with in Buffalo Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins.Sort of. Maybe?"I'm sad too," Dawkins said following the Aug. 20 joint practice with the Browns. "I'm sad too, man, because Myles is over there in LA and we got to see him. Week what, 5 or 6. So wish Myles was here."Subscribe to Browns Insider newsletterAlthough the guy the Browns received from the Rams in exchange for the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year isn't exactly someone Dawkins would say he's thrilled to go against. Jared Verse, also a defensive end, is a 25-year-old who already has two Pro Bowl appearances and was 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.Well, that might not be true. It's really all about the perspective you want to take to the word "thrilled."In fact, you might say that Dawkins' eyes lit up at the sight of Verse. On a day players and coaches fed lines about getting better, the former 2017 second-round pick out of Temple University knew both he and his Browns counterpart were about to do just that."You guys got to watch," Dawkins said. "Verse understands where Dion is, and I give him 100% as well as he does. It's a gladiator battle. We are two good players. We're too good of players to not give each other our top rep ability. And I wish I could practice against Verse every single day because we would get so much better. And my guys are just as good and better. But Verse, he's a great player. And understanding that he's coming and moving and pulling, it's a cool thing."The two have only met once before in a regular-season game. That was in Week 14 of Verse's rookie season in 2024, a 44-42 Rams win in which he had just two combined tackles in 45 snaps.That's not what Verse remembers the most about the matchup. He mostly remembers Dawkins, and the lesson of a player who won't stop running his mouth.Then again, Verse is not one to stop running his mouth either. And that's exactly how that meeting is mostlty remembered by Verse two years later."I mean, my rookie year, me and him, we played each other and it was a good game," Verse said Aug. 17. "We had gotten each other's heads. It was loud and violent. It got to the point that we were making dumb errors on both sides. I'm jumping offsides. He's false starting because we just head to that point. So it's going to be good to go up against him and see how much I've sharpened my soul."Both of them have also sharpened their tongues. Or, a better way to say it is that the older player helped the younger one sharpen his tongue, as if Verse really needed much help.The talking continued from about the moment they walked onto the field in Berea for the joint practice. That was something Dawkins knew was coming from both of them even before the Bills' buses rolled up to the facility."All day," Dawkins said. "Talking like talk. I like the chirp. I be like (imitates a bird chirping). I'm like, 'Yeah, Verse, get up, get up.' And he'd be, 'Ah, bull rush me. All right. All right, good ride.' A little tap. Next rep, come on. But ball is fun, yo. A ball is fun. So I like to have fun. I'm a guy. I'm just a guy. Blessed to be here."The talk is fun for both. The work is even better, even if it's maybe not fun in the moment.It's why the 32-year-old takes such joy out of getting a chance, albeit on limited occasions, to face Verse.Buy Cleveland Browns tickets"Yeah in this league, but you go through ups and flows and then you meet people that match your energy, right?," Dawkins said. "And I'm one of those that I'm going to bring it. And Verse is one of those that he is going to bring it. And I appreciate it and he's one of those and he brings it. And being able to come out here and practice and practice against him where I know I can try some things because he's really not going to hit (Bills quarterback) Josh (Allen). It feels good. "I love the kid. He has a bright future as he keeps going. His bull rush is insane. So talk about that. His bull rush is definitely good. He's going to rack up sacks all season long. I'm a Verse fan. I'm a Verse fan and he's been playing well."Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ. Sign up for Browns Insider newsletter at https://profile.beaconjournal.com/newsletters/browns-insider/This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Bills LT Dion Dawkins talks about 'gladiator battles' with Jared VerseOur editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.

📋 Botafogo named to chase a miracle and go through in Sul-AmericanaBotafogo take the field this Thursday (20) at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at Nilton Santos Stadium to face Cienciano in the second leg of the 2026 Conmebol Sudamericana round of 16.After a 6-1 defeat in Peru, Glorioso need to win by a five-goal margin to take the tie to penalties.If they can pull off the "miracle" of six goals (or even a win on penalties), the Lone Star team will face Uruguay’s Montevideo City in the quarterfinals.Botafogo go into the decisive match with interim coach Rodrigo Bellão, manager of the under-20 team, temporarily filling the vacancy left after Portuguese coach Franclim Carvalho departed.Compared to the last match (a 1-0 loss to Vitória in the Brasileirão), Bellão opted to bring in Justino and Danilo Pereira in place of Monzón and Matheus Martins, respectively.📋 See Botafogo’s lineupThis article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

The big, bad Dodgers have looked awfully beatable lately. They lost seven in a row to start this month. Over the weekend, they lost three of four to the Brewers at home. And this week, they swept the Rockies, but they didn’t make it look as easy as sweeping the Rockies should be for the two-time defending champions.So what’s up with this juggernaut? And what could stand in the way of a third straight World Series title for L.A.?On the latest episode of “Baseball Bar-B-Cast,” Yahoo Sports’ Jake Mintz and Katie Woo of The Athletic discussed what has been ailing the Dodgers and why they might not three-peat.Edwin Diaz isn’t rightThe Dodgers’ closer, after another string of rough outings, went back on the injured list this week due to a neck injury.How much of this is physical, and how much of it is mental? Woo believes it’s more of the latter and noted that the team does not view Diaz’s injury as serious.“Any time a team is so vague with an injury, you’re like, ‘OK, they just want to get their hands on this guy and get him right,’” she said. “And can you blame them? Diaz has been essentially unusable in the ninth since coming back from that elbow surgery at the end of July.”Now Diaz will have another stint on the IL with hopes of getting him back on track before the playoffs, when the Dodgers, who have a significant lead in the NL West, actually need him.“We’re going to need him in October, so he needs to get right in August,” Woo said of the team’s mindset.Mintz invoked the Cancun clause, his proposal that once per season, each team should be allowed to send one player on a vacation to reset his mind.“Maybe the neck injury for Edwin Diaz is [from] all the times he’s had to hang his head over the last couple weeks,” Mintz quipped.Kyle Tucker isn’t contributingTucker joined the Dodgers this past winter on a four-year, $240 million deal, and so far, he has been a disappointment in L.A.He has a 93 OPS+ and 11 home runs on the season. He went 0-for-19 in the Dodgers’ recent home stand, got benched by manager Dave Roberts and dropped a fly ball on Monday against the Rockies. He is making mental mistakes and appears to be lacking confidence, according to the hosts.“He is not right. This is the worst season Kyle Tucker has had in his career. He’s hitting under .200 at Dodger Stadium on the season,” Woo said. “But … [the Dodgers] have the ability to keep running him out there to make sure he gets right because this is kind of their … extended spring training.”Aside from that recent benching, the Dodgers are continuing to put Tucker in the lineup in hopes of giving him the reps to find his stride. They have the luxury of “hiding” him somewhat in a lineup full of MVPs. That said, if Tucker doesn’t get back on track by the end of September, Woo said she can envision a scenario in which he isn’t one of their best nine players to put on the lineup card in October.“They say the only way to figure out how to hit big-league pitching is to face big-league pitching, and I do think there is an element of that at play with Kyle Tucker,” Mintz said.Age and fatigueIf the Dodgers end up losing in October, what will be the reason? Mintz asked.“Age and fatigue,” Woo answered. “This team is tired, and they aren’t the youngest roster in the league by far.” She noted that the Dodgers have put an emphasis on earning a first-round playoff bye in part to mitigate the workload for their key players.“When you look at the overall offensive plights of guys like Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez, age is definitely playing into it,” she added of the team’s collective offensive struggles.Indeed, L.A. has only two every-day players under the age of 30: Kyle Tucker, 29, and Andy Pages, 25. Among playoff contenders, only the Phillies have a similarly aged roster.The road to the end of the World Series is very long, and yes, the Dodgers navigated it last year, but they’re another year older and that much more tired this time around. “The Dodgers, having played deep into October the past two seasons, there is a chance that all of that baseball adds up and gets to them,” Mintz said.

Michael Penix was meeting with his doctor on a call Thursday night. The Falcons quarterback hopes to be fully cleared, but he has no idea one way or the other."Whatever [the doctor] says, that's what it's going to be," Penix said, via Tori McElhaney of the team website. "I am going to trust him, and trust God and I am just going to continue taking steps in the right direction."Penix has yet to participate in team drills and thus has not yet gotten involved in the starting quarterback competition with Tua Tagovailoa. Penix said on July 29 that the doctor wanted to give his surgically repaired knee another four weeks before "going to the next stage."So, Penix has watched all the 11-on-11 drills in training camp."If I had a rush coming at me and everything, I can get away," Penix said. "But it's just the right now is if I don't get away. That's what we're thinking about: If I don't get away. I don't think my doctor is ready for me to take those hits right now, but that time is coming real soon."Penix said he continues to work on getting full strength back in his left knee after he underwent surgery Nov. 25 to repair an ACL tear.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 07: Reinier de Ridder of The Netherlands reacts to the end of the match in a middleweight fight during the UFC 326 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 07, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Expect a much fresher “RDR.”Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight contender Reinier de Ridder makes his Light Heavyweight debut against Roman Dolidze on the UFC Sacramento main card this weekend (Sat., Aug. 22, 2026) inside Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.And the move is probably long overdue.Despite enjoying tremendous success at Middleweight — climbing within one victory of a potential title shot — de Ridder destroyed his body in the process of making the 185-pound limit.At 6’4,” de Ridder was gigantic for the division. During his first year with UFC, the Dutch fighter successfully made Middleweight five times, which seems absolutely insane in hindsight.It finally caught up with him against Brendan Allen at UFC Vancouver. After a strong opening round, de Ridder suffered what he later described as a complete metabolic crash. He faded badly and was ultimately unable to continue after the fourth round.Five months later, de Ridder attempted Middleweight one final time against top contender Caio Borralho. However, with the fear of another physical collapse still in the back of his mind, “RDR” fought far more cautiously and dropped a unanimous decision.Following back-to-back losses, enough was enough.“It came with so many problems — the weight cuts,” de Ridder told MMA Junkie when asked about his move. “My body was gone, broken down after all those cuts. It took all the fun out of training camps. It took all the fun out of fighting. It was just time to move up.“During that last weight cut, I was already saying this was the last one,” de Ridder continued. “One of the shit things is that you’re focused more on the weight cut than training. I was basically dieting year-round.”De Ridder typically hovered around 215 pounds at Middleweight, requiring him to shed roughly 30 pounds before stepping on the scale. He was also constantly dieting just to get his weight low enough to begin the final cut, which explains why his body eventually failed him.That has not been an issue during his first UFC camp at 205 pounds.“During this camp, I’ve been able to train twice a day, and it’s been a very long time since I’ve been able to do that,” de Ridder revealed. “Going live twice a day just hasn’t been something I’ve been able to do, so I’m excited to show what I can do now.”Although this will be de Ridder’s UFC Light Heavyweight debut, he is no stranger to competing against larger opponents. The former two-division ONE Championship titleholder previously fought at 205 and 225 pounds before signing with UFC.De Ridder is also supremely confident in his matchup against Dolidze, bluntly declaring, “I’m going to kill this motherf—ker.”With the Light Heavyweight division lacking established title contenders and its champion currently sidelined, de Ridder could make an immediate splash this weekend. More importantly, for the first time in his UFC career, “RDR” can enter the Octagon focused entirely on his opponent instead of surviving the scale.To checkout the latest and greatest UFC Sacramento: “Hernandez vs. RoboCop” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

Lee Cheuk-yan poses at the June 4 Museum his pro-democracy group operates in Hong Kong on May 28, 2014. Chinese character projected on him reads "Rehabilitate the June 4th Movement". (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)2026-08-20T23:05:51Z HONG KONG (AP) — Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung are two prominent Hong Kong activists who helped lead the group behind the city’s massive annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. They were charged in 2021 with inciting subversion under Hong Kong’s national security law.The former leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China are awaiting a verdict in a case that has drawn international attention, with critics saying it highlights the erosion of freedoms in the territory under the law imposed by Beijing.Here’s a brief look at the two activists:Lee Cheuk-yan Lee, 69, was the former chair of the Hong Kong Alliance. During the 1989 student-led Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement, he brought donations from Hong Kongers to Beijing in late May. When troops and tanks entered the heart of Beijing and opened fire to end the protests in June, he was at a hotel that night hearing the gunshots, he said in his testimony at court. The crackdown killed hundreds, possibly thousands. Lee later boarded a plane to return to Hong Kong but was asked to leave the plane by police before it took off. He was detained. He was allowed to go back to Hong Kong on June 8 after being questioned and signing a letter of repentance, he said. His experience made him devote himself to letting the world know about what happened. Beyond his Tiananmen activism, Lee is also a veteran labor activist in the city and a former lawmaker. The national security trial has focused on the alliance’s core demand of “ending one-party rule.” The prosecution alleged that the group’s advocacy was about inciting others to use unlawful means to overthrow the leadership of China’s ruling Communist Party. Lee denied he held enmity toward the party leading the country, saying his desire to see it reform stemmed from his love for the people. “I have no enmity in my heart, only love,” he said. Read More Chow Hang-tung Chow, 41, began going to the vigils when she was just a primary school student. A natural sciences graduate of the University of Cambridge, she later studied law and became a vice-chair of the alliance.Before the alliance voted to dissolve in September 2021, police had sought details about its operations and finances in connection with alleged links to pro-democracy groups overseas, accusing the group of being a foreign agent. But the group refused to cooperate, insisting it was not. Chow, alongside two other core members of the group, was convicted in 2023 over their refusal and received a sentence of 4 1/2 months each. But last year, the trio overturned their convictions at the city’s top court. While Chow was behind bars, she became one of the first people to be arrested under a newer, homegrown national security law in 2024. Authorities alleged she and several others had used a Facebook page to publish seditious posts, saying they were targeting a “sensitive date.” Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. The authorities have not detailed the content of the posts. But the page published a series of posts to mark the anniversary of the 1989 crackdown. Despite limited resources in prison, Chow represented herself in the national security trial and stood firm in her defense. “Speaking the truth has become inciting hatred, seeking justice has become exploiting suffering, accountability and limiting power have become violating the constitution, and returning power to the people has become subverting the state,” she argued in her closing statement. KANIS LEUNG Leung covers Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China for The Associated Press. She is based in Hong Kong. twitter

FILE -A woman holds up a candle and an image of a man facing off tanks to mark the anniversary of the military crackdown on a pro-democracy student movement in Beijing, during a light candle vigil outside Victoria Park in Hong Kong, Friday, June 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File, File)2026-08-20T23:03:03Z HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong court is set to deliver a verdict Friday in a closely watched national security trial of two prominent activists linked to the city’s decades-long commemorations of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.The verdict is among the latest involving Hong Kong’s once-vibrant pro-democracy movement, which has largely been dismantled under a China-imposed security law.Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung were leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which for three decades organized candlelight vigils that drew tens of thousands annually to remember the crackdown’s victims. They pleaded not guilty to inciting subversion and face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.Three government-vetted judges are expected to hand down the verdict at 10 a.m. local time. The vigil was banned in 2020 during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, weeks before Beijing imposed the security law on Hong Kong to quell the 2019 massive anti-government protests.Observers say their trial symbolizes the erosion of freedom of expression in the former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.Eric Lai, a senior fellow with the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, said the charge of inciting subversion was commonly used in mainland China to criminalize the acts of human rights lawyers, activists and intellectuals, including late Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo. “We can see to what extent the court in Hong Kong falls into the level of the party-led judiciary in the mainland through the criminal verdict,” he said. Read More During the trial, prosecutors said the case was not political and focused on what they viewed as a call by the alliance to incite others to overthrow the leadership of China’s ruling Communist Party through unlawful means, pointing to “ending one-party rule,” one of the group’s core demands.But Lee told the court that the call was not about ending the party’s leadership but about moving toward democracy, letting the people decide who leads them, and that the Communist Party should not enforce “dictatorship.” Chow, a barrister who defended herself, said “ending one-party rule” means ending a state where power is unrestricted. She criticized how the standard for determining right and wrong was turned upside down in this case. 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 her Patreon post Thursday, she recalled being shackled in handcuffs, and in waist and ankle chains, for trips to court from prison, saying she was walked by correctional service officers “like a dog.”“Justice lives in the hearts of the people. There is no need to look up to this kind of top-down ruling, and one verdict doesn’t matter much,” she said. The trial, initially scheduled for 75 days, moved faster than expected and concluded its closing statements on the 24th day. When it began in January, Albert Ho, another defendant in the case, entered a guilty plea, a move that typically could result in a reduced sentence. If Lee and Chow are convicted, they are expected to plead for lesser penalties at a separate hearing and could be sentenced at a later date alongside Ho.Hundreds of people, and possibly thousands, were killed in the 1989 crackdown as tanks rolled into the center of Beijing. The crackdown was a pivotal moment in China’s modern history, determining that the market reform that transformed the country into the world’s second-largest economy would not be coupled with political liberalization. After COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, the former vigil site in Hong Kong was occupied instead by a carnival organized by pro-Beijing groups. Some people who tried to commemorate the event near the site on June 4, the crackdown’s anniversary, were brought away by police. Beijing said the 2020 security law was necessary for the city’s stability. Many leading activists were jailed under the same law, including pro-democracy former media tycoon Jimmy Lai. Under the drastic political changes, dozens of civil society groups also dissolved.Before the alliance voted to disband in September 2021, police had sought details about the group, saying they had reasonable grounds to believe it was acting as a foreign agent. The alliance rejected the allegations and refused to cooperate, resulting in Chow and two other core members each sentenced to 4 1/2 months in prison in a separate case in 2023. But the trio overturned their convictions at the city’s top court in 2025. KANIS LEUNG Leung covers Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China for The Associated Press. She is based in Hong Kong. twitter 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

WESTFIELD, INDIANA - AUGUST 19: Drake London #5 of the Atlanta Falcons looks on during the joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts at Grand Park Sports Campus on August 19, 2026 in Westfield, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images WESTFIELD, Ind. — It’s hard to be certain given the impossibility of keeping track of everything that’s happening on both fields, and it was close, but I think Atlanta won the day today. Kevin Stefanski spoke before practice, which was once again fast-paced and high energy. Like Wednesday, both teams started off working through their warmups and stretching routine before going into one-on-ones vs. the other team. They spent some doing doing special teams drills and some 7-on-7s, which Michael Penix Jr. participated in once again. They also spent time in 11s again, and the last period of practice was a two-minute drill with the following parameters: The offense was trailing by 1 point, and there was 1:05 left on the clock. After practice, we heard from Michael Penix Jr. and got somewhat of an update on his status, we heard from Bijan Robinson, and we heard from Kyle Pitts. My observations from Day 2: In return drills, Zachariah Branch’s instincts were really on display. He has such good anticipation in motion, and the kid has some moves. He about broke a Colt’s defender’s ankles today early in practice. During red zone drills, I chose to watch the Falcons defense because the majority of the rest of the beat stuck with the offense. Look, Jonathan Taylor is great, and when tackling to the ground isn’t allowed, he’s gonna make some plays. But generally, the run defense still looked pretty solid — they did bend a bit, but there wasn’t much breaking — and the pass rush looked much better than Wednesday. Let me put it this way: There was no 15-of-15 for Daniel Jones today. Natrone Brooks was determined to have himself a day, and he brought it all practice long. Running with Atlanta’s second team in red-zone drills, he may have arrived a bit early on a tackle, but he wasn’t flagged and he did break up a pass from Anthony Richardson to a Colts receiver whose number I could not see. That was just one of his reps, but he was going all-out all day long. It seemed to me that players on both teams are extremely ready to put some hits on opponents. One reason I feel this way: Christian Harris pushed Colts running back and ball carrier Anderson Castle (who’s built like a fullback) out of bounds and to the ground during red zone drills, and I could see him pull back a bit after the push because nothing is supposed to be full contact. I think this is also a byproduct of the high energy of these practices. Not that this matters to the Falcons, but the Colts need to hope Tanor Bortolini stays healthy. There were multiple bad snaps to Anthony Richardson during two-minute drills. The second-team Colts offense ended up settling for a field goal on that series. Cooper Rush had some moments, but overall, not an inspiring performance. I’m eager to see Rush and Strand play this weekend. Rush did have one really nice, on-target throw to (I think) Vinny Anthony (again, it’s about impossible for me to see over the Colts players on the sideline), and the Colts defender who broke it up should have been called for DPI, in my opinion. There were two, let’s call them kerfluffles, between the Falcons defense and the Colts offense on Thursday, but neither blossomed into a full-blown fight. I said early in the week that I was hoping for no fights, and there were none! Kevin Stefanski:The Falcons head coach spoke to the media today, and while he isn’t the most forthcoming guy, he did have some interesting things to share. Cooper Rush and Jack Strand will each play for one half in Saturday’s preseason matchup with the Colts. Stefanski noted that the pass protection needs to improve, and noted that the quarterback’s timing impacts that. Stefanski didn’t want to share whether or not he’s happy with where the Falcons are at this point of the preseason. “No progress reports from me,” he said. The focus is on getting better every day. On Penix’s status and whether he’s close to being medically cleared, Stefanski leaves that to the doctors. When asked how he planned to get Penix up to speed once he’s cleared, given that MPJ hasn’t taken any contact this preseason, Stefanski said the team will “cross that bridge when we get there.”Michael Penix Jr.: On the reason he’s not yet medically cleared for full contact: “If I had a rush coming at me and everything, I could get away, but it’s just right now, if I don’t get away, that’s what we think about.On whether he’s pushing his doctor to clear him: “I mean, I would never argue with a doctor,” Penix said, laughing. “They know more than me as far as the body mechanics and stuff like that. So I’m just going to trust what they say. I’m gonna trust God and just continue to, like I always say, run my own race.” Bijan Robinson:Robinson said the joint practices “felt good.” “I love joint practices too, because I feel like it’s the time when you really get better as a team … I always love competing against other guys, and get to see my guys getting better.” Robinson also said he thought Wednesday’s practices went well for Atlanta. “I know we had some mess-ups here and there, but we don’t need to overreact,” he said. One thing I do think it’s helpful to keep in mind is that full contact/tackling to the ground was not allowed, and that does impact everything. Kyle Pitts Sr.: On joint practices: “It was great, a great opportunity for us to come out here and compete with another team.”On whether he’s happy with how the offense has progressed to this point: “Yeah, definitely, we’ve been taking the right steps in the right direction,” he said. “Continuity, playing together, fighting for the man next to you.”Pitts also noted that Austin Hooper is the “granddad of the group now.” “He’s in Year 11, so he’s the patriarch.” Pitts said he’s the nephew. Pitts wouldn’t answer whether or not they’re spending more time working on the screen game this year than they did last year. “That’s a schematics question man. I can’t do that.” I’ll have a bit more in tomorrow’s Opening Drive, but those are the key points! How do you feel about the Falcons after joint practices? Let us know in the comments!

Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty ImagesSan Francisco 49ers have come under scrutiny from former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, who criticised the team’s drafting strategy and questioned the lack of impact players on the current roster.The 49ers finished the 2025 regular season with a 12-5 record, placing third in the NFC West. They went 1-1 in the playoffs before falling in the Divisional Round.However, injuries have been a recurring issue for the team, while their drafting strategy has also come under scrutiny.Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty ImagesGeoff Schwartz questions 49ers’ drafting strategyDuring his appearance on “First Things First” on Thursday, Schwartz highlighted what he believes has gone wrong with the 49ers and pointed to their struggles with first-round picks.“The problem, besides the injuries, is that they have drafted very poorly for four years now,” Schwartz said. “… But the rest of the roster, none of these guys are any impact players.”Schwartz then pointed to third-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and second-year defensive end Mykel Williams as examples of first-round picks who have yet to make the desired impact.“So these guys start getting hurt, which they’re getting hurt as they get older; there’s no one to backfill. There’s just no one there,” Schwartz said. “I think about the 49ers’ draft picks, and I’m like, ‘Who are the dudes? Who are the dudes right now?’ “Pearsall has featured in just 13 games for the 49ers, recording 67 receptions for 928 yards across his two seasons.Williams, meanwhile, managed 20 tackles and one sack in nine games last season before suffering an ACL injury.Read more:Cathy Engelbert slams ‘political football’ surrounding WNBA amid trans debateWhy Bryson DeChambeau returning to the PGA Tour may not be as unlikely as it currently seems‘Not a marketing stunt’: Ronaldinho, 46, returns to professional football after 11 years with one final goal in mind

The Minnesota Lynx listed rookie phenom Olivia Miles as “probable” for Friday’s matchup against the Washington Mystics after she was injured during the team's Wednesday game.WNBA teams are required to submit a pregame status report at least 24 hours prior to tipoff. "Probable" typically indicates a 75% chance that a player will appear in the game, as opposed to "questionable" or "doubtful."Lynx star Napheesa Collier, however, is listed as out for "rest" against the Mystics, which comes as the final stop on a four-game road trip. It will be Collier's first missed game since she made her season debut on July 22 after undergoing two ankle surgeries this offseason.Miles appeared to roll her ankle with 4:27 left in a win over the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday, Aug. 19. She was defending Valkyries guard Veronica Burton when she awkwardly planted her foot and stepped on Collier's foot. Miles limped to the baseline before falling to the ground in pain.The 23-year-old point guard recorded 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds before she left the game. “She has a maturity about her,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve told reporters in San Francisco. “That’s a rookie. It’s high stakes, and you know she is going to be targeted and part of the other team’s game plan.”Miles also rolled her left ankle and exited in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Sparks on July 15 and didn't miss any subsequent games. She missed two games earlier in July due to a right calf strain. Miles is averaging a team-high 19.9 points and 6.2 assists per game, drawing MVP mentions along with her position as the leading Rookie of the Year candidate. The Lynx (30-7) sit firmly at No. 1 in the league's standings. They are 1-1 against the sixth place Washington Mystics (21-14) this season. Both games were played prior to Collier’s season debut.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Olivia Miles injury update: Lynx rookie's status for Friday game after rolled ankle

Aug. 20—BRIDGEWATER, S.D. — After more than a decade competing with 11 players on the field, the Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan Seahawks are returning to familiar territory in 2026.BEE is moving back to the nine-man ranks at the Class 9AA level, bringing with it a proud history in the smaller classification and a renewed sense of excitement surrounding the program.The Seahawks made the jump from Class 9AA to Class 11B in 2015. The move proved to be a successful one, as Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan reached five consecutive state championship games and captured the 11B state title in 2019. But after finishing 2-6 a season ago, the Seahawks are making another transition, back to where the program's success first started."We're just excited about the speed of the game, obviously, and you can score a few more points when you have two less players on the field," BEE head coach Jeff VanLeur said. "We are also excited to have those rivalries again in the Cornbelt Conference with those other close nine-man programs, because it is a great conference to compete in with a lot of great, local teams in it."For longtime coach Jeff VanLeur, the move represents a return to the level where he has spent much of his career. VanLeur has coached 35 years at the nine-man level, all within the Seahawk program and its various cooperatives.The 2026 season will mark VanLeur's 47th year coaching the program. His career record currently stands at 307-148, giving him the most wins among active South Dakota high school football coaches.Before the 2015 move to Class 11B, Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan had spent years competing in 9-man football. Emery/Ethan, the precursor to the current BEE program, finished its history with a 154-57 record and championships in 2001, 2003 and 2007. After the addition of Bridgewater to the football co-op in 2010, the program won three Class 9AA state championships in 2010, 2011 and 2013.Now, a new group of Seahawks gets a chance to add to that history. BEE returns 20 lettermen from last year's squad, including five seniors and eight juniors. The Seahawks will enter the season with a roster of 31 players, a significant increase from the 23 players who suited up a year ago.That depth could be particularly valuable as the Seahawks adjust to the spacing and responsibilities of nine-man football again."Taking those two guys off the field, basically four less people because you play two less on offense and defense, some of our kids are still adjusting to that at times during these early practices," VanLeur said. "We are still getting used to that little smaller line of scrimmage, but our kids are making that adjustment and nine-man kids have to be great tacklers. We are really enforcing that in practice."VanLeur believes the strength of this year's team could begin up front. He sees a strong core of returning linemen who can anchor the Seahawks on both sides of the ball, an especially important piece in nine-man football. With fewer players on the field, each individual assignment carries more importance, and the ability to control the line of scrimmage can determine how much space is available for playmakers.The biggest adjustment, VanLeur said, could come on the edges."The biggest change is that you don't have much help on the outside and setting the edge, so you need some tough players out there on the edge on defense," VanLeur said. "Somebody with a lot of speed can do a lot of damage to a team. So, you really got to look out and keep things bottled up. And on offense, we just need to utilize that extra space to create run lanes and hit the passes when they are there."BEE will begin its return to 9AA against Viborg-Hurley on Friday, Aug. 21 in Viborg. The Seahawks will then settle into a familiar Cornbelt Conference schedule that includes home games against Howard on Sept. 18, Freeman on Oct. 2 and Hanson in the regular-season finale on Oct. 19.For VanLeur, the return is about more than enrollment numbers. It is a chance for the program to reconnect with a style of football that has been part of its identity for decades, and for a new generation of players to experience the game that some of their fathers and older brothers once played."The kids are excited about it," VanLeur said. "They have really shown some excitement about going back down to 9-man, which some of their brothers and their dads have played back in the day. It will be a fun two years here for us, and we will see how things go and whatever happens after that happens, whether we go back to 11-man or stay in 9-man. Either way, we are going to make the most of it."

December 9, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; ESPN broadcaster Stephen A. Smith before the in-season tournament championship between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY SportsLongtime ESPN reporter Stephen A. Smith has never backed down from public criticism. Decades deep into his career, he remains one of the strongest and boldest voices in sports media. His latest opponents are the National Association of Black Journalists, who recently called him out for his “lack of accountability.”Last Saturday, the association gave Smith a “Thumbs Down” award at its annual conference in Atlanta, citing what it called Smith’s “recurring public pattern of disparaging commentary directed at prominent Black women across politics, sports, and media.”It didn’t take long for Smith to address the “award.”“This is the epitome of Christmas arriving early. The NABJ wants to call folks out, fine! You had your turn, now mine is coming. And make no mistake…..,I’m coming. Let’s see who REALLY deserves a Thumbs Down award when it comes to the Black Community, after I say my peace! Remember NABJ, you asked for it. I’ve shut my mouth for years. Now y’all started something,” Smith posted on X.Joseph Williams of Word in Black wrote that “the only shocking part was that anyone expected him to sit with it.”“Smith’s strong reaction to the pushback, and the brutal online trolling from Black netizens that followed, is telling because it reveals how little self-awareness came with his fame and fortune, and how many people agreed with NABJ’s decision to call him out,” Williams added.“NABJ didn’t ambush him. This is an organization he has walked into at past conventions with music blasting and arms wide, soaking up the love. Rather than understanding, ignoring, or even asking questions, Smith vowed revenge, and did it on white media.”There’s been a fallout between Smith and certain members of the African American community over his recent actions, which have included appearances on Fox News and calling out LeBron James as a father. It’ll be interesting to see where things go from here.The post ‘Smith vowed revenge, and did it on white media’: Stephen A. Smith facing major backlash appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

Transphobic billionaire Harry Potter author JK Rowling issued an exceedingly rare statement of support for transgender adults and gender-affirming care yesterday. Regardless, her comment doesn’t make up for her continued anti-trans activism. In a response to a now-deleted comment on X, Rowling wrote on August 19, “I’ve always believed that adults with intractable gender dysphoria may only find peace after surgery and taking hormones. I’m glad you’re happy.” Related “Absolutely f**king not!”: Queer directors refuse “Harry Potter” work over JK Rowling’s transphobia Despite this (and her past statements supporting gender-affirming care for adults), she opposes allowing adult trans women into sex-segregated spaces like women’s restrooms, prisons, and abuse shelters, arguing this could let in “any and all men who wish to come inside.” This rhetoric vilifies trans women as dangerous sexual predators (and violence against them to “protect women”), even though Rowling has also admitted, “The majority of trans-identified people not only pose zero threat to others, but are vulnerable.” Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Rowling opposes gender self-identification laws that let people change their legal sex without a medical diagnosis. Such opposition forbids anyone from identifying as trans without first having financial and physical access to gender-affirming doctors. It doesn’t remotely infuriate me. I’ve always believed that adults with intractable gender dysphoria may only find peace after surgery and taking hormones. I’m glad you’re happy.— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 19, 2026 Rowling also outright denies the existence of trans children, writing in a December 28, 2024 social media post, “There are no trans kids. No child is ‘born in the wrong body.’ There are only adults like you, prepared to sacrifice the health of minors to bolster your belief in an ideology that will end up wreaking more harm than lobotomies and false memory syndrome combined.” In a July 2020 post, she called gender-affirming treatment for young trans people “a new kind of conversion therapy.” Many, myself included, believe we are watching a new kind of conversion therapy for young gay people, who are being set on a lifelong path of medicalisation that may result in the loss of their fertility and/or full sexual function. 5/11— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 5, 2020 J.K. Rowling uses her fortune to fund anti-trans legal attacks Rowling has used her vast wealth, mostly accumulated through the success of her Harry Potter franchise and its many multimedia spinoffs, to personally fund legal cases aimed at diminishing rights and protections for transgender women in the U.K. and Ireland. A spokesperson for Rowling confirmed that the author’s JK Rowling Women’s Fund (JKRWF) has been quietly operating since late 2024, managing “her ongoing financial support for legal cases involving women’s and girls’ sex-based rights.” The fund is just her latest effort to end trans women’s rights in the U.K. In February 2024, she pledged a £70,000 (about $89,000) to For Women Scotland (FWS), the anti-trans organization behind the legal challenge that resulted in the U.K. Supreme Court’s ruling that excluded trans women from the country’s law prohibiting sex-based discrimination. Since late 2024, she has also used JKRWF to offer financial legal support to cisgender women who “have lost their livelihoods or are facing tribunals” due to their anti-trans beliefs, as well as individuals and organizations that are “being forced to comply with unreasonable inclusion policies regarding single sex spaces and services, or female-only clubs and events” or “are challenging legislation which takes away the freedoms or protections [cisgender] women are entitled to.” Rowling will serve as an executive producer for HBO’s series. Casey Bloys, HBO’s gay CEO, has repeatedly dismissed concerns about her toxic transphobia, saying that Rowling is “entitled” to “her personal political views,” ading, “If you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter.” According to The Guardian, the Harry Potter franchise is worth an estimated $25 billion. In a May 28 Bluesky post, British barrister Jolyon Maugham wondered how much of Rowling’s fortune would be spent “oppressing a minoritised group she doesn’t like.” Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Duane Davis appears in court during his murder trial, related to the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, in Clark County District Court at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (Steve Marcus/Pool Photo via AP)2026-08-20T23:46:10Z LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jurors on Thursday heard Duane “Keffe D” Davis tell detectives in 2008 that his nephew Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson fired the shots that killed Tupac Shakur. Davis, who said in the interview that he was also in the car with Anderson is accused of orchestrating the 1996 killing of the 25-year-old hip-hop superstar in Las Vegas. At the time of the interview, his nephew had been dead for a decade. Davis said the white Cadillac he and Anderson were riding in with two other men pulled up alongside a car with Shakur inside, along with hip-hop mogul and Death Row Records head Marion “Suge” Knight. “If we would have been on my side, I would have blasted,” Davis said. Instead, Knight’s car was on the other side, so Davis passed his gun back to Deandre “Big Dre” Smith. But Smith didn’t want it, Davis said.Anderson, who was also in the back seat, took the weapon and started firing, Davis said. Jurors watched the screen as the transcript of the audio recording rolled. Some occasionally took notes. At the beginning of the audio interview, Davis and his attorney whispered to each other. Shakur’s family sat still, occasionally looking at the screen or looking down to the floor. The room was quiet as Davis described the shooting.It was the first time Davis directly discussed his involvement in the killing with authorities. The interview is essential evidence in the state’s case against the 63-year-old Davis. Prosecutors told jurors in opening statements that they would lean heavily on Davis’ own admissions in interviews with police and on podcasts, as well as the 2019 memoir he co-wrote, “Compton Street Legend.” He also previously told the FBI that his nephew was not involved in the 1996 shooting of Shakur, and speculated that Knight or Combs were involved. Read More Davis has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer has called the prosecution’s narrative “fiction” and said Davis was “full of crap” when he told stories of his involvement, and that authorities knew it. The Los Angeles police detectives had actually brought Davis in to talk about the 1997 shooting death of Shakur’s archrival, the Notorious B.I.G. Davis had briefly been one of the suspects in that still unsolved killing, but he was later discounted. 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. “Everybody was a suspect at that time,” Daryn Dupree, one of the detectives in the interview, said in court testimony Thursday. The detectives tell Davis that their discussion is confidential. “Nothing you say today can be used against you,” said Greg Kading, the other detective conducting the interview who described it in a book a few years later. Some in the audience shook their heads when someone in the audio tells Davis that “nothing leaves this room.”Dupree adds, “If you don’t say nothing, it’s cool, but if you go out there and start talking …”Prosecutors say Davis did in fact “go out there and start talking” a decade later when he told stories about the shooting in interviews and the memoir. They said that nullifies any agreement he had with law enforcement over this and other recorded conversations. Prosecutors allege Shakur was killed to avenge Shakur’s entourage attacking Davis’ nephew Anderson a few hours earlier at the MGM Grand after a Mike Tyson fight. Davis was at the fight but not the brawl. Later in the evening, they were in the Cadillac and saw Shakur hanging out of a black BMW with people calling out “Tupac!” He said that after Lane fired the shots, he thought Knight was dead. Decades after his death, Shakur remains a cultural icon, and one of the most influential and versatile rappers of all time. He died as his popularity was peaking and his film career as an actor was taking off. His legend has only grown in the years since.____Associated Press Writer Rebecca Boone contributed from Boise, Idaho and AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton contributed from Los Angeles. 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Authorities investigate a crash between a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter and a small plane at the Carlisle airport in Carlisle, Pa. Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Sean Simmers/The Patriot-News via AP)2026-08-20T23:29:32Z CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) — Investigators are working to understand why a small plane veered to the side while landing at a rural airport and crashed into a hovering Pennsylvania State Police helicopter, a federal official said Thursday.Aaron McCarter, investigator-in-charge with the National Transportation Safety Board, said there is not an immediate explanation for Wednesday’s fatal collision that killed the pilot of the small aircraft and injured two state troopers.“Many of you have all seen the videos that have turned up online. It’s very dramatic. That shows the collision. We see the outcome, but we want to understand why it happened,” McCarter said. He said the wreckage from the crash will be analyzed and they will examine the aircraft, the actions of the pilots and the environment at the time of the crash. The crash at the small airport in Carlisle, about 110 miles (170 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia, involved the Bell 407 helicopter and the Cessna 150, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The Cessna 150 was attempting to land when it veered to the side and collided midair with the rear of the police helicopter, which was hovering above a grassy area beside the runway as part of a training exercise, according to the Pennsylvania State Police. The small plane struck the tail of the hovering helicopter, killing the Cessna pilot and sending both aircraft to the ground in pieces. McCarter said both pilots were flight instructors. There was not a tower to control traffic at the airport, but pilots communicate on a common frequency. He said communication was established between the flight crews, and they have strong evidence that the Cessna pilot was made aware of the helicopter hovering in the area. Read More “I can’t tell you whether or not his visual acuity or whether or not the helicopter was blocked from view,” McCarter said.McCarter said the Cessna pilot had been doing maintenance on his plane before the flight, but they don’t know yet if there was a mechanical issue. He said the flight path of the plane was unusual, and they are looking at why the plane came in that direction and suddenly turned. “I have no information at all to tell me either pilot of either vehicle was at fault. We are very early in the investigation to determine that,” McCarter said. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. The pilot of the plane was identified as Paul William Sokoloski, 57, according to the Cumberland County Coroner’s Office.The helicopter lost its blades and tail boom and crashed onto its side. Both pilots in the helicopter were trapped until one pushed out a window and helped the other out through it, Lt. Col. George Bivens, the state’s acting police commissioner, said during a Wednesday night news conference.“When I say it was a very violent crash, that plane was cut into a lot of pieces,” Bivens said.The helicopter was piloted by Cpl. Bryce Corman and Trooper Jason Mills. Both were airlifted to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for treatment. Corman has been released from the hospital and Mills is recovering in the hospital with a good prognosis, Gov. Josh Shapiro said Thursday.The pilot was the only person aboard the Cessna.

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits from the fifth tee during the first round of the BMW Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)2026-08-20T23:31:33Z ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rory McIlroy might not be as far away as he thought four days ago, playing bogey-free at Bellerive for a 6-under 64 that gave him a share of the lead Thursday in the BMW Championship with three other U.S. Open champions and Chris Gotterup.Four days brought a big change for Scottie Scheffler, too. The world’s No. 1 player went from an eight-shot victory in the postseason opener to feeling under the weather and having to rally for a 72, his highest opening round since the U.S. Open in June.Scheffler’s voice was hoarse when he said he didn’t want to stop to talk, saying only that he was sick as he headed for the locker room.McIlroy returned from a four-week break after the British Open with plenty of rust and very little golf and failed to break par in any of the four rounds for the first time in more than five years at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He went home to Florida and worked with swing coach Michael Bannon. “I went home and I worked on a few things and at least got myself back in a frame of mind where like I felt like I’m at least back on the right path of what I’m doing with my game and with my swing,” McIlroy said. “It’s certainly a work in progress. Days like this are encouraging, obviously. There’s still a lot of work to be done.”McIlroy is fond of saying players never remember what it’s like to play bad when they’re going well and they think they’ll never play good again when the game is going poorly. It’s never that far away, and Thursday was a reminder of that. Bellerive originally was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and later updated by his son, Rees, who had the reputation as the “Open Doctor” for trying to modernize and toughen courses. While soft conditions contributed to a bunched leaderboard, it was hard to look past so many U.S. Open champions at the top. Read More Gary Woodland, a Kansas native getting plenty of support in Missouri as he continues to recover from brain surgery and make it to the FedEx Cup finale, holed out for eagle on the 11th fairway and didn’t miss a green until the 18th, his lone bogey. He won the U.S. Open in 2019 at Pebble Beach.Wyndham Clark, who birdied five of his last six holes, is a two-time U.S. Open champion, including this year at Shinnecock Hills. J.J. Spaun went back to the putter he used when he won the U.S. Open at Oakmont two years ago and had seven birdies until a bogey on the final hole. Among those a shot behind was 2022 U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick.“Coincidence,” Clark said about five of seven U.S. Open champions at 65 or better.Woodland is the only one at 64 who really needed a start like this. The triple-digit heat last week in Memphis, Tennessee, made it difficult for him to slow his heart rate, which is key for him to his brain from being overly engaged. He is at No. 31 in the FedEx Cup — only the top 30 reach the Tour Championship next week in Atlanta, which would guarantee him starts in all four majors next year, along with giving him a chance to play for the FedEx Cup and its $10 million prize.“I can promise you East Lake wasn’t on my mind to start the year,” Woodland said. “It’s a goal, I think you write it down, but it seemed like far, far away. I’ve had up-and-down days. I’ve had some rough days lately. But we’ve built this together, Randy (Smith) and I, to get to a point where I feel very comfortable over the golf ball. “If I can find a way to get through 18 holes mentally, my game’s in a pretty good spot where I can compete out here at a level I haven’t been able to compete in a while.”Woodland kept the excitement down when the crowd erupted in cheers to see his sand wedge from 99 yards spin back and roll into the cup for eagle on the 11th hole. He smiled and raised his arm and gave high-fives to Adam Scott and the caddies.Most impressive was his 2-iron from 286 yards on the par-5 17th that rolled out to 12 feet on the fringe. He narrowly missed that and settle for birdie.Woodland occasionally places his hand on the left side of his chest before putting. It looked like a reminder to keep his shoulders in place. Turns out it has a much deeper purpose.“When I’m struggling I put my hand on my heart to just to remind myself that I’m alive, and if I can feel my heart beat I know I’m breathing,” he said. “And I’ve done that this year just to try to slow my heart down, tell myself I’m safe and I’ll be all right.”___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

The transportation secretary’s six-part YouTube series is fueling ethical concerns over family adventures funded in large part by corporate sponsors regulated by his department.

The industry is long overdue for a reckoning.

Michigan State's Jaxon Kohler looks to pass against Colgate during the second half on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co It has been reported for a while that BYU was the frontrunner to land Michigan State transfer Jaxon Kohler, and now it is official, as he committed to the Cougars on Thursday, according to On3’s Joe Tipton.Kohler had a Zoom meeting with Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats coaching staff on Wednesday, but BYU ultimately won out.The decision makes sense for Kohler, as he could not return to Michigan State because the Spartans had a full roster. Instead, he decided to return to his home state of Utah and become a Cougar.Pope previously recruited Kohler out of high school when he was at BYU, but Michigan State ultimately won out. Pope tried to recruit him again this offseason, but he was unsuccessful in landing the 6-foot-10, 245-pound forward.Kentucky fans likely will not have to worry too much about playing against Kohler or BYU, as the most likely way the two teams would meet would be during the NCAA Tournament.Kohler spent all four years of his collegiate career with the Spartans and is now seeking a fifth season of eligibility, which he was recently granted through the Colorado lawsuit against the NCAA.This past season, Kohler averaged 12.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game while shooting 38.9% from 3-point range. He showcased his talent against Kentucky in the State Farm Champions Classic, finishing with 20 points on 8/12 shooting (2/2 from deep) to go with five boards, two assists, and one block in Michigan State’s 83-66 victory over the Wildcats.BYU is expected to have another strong starting five, but the Cougars could lack the much-needed bench depth they had last season. The projected roster includes returning star point guard Rob Wright III, Kentucky transfer guard Collin Chandler, and 5-star forward Brunch Branch III.For now, Kentucky will continue to explore other options to fill its final roster spot, with many believing the Wildcats could receive a commitment from Missouri forward Mark Mitchell if he is granted eligibility.

EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 08: Jaxon Kohler #0 of the Michigan State Spartans looks to make a play during the first half of the college basketball game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Breslin Center on January 08, 2026 in East Lansing, Michigan. The Michigan State Spartans won the game 76-66. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) | Getty Images BYU added a massive late addition to its roster as Michigan State big man Jaxon Kohler announced his commitment to BYU. Kohler is eligible to play this coming season as the state of California lawsuit he was part of received a temporary injunction allowing fifth-year graduated players college eligibility. The NCAA may appeal the decision.The American Fork, Utah native is LDS and was one of the best big men in the Big 10 last year. Kohler spent all four seasons at Michigan State, going from bench player his first two seasons to starting 69 games his last two seasons for Tom Izzo. Kohler went from a back-to-basket big man his first two year two a stretch big his last season. As a senior, Kohler averaged 12.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, and shot 39% from three and and 87% from the FT line. Kohler was 0-5 combined his first two seasons from three, and as a senior shot 58-139. For all players listed at 6-foot-10 or taller, Jaxon was tied for sixth in college basketball last season in threes made (stat courtesy of X account CBBAnalystics). Listed at 6-foot-10 by Michigan State, Kohler primarily played the four in Michigan State’s big lineup but will likely primarily play the five spot at BYU.Had Jaxon entered the transfer portal back in April, he would be a top 10 transfer this cycle. If he would have entered the portal then, he would have been the most impactful player big man BYU could have realistically landed. Just look at what Kohler did when Michigan State played at Michigan, the national champion with three lottery big men in their frontcourt. Kohler scored 23 points and grabbed 8 boards on 10-13 shooting from the floor and 2-4 from three. He led the Spartans in points and rebounds against the vaunted Wolverine front line. Kohler had 12 double doubles last season and was top 5 in the Big 10 and offensive and defensive rebound percentage.Kohler takes BYU to a fringe top 25 team to a Big 12 title title contender. I have Jaxon as the best offensive big man in the Big 12 and one of the three best bigs in the league along with Arizona’s Mo Krivas and Houston’s Jo Tugler.Jaxon is not a shot blocker, and I have questions about BYU’s defense. He does bring effort and great rebounding prowess on that end, however, and should make BYU one the nation’s top offenses. No big that is elite on both ends of the floor stays in college more than one year. Jaxon is a fifth-year senior that will be one of the top big men in college basketball. Out of any big man that BYU has pursued this offseason, none would have been more impactful or lead to more wins that Kohler will.Jaxon never had great spacing at Michigan State, and will operate with terrific spacing at BYU. With guys like Rob Wright, Collin Chandler, Bruch Branch, Jake Wahlin, Tyler Betsey, and others, Jaxon will have more space than he has ever had in his college career. If can operate on the block one-and-one and bring the opposing big out with his floor spacing. If BYU wants to go bigger, he and Jakub Urbaniak can play on the floor together since both can shoot the three ball and Jakub can guard multiple positions. Jaxon is a home run addition and could make this the best team in Kevin Young’s three seasons, blending talent and depth. BYU has one more roster spot to fill.You can watch highlights of Jaxon below.

Over the entire history of MLB, fewer than 100 pitchers have struck out 2,000 batters. Texas Rangers starter Jacob deGrom became the latest member of that elite club Thursday, hitting the milestone in the top of the first inning against the Washington Nationals.DeGrom struck out Abimelec Ortiz in five pitches, with the last slider sending the first baseman swinging to hit the milestone. DeGrom had struck out Daylen Lile swinging one at-bat earlier.Jacob deGrom is the newest member of the 2,000 strikeouts club 🔥 pic.twitter.com/DwQN0JAYxe— MLB (@MLB) August 21, 2026It marks a significant accomplishment for deGrom, who has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the game since his debut in 2013 with the New York Mets.Despite never being listed as a top-100 prospect, deGrom exceeded all expectations early. As a rookie, he posted a 2.69 ERA over 140 1/3 innings, striking out 144 opposing batters. That performance was good enough to earn deGrom the National League Rookie of the Year award.While deGrom continued to post excellent seasons with the Mets, he really took his game up a level in 2018. That season, deGrom led the majors with an astounding 1.70 ERA over 217 innings. His strikeout rate surged, pushing deGrom to his first-ever Cy Young award. He was similarly dominant in 2019, posting a 2.43 ERA over 204 innings and leading baseball with 255 strikeouts. That performance earned him back-to-back Cy Young awards.During the COVID-19 season, deGrom again led the league in strikeouts, notching 104.At that point, however, injuries started to take a toll on the young ace. deGrom was limited to just 26 starts over his final two years with the Mets. He continued to put up excellent numbers when on the field, but his durability was becoming a concern.Those injuries came at a rough time for deGrom, who hit the free-agent market after the 2022 MLB season. Despite his missed time, deGrom was still able to sign a five-year, $185 million contract with the Rangers that offseason.His start with the Rangers got off on the wrong foot, as deGrom underwent Tommy John surgery after just six starts with the team. That knocked out essentially his entire 2023 and 2024 seasons. deGrom was able to return in 2024, but only made three starts. He still showed strong ability on the mound in his brief time back.With injuries a major question, deGrom experienced a resurgence in 2025, tossing 172 2/3 innings. It marked the first time since 2019 he exceeded 100 innings pitched in a single season. He finished the year with a 2.97 ERA and 185 strikeouts, making the All-Star team for the first time since 2021.While deGrom has experienced minor issues in 2026, he entered Thursday's start with a 3.95 ERA over 121 1/3 innings pitched.With his milestone strikeout Thursday, deGrom sat 93rd on the list of career strikeout leaders. Eight other active players — including names like Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Gerrit Cole and Aaron Nola — sit above the 38-year-old deGrom on that list.deGrom is under contract with the Rangers for at least one more season, giving him the ability to move up the all-time strikeout list next season … and maybe pass a few of his contemporaries on the way.

“Courageous and hungry” in the Super Cup against MunichThe scenarioIn six preseason matches, Borussia Dortmund showed a clear upward trend. Following a win against Rot-Weiß Oberhausen and a loss to Fortuna Düsseldorf, the Japan Tour also yielded mixed results – first a 0-1 loss to Cerezo Osaka, then a 1-0 win over FC Tokyo. BVB showed improvement toward the end of preseason with a 3-2 victory over English champions FC Arsenal and a 2-2 draw against AS Roma after trailing 0-2. Behind this marked improvement in form is also the gradual return of the World Cup players. It wasn’t until the season opener last Saturday that the last two national team players, Gregor Kobel and Julian Ryerson, returned to the squad.“We’re at the start of the season. No one really knows where they stand yet. That’s why this game will be an indicator. We want to win this game – we’re playing at home. The first title is up for grabs, and we’d love to keep it here,” said BVB coach Niko Kovac. Lars Ricken, sporting director, added: “We should use this game to show our fans what our ambitions are: that we want to be bold, that we’re ready to fight for this title, and that we’re hungry for this game. A win could also serve as a catalyst for the rest of the season.”Roster“The roster is pretty full”—that’s the good news. At the same time, however, it presents BVB coach Niko Kovac with a challenge: “We’ll have to cut a few players.” Read more here: Here’s the roster situation ahead of the Super Cup.OpponentSix preseason friendlies, five wins. Only the opener at Wehen Wiesbaden was lost (1–2); Bayern Munich then went on to defeat FC Rottach-Egern (15–0) in preseason. On their Asian tour in South Korea and Hong Kong, they followed that up with wins against Jeju SK (2–1) and Aston Villa (2–1). Back in Germany, the team defeated Rasenballsport Leipzig (3–1) and 1. FC Heidenheim (4–2). During the summer break, Bayern bolstered their defense with Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt) and their attack with Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven).BVB can catch up to FCBSaturday marks a milestone: In this year’s Super Cup, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich will face off for the tenth time in an official match of this competition (there was also one unofficial game between the two teams). For the first time since 2021, the Munich side will be playing at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK.The head-to-head record is nearly even: Munich has won five times so far, while BVB has won four times. With a victory, the Borussians can tie the series. In 2013, 2014, and 2019, the Black and Yellows prevailed at home against Munich.For BVB, it would be their seventh official Super Cup title overall – following their victories in 1989, 1995, 1996, 2013, 2014, and 2019. This marks the 13th time the Black and Yellows have competed for the trophy. The next champion will be determined on Saturday. If there is no winner after 90 minutes, the match will go directly to a penalty shootout.Christina Reinke