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Report: Ipswich Town keen on move to re-sign former starLiam Delap transfer latest as Ipswich Town weigh Chelsea returnLiam Delap’s situation at Chelsea looks increasingly clear, and it is not a flattering one. According to Independent, “Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest are thought to be among a number of clubs considering a move for Chelsea’s Liam Delap.” That tells you plenty on its own. A year after leaving Ipswich for £30m, the 23-year-old is already facing a crossroads.The biggest detail here is symbolic as much as practical. Delap “has lost the No 9 shirt to fellow striker Joao Pedro” and is reportedly “training separately” as Chelsea reshape their attacking options under Xabi Alonso. When a striker loses the shirt and the day-to-day integration, the message is obvious. He is available, and everyone knows it.From an Ipswich perspective, this is the sort of market opportunity that can appear quickly and disappear just as fast. Delap knows the club, knows the environment, and had enough value for Chelsea to spend £30m on him after Ipswich’s relegation. Since then, though, things have stalled badly. He “scored just once in the top flight during his first campaign at Stamford Bridge”, and there is little in that record to suggest Chelsea would block an exit if the right proposal arrived.Photo IMAGONottingham Forest being mentioned also matters. They can offer Premier League football and a different short-term pitch. Ipswich, meanwhile, would be selling familiarity, minutes, and a system that could suit a forward needing rhythm and trust more than noise and hype.There is also movement around him in Chelsea’s squad. “Fellow striker Nicolas Jackson is also available having spent last season on loan with Bayern Munich.” In other words, Chelsea are still shuffling pieces up front, and Delap looks like one of the expendable ones.Our ViewAs an Ipswich supporter, this report is the kind of thing you read and immediately start thinking, go on then, make it happen. There is a basic logic to it. Delap needs a reset. Ipswich need attacking quality with Premier League-level physicality, and we already know he can handle the demands and expectations around the club.The key point for me is that this would not be a vanity signing. It would be a football signing. If he really is “training separately” and if he really has “lost the No 9 shirt”, then Chelsea have already made their call. Fine. Their environment can swallow players quickly. That does not mean the player is finished, it means the fit has been wrong.From an Ipswich angle, there should be real confidence here. Gary O’Neil will want forwards who run, compete, press, and play with edge. Delap absolutely has that. He is still only 23, and one poor season at a chaotic big club should not define him. We sold him for £30m because there was talent there, presence there, and genuine upside there.Forest may be an option, but if Delap wants minutes, belief, and a team where he can feel central again, Ipswich should have a serious chance. Supporters would back this move because it feels grounded in common sense. If the numbers are workable, Ipswich should be aggressive. This looks like a chance to bring back a striker with a point to prove, and those deals can be the best ones of all.

Going back two seasons, Liverpool had one of the best squads in Europe. On paper, a lot of talent remains. Yet even accepting many players individually and collectively under-performed last season, the squad today looks well short of what Liverpool fans expected it to be at this stage.Lacking depth and wildly imbalanced in places, with the season kicking off against Newcastle on Sunday and work still to be done in the transfer market, there’s plenty of concern and consternation amongst the fanbase. New head coach Andoni Iraola, though, says that signings are coming.“We will definitely sign some players,” Iraola told Sky ahead of the opening round of the Premier League season. “Some deals you have to wait until the end, but the end is the important part of the picture, the one we will have on September first, because it is true that we are still quite thin.”In the past, Liverpool managers have tended not to explicitly say signings are coming, tending to stick to more vague promises about the club always looking for opportunities to improve and similar. The question then is if a shift in how potential transfers get discussed is just how Iraola communicates.Alternately, it could be an acceptance of the trust gap that has begun to grow between fanbase and club watching so many of the gains of the Klopp era seeming to have been taken apart—at times almost consciously so—since Michael Edwards returned and named Richard Hughes sporting director.Even with promises of new signings and an explicit acknowledgement that the club recognise just how thin and unbalanced the current squad is, though, things can go wrong when transfer business gets dragged out. One only has to look back to last year’s Marc Ghuei debacle for proof of that.Still, in the current environment and with the current mood around the club—and a growing sense Iraola would be being set up for failure if a few significant deals don’t get done—it is nice to get that explicit confirmation. It’s not the new signings Liverpool need, but it’s better than nothing.

[Getty Images]It's been more than four years since the launch of LIV Golf rocked the game.A brash breakaway league, bankrolled by Saudi Arabian billions, luring top players with promises of big money.Still it divides opinion in golf, and has split the loyalty of its champions.But it could all come to an end soon.After the League's Saudi backers pulled its funding - having spent more than $5bn (£3.6bn) - this week's abortive season finale could be the end.That's unless a new deal is struck, soon.BBC Sport visited the final event of 2026 at an exclusive golf club in Indianapolis, and found a strange atmosphere of surface-level optimism, but deep uncertainty.Get ready for LIV 2.0... or the end?LIV staff have learnt to put on a brave face. And that was no more necessary than this week at Chatham Hills Golf Club.Despite endless questions about the future, they still had a tournament to host, and LIV Golf's white knight was in town - "the investor", as he was most frequently described.The phrase "LIV 2.0" was used on countless occasions by the league's leadership - and that is the dream they are clinging to.It stands for a new chapter, a second life for LIV.There did appear to be genuine optimism that a deal could be struck. LIV Golf chief executive officer Scott O'Neil believes he can pull off the near-impossible, and so do many of those closest to him.But there was widespread acknowledgement that, if they do achieve it, the process to get there won't be easy.One insider remarked "it's darkest before dawn". Another said "it will get worse before it gets better".Work is said to be happening at "breakneck speed" behind the scenes, because of the pressure of players needing clarity on their futures, events needing to be organised, and sponsorships agreed.However, there were players, caddies, staff and volunteers who shared a more pessimistic view with BBC Sport, with one describing it as the "last hurrah".One senior figure within golf's media remarked: "We're at the hospice, not the funeral."What would new era of LIV look like?Much of the format is expected to stay the same in any new LIV - a shotgun start, team competition, music blaring from speakers and party holes.But change will be felt in the boardrooms and in players' pockets. The "free-spending" days are over.If LIV does get a second chapter, it will need to be run in a more financially-disciplined way, given overall losses of this era of LIV are expected to have run into several billions of dollars.BBC Sport has had it confirmed by multiple sources that the prospective investor behind plans for LIV 2.0 is Ted Goldthorpe, head of the credit division of international investment firm BC Partners.Indeed, one insider referred to him simply as "TG", a nickname that suggests he has become a familiar face.Goldthorpe attended LIV's most recent event in Bedminster, New York, and O'Neil said he was spending time "looking under the hood" of the league.But in Indianapolis, Goldthorpe kept himself out of public view, even ushered out of a side door of the clubhouse to avoid media huddled by the front entrance.He did, however, meet players as a group and set out his vision for the future - the primary aim being to make LIV sustainable, and ultimately profitable.Selling franchises will certainly be part of the plan, and BBC Sport heard from one of the team's general managers about "significant interest" from investors.O'Neil said the ambition was to set LIV up so it was "built to last".There would be a reduced schedule of 10 events a year, across five continents.The final location of those may well depend on which players stick around, with Australia's former Open champion Cameron Smith particularly popular in Adelaide, for example.O'Neil said the schedule would be aimed at maximising LIV players' ability to be match-fit come the majors.Players have been promised equity under a deal with a new investor, but quite what that equates to remains unknown.They will also get key commercial rights back - called 'Name Image Likeness' rights - which means they can maximise their own endorsements.Prize money was roughly half this week compared to previous events, and that is a sign of things to come.Over on the American-based PGA Tour - which LIV players are banned from - prize money has increased in recent years, in large part because of LIV.If the PGA Tour follows through on its plans to have a two-track system - with a Championship Series and a Challenger Series - it is likely that LIV prize money would sit somewhere between those, and higher than the European-based DP World Tour prize money.'57 players with 57 different mindsets'If there are no players, there is no LIV 2.0. So the next few weeks will be critical in providing the specific details players say they're currently lacking to make decisions over their future.When asked if there was a critical mass of players needed to sign up for the future before a transaction could be done, O'Neil said: "The entirety of our focus is to get to this transaction and get through it. "Without the players, that becomes very difficult. I have a good level of confidence in my conversation that we'll have a critical mass of the right players to move this league forward."Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, who joined LIV in 2022, told BBC Sport the mood among the players was "subdued". "There are 57 players out here on LIV and there are 57 different mindsets," said the 2010 US Open champion."Some guys have some exemptions in other tours, some have nowhere to go [if LIV folds]."He said he would be "taking a step back" to work out his future after the Indianapolis event."If LIV 2.0 goes ahead, we'll look at the schedule and how it all plays out, and see if that suits me and my lifestyle," McDowell added."I have an opportunity to go back to the European Tour and play there as well. "Whether the two of those can happen simultaneously, whether I can only do one or the other, there are questions like that we don't know the answers to. Until I get that, it's very difficult to make any decisions."When asked by BBC Sport about his future, Smith, who joined LIV just after winning The Open in 2022, said there would be a "little bit of time to think about that once the season is done".Would he like to stick with LIV? "I really love LIV," he said. "It has done wonders for my family, for golf in Australia, my friends, the people that we've got to meet around the world. It would be a shame for it to be done, but we'll see what happens."Other players did not feel comfortable speaking on the record.One senior player said there is an "emotional" feeling among the group as they await clarity.Another told BBC Sport "it's been great", before quickly adding "it is great".It was made clear Jon Rahm - whose future is the source of considerable speculation - would not speak to media aside from his tournament obligations.American Bryson DeChambeau declined an interview request from BBC Sport.But after Thursday's first round, he said: "We definitely have a lot against us."If it works, it works, awesome. If it doesn't, we'll figure things out. Time will move on, and I would say that time heals things. "I hope people can see that we actually bring value to the game of golf. My wish is that people give us one more shot and be open minded."Signs of a strange weekSeveral people over the past few days privately told me this week had been "extraordinary". Here are some examples.On Monday, Englishmen Lee Westwood and Tyrrell Hatton were sitting side-by-side in the front row of their flight from Dublin to Indianapolis when official confirmation finally came that their season would be ending early this week.While the Saudi Public Investment Fund had said it would continue funding LIV until the end of the season, the decision to cancel the team event at the end of August in Michigan was necessary financially, and allowed LIV bosses to "focus on the next chapter".In the press release about the schedule change came significant news regarding the Indianapolis event too - no live music sets on the weekend, which have been seen as a staple at LIV events over the past four years.Later on Monday it was announced that routine player news conferences the following day wouldn't happen. It was felt, BBC Sport understands, that players would be left fielding questions they simply didn't know the answers to.There were reports of vendors suing LIV over unpaid invoices, and of prize money being paid more slowly than normal - although BBC Sport understands that latter issue has been resolved.Then, at 16:30 local time on Tuesday, the driving range emptied, as players headed for a meeting with "the investor". Fifty minutes later they emerged from the clubhouse, with most swerving awaiting media.A few stopped to chat, but appeared careful about what they divulged. Martin Kaymer said it was "productive and positive".Sergio Garcia agreed it had been "productive", but when pushed on his future walked away and said "we'll see".American Brendan Steele was the only player BBC Sport spoke to in the week who has nailed his colours to the mast - he wants to remain a LIV player."It feels new life has been breathed into [LIV]. There was a lot of excitement and energy in the room."I'm committed to being here, this is where I want to be."A critical month aheadWhen asked by BBC Sport if he had doubts about LIV's existence beyond this week's event in Indianapolis, O'Neil said the "facts are good" and finished his answer by saying "I wouldn't bet against us".So what's he basing his optimism on?In terms of uptake of LIV worldwide, LIV said Adelaide attracted a record 115,000 fans - said to make it Australia's highest-attended golf event - and had a global broadcast audience of 5.5m.Meanwhile, 100,000 fans attended the event in South Africa, and 50,000 went to the recent UK event, according to LIV.LIV said 30% of its event-goers had never attended a professional golf event before.O'Neil said that annual attendance in 2026 would surpass that of 2025, with two fewer events.LIV Golf said revenue grew by more than100% from 2024 to 2025, and the first half of 2026 suggested this would increase again.O'Neil also said sponsors were not "running for the hills" despite the uncertainty.Growth is clearly promising. But there will be no doubt in the minds of Goldthorpe and the LIV hierarchy that turning this into a profitable organisation will take a serious shift in outlook, and of course in spending.Once everyone packs up from Indianapolis on Sunday night, the focus will turn entirely to securing a transaction to give LIV 2.0 a chance of getting off the ground.There are a few options available - filing for bankruptcy, pre-packaged insolvency, or someone comes in and pays the outstanding bills.If all outstanding payments were settled, including on player contracts - such as Rahm, who is understood to be owed millions – then players wouldn't be able to break their contracts early.O'Neil said there was a deadline for players to sign up to LIV 2.0, but wouldn't provide details of what that was.The manoeuvrings of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour will be crucial.There are undoubtedly difficult decisions ahead.This is the end of an era for LIV. What no one knows yet is whether it is the end full stop.'Tough road back' to PGA Tour from LIV - McIlroyLIV cancels final event to focus on 'next chapter'What now for Rahm, DeChambeau and LIV's biggest names?

During a Monday shootout with state troopers, 29-year-old farmer and Trump supporter Steven Righini held his four-week-old daughter hostage, barricaded in his Portage Lake, Maine home while publishing social media posts about “pedos” and “transgenders harassing” him. Righini, who regularly shared anti-LGBTQ+ messages on X, murdered a police dog named Preacher and injured an officer while trying to escape arrest. Troopers shot and killed Righini soon after. Related Conservative writer who accused drag queens of “grooming” kids arrested for child molestation Troopers came to Righini’s rural home after receiving reports of a domestic dispute during which he allegedly fought the 18-year-old mother of his child and pushed her against a wall. When troopers arrived, they found the woman outdoors. When they convinced Righini to come outside and tried to arrest him, he pulled a gun from his waistband and began shooting at officers before returning indoors, WMTW 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 As the troopers’ patrol car backed out of his driveway, Righini reportedly fired upon the vehicle, hitting Aroostook County Sheriff’s Deputy Shane Campbell in the shoulder. He has since been released from the hospital. Righini remained in his house for hours as troopers tried to convince him to come outside. In the meanwhile, Righini made several social media posts including a video claiming, “Now they’re trying to arrest me simply because I do not believe in gay rights and abortion.” https://twitter.com/FarmerRigzDTS/status/1886458058852745295 “I had the cops called on me. A SWAT team showed up, and I’m now engaged in a shootout,” Righini said in the video, adding, “My state has been the number one abortion and gay rights state in the entire country and I’ve been segregated against for my beliefs.” “I assure you that I am not the aggressor here,” he continued. “They tried to arrest me, they tried to taze me, they are trying to make me a criminal… I’m sorry this had to happen, I really am. But I’m backed into a corner with my political beliefs.” He then said that he hadn’t been able to find a job in over a year and had struggled “his entire life… fighting Democrats and trying to stand up for my beliefs.” “Let me ask you: If you’re a law enforcement officer, why do you support the COVID vaccines? Why do you support abortion? Why do you support what isn’t morally right? How are you fighting for a state system that protects illegal immigrants and pedophiles? Please explain this to me.” He then asked why it’s legal to “murder” babies in his state “up until the moment of conception.” Righini likely misspoke since conception refers to the moment when a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell, something that occurs anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes after unprotected sexual intercourse. In Maine, abortion is legal up to the point of fetal viability, which is generally around 24 weeks of pregnancy. “That’s why I’m fighting. I’m fighting for the babies, I’m fighting for the unborn, and I’m fighting for righteousness and Christianity to be restored in this country.” He then declared that “Christ is king” told all of those close to him that he loved them, adding, “I’m sorry it had to end this way.” He also published several text posts on X, including one in which he wrote, “Years of transgenders harassing me and abortion being essentially a sacrament in my state . I have to stand my ground and fight for my religion here. Christ is Lord i am sorry.” https://twitter.com/FarmerRigzDTS/status/1886468389805101263 Righini then tried to escape in a car, but officers disabled his vehicle. While fleeing on foot, he shot and killed a 4-year-old trooper dog named Preacher. Righini then began firing at officers who shot and killed him. In a January 28 post, Righini wrote, “i want to thank @realDonaldTrump for protecting children against mutilation and sexual deviancy. Unfortunately the damage cannot be reversed for the children who were coerced into ‘changing their sex’ so let those demons be a grim reminder to say NEVER AGAIN!” The post seemingly referred to Trump’s executive order seeking to ban gender-affirming care for trans people under the age of 19. Christian conservatives have previously referred to advocates of such care as “Satanic” and claimed that they “groom” children to undergo gender-affirming surgeries even though such procedures are almost never performed on minors. https://twitter.com/FarmerRigzDTS/status/1867828116183450074 https://twitter.com/FarmerRigzDTS/status/1864849165483749602 Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

This photo released by the Cuxhaven Police Department shows a donkey named Freddy in its enclosure in Holssel near Cuxhaven, Germany, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. (Polizei Cuxhaven via AP)2026-08-21T12:33:48Z BERLIN (AP) — A donkey on the loose in northern Germany attacked two motorists by jumping into their van on Friday, kicking and biting them along with a third woman who tried to help restrain the aggressive equine, police said. The incident south of the coastal city of Cuxhaven came to an end as the animal’s owner intervened to secure the animal, Cuxhaven police said in a statement.Passersby noticed the donkey, whose name is Freddy, and a horse were running loose at a roundabout in the town of Holssel. The motorists tried to secure the donkey, which “became very aggressive” and jumped into the van.The 33-year-old woman who tried to help required hospital treatment, while the motorists sustained minor injuries, the police statement said. “The reason for the animal’s aggressive reaction is still unclear,” the statement said.

Floyd Jones, the founder of BackBlack, an initiative that supports underfunded Black-led nonprofits, poses for a portrait in Washington Heights, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)2026-08-21T12:22:54Z NEW YORK (AP) — Black nonprofit fundraisers are turning to their own communities for support this month, stressing everyday donors’ power at a time when philanthropy is growing more concentrated among the affluent and some major funders have de-prioritized diversity in their grantmaking.The BackBlack initiative has directed more than $12 million toward Black-led nonprofits over the past three years, according to founder Floyd Jones. A GivingTuesday -style campaign that runs in August, the appeal invites online donation platforms to center typically underfunded, Black-led nonprofits. Last year’s efforts drew more than 130,000 unique donors, according to Jones, with the majority of their gifts falling under $100.This year, for the first time, organizers are also leveraging content creators to reach a new audience: Black Gen Zers. The goal is to show that philanthropy belongs to them, too — not just the historically wealthier and predominantly white charitable institutions that tend to dominate narratives about philanthropy. “Our people have always taken care of our people,” Jones said. “I want people to feel empowered.”The campaign could bring a boost for smaller, Black-led organizations that, according to research released earlier this year, saw no significant changes to their funding after the racial reckoning of 2020. Only a subset of larger nonprofits got temporary increases in the years that followed, according to an analysis by Candid and ABFE. BackBlack aims to flip that narrative from one of “deficit” to one of abundance. Jones is heartened by the example of Madam C.J. Walker, a Black beauty entrepreneur widely considered America’s first female self-made millionaire. She supported Black educational efforts such as Booker T. Washington’s Tuskegee Institute and African American branches of the YMCA. She also contributed to the NAACP ‘s anti-lynching fund shortly before her death in 1919. Read More Jones doesn’t care if today’s donors have millions in their bank accounts, though. “It’s about doing your best,” he said. One of BackBlack’s partnering creators pointed to the Free African Society. The nondenominational Philadelphia group, founded in 1787 by Black leaders Richard Allen and Absalom Jones, was one of the country’s first mutual aid organizations. 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’ve always had to pool our money and resources to help each other,” said Ernest Crim III, a former schoolteacher who posts Black history videos for his 118,000 Instagram followers.But, he added, allies must also pitch in — especially in communities that “might not have the sustainable market or income to consistently give.”Crim is asking followers to support Black nonprofits that work on issues of youth employment. Other participating pages are focused on nonprofits providing sports access, improving health outcomes and ensuring civil rights.Matching up to $6,000 in donations is For Good, a charitable giving platform that helps move money from more than 20,000 donor-advised funds to over a million nonprofits filtered by ZIP code. GivingTuesday manages BackBlack’s data, Jones said. Other partners include online fundraising platforms GiveButter, Every.org, Bonterra and Fundraise Up.For Good provides back end infrastructure for consumer-based campaigns including YouTube’s fundraising pages and Patagonia’s point-of-sale donations. The creator-driven donation strategy stemmed from the platform’s success with YouTubers who launch fundraisers for the issues they discuss in their videos. Grassroots fundraisers face competing headwinds, according to For Good interim president Tamara Mahal. The concentration of wealth has increased the share of high net worth individuals in the donor pool. But, she said, there are more ways than ever to give locally from the bottom up.She welcomes the BackBlack campaign’s efforts to include more small-dollar givers so that nonprofits aren’t overly beholden to any one individual benefactor.“The cause is important in and of itself. Find a nonprofit that’s doing work in your community,” she said. “And that will actually help us to diversify.”Kaci Patterson is the founder of Social Good Solutions, a social impact consulting firm that works with funders to build support for Black-led organizations outside of “trend funding.” She finds that Black Philanthropy Month, celebrated in August, is a reminder that philanthropy is more than just “institutional” giving “held within the walls of wealth and power.” It was fish fries and chicken dinners, she noted, that funded alternative transportation systems during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Growing up, her own family received groceries from their community during times of hardship.“That was philanthropy. That was someone else looking at us and investing in us and wanting us to be whole and wanting us to be well,” she said. “We’ve always had this kind of ‘we got us’ philanthropy. Let’s step into that role more confidently.”___ Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. JAMES POLLARD Pollard covers philanthropy for The Associated Press with a focus on Gen Z’s giving habits and technology’s uses in charitable work. He is based in New York. twitter mailto

Nature, Published online: 21 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02352-4The case is the latest example of this scientific workhorse being misused in experiments.

The post Every Commercial On ESPN Past Midnight Just Straight-Up Telling Viewers They Have Prostate Cancer appeared first on The Onion.

After a megayacht owned by Mark Zuckerberg failed to respond to a distress signal from a skiff that had run out of fuel, a spokesperson for the centibillionaire claimed his crew did not hear the call for help. What do you think? “Hasn’t he helped the world enough?” Nigella Howe, Sandal Innovator “I lose my morality at sea, too.” Matty Segura, Fabric Unraveler “You don’t stay ultrarich with basic acts of kindness.” Herschel Moorehouse, Barbecue Supervisor The post Mark Zuckerberg’s Yacht Fails To Respond To Maritime Distress Call appeared first on The Onion.

RENO, NV—Wincing as he sang in a baritone voice with a slight British accent, local woman Mary Lowe reportedly felt immense pity at a karaoke outing Thursday after she imagined her friend Matthew Brown working on his Morrissey impression alone at home. “Oh no, I can picture him practicing it all by himself in his apartment, psyching himself up to debut this little performance tonight,” said Lowe, who smiled at Brown despite the devastating mental image she confirmed he was evoking by loosely swinging one arm back and forth with his eyes focused on the ground in a melancholy gaze. “Matt is not a spontaneous person, so the gusto with which he launched into that unmistakable, Muppet-like Morrissey voice on the first note of ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ tells me that he probably watched tons of Smiths footage just to prepare for this. I can see it now—swinging his hips in front of the mirror, doing trial runs along to YouTube karaoke videos, believing this would earn him the respect and adulation of his peers. I want to cry.” At press time, sources reported the audience had fallen silent and become extremely depressed as everyone imagined Brown painstakingly studying the rapping portion of TLC’s “Waterfalls.” The post Karaoke Outing Paints Heartbreaking Picture Of Friend Practicing Morrissey Impression Alone appeared first on The Onion.

College football officially begins this month.Now that it's mid-August, there are just days to go until Week Zero, and since the season is quickly approaching, we're rolling out our preseason top 25.After revealing our teams in the back half of our top 25, we conclude our previews of the top 12 teams in the country with the team that we're predicting to win it all at the end of the 2026 season.Previously: Teams Nos. 13-25, No. 12 Oklahoma, No. 11 Alabama, No. 10 Texas A&M, No. 9 Ole Miss, No. 8 Texas Tech, No. 7 Miami,No. 6 Georgia, No. 5 Texas, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 3 Indiana, No. 2 Notre DameNo. 1 Oregon2025 record: 13-2Odds to win national championship: +800Odds to make College Football Playoff: -3002025 in less than 100 wordsThe Ducks played key early-season roles in getting other coaches fired. In Week 2, Oregon annihilated Oklahoma State 69-3. Mike Gundy was fired after the Cowboys lost to Tulsa the following week. In Week 5, Oregon went to Penn State for a rematch of the 2024 Big Ten title game. The Ducks won 30-24 in double overtime after Dillon Thieneman's interception of Drew Allar. After losses at UCLA and at home against Northwestern in the following two weeks, Penn State fired coach James Franklin.Oregon's lone regular-season blemish came after that Penn State game, when the Ducks lost 30-20 at home to Indiana. They would follow that with six straight wins to end the regular season and make the playoff. After a 17-point win over James Madison, the Ducks' defense dominated Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl before Indiana got the best of Oregon again in a 56-22 blowout win in the semifinals.Dante Moore returned for another season at Oregon in 2026. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)Ali Gradischer via Getty ImagesThe QBDante MooreIt would not have been a shock if that second loss to Indiana was Moore's final game in a Ducks uniform. It reasoned that Moore would declare for the 2026 NFL Draft and likely be the second quarterback taken behind Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. Heck, the QBs from the Peach Bowl could have easily gone in the first two picks.Instead, with the Raiders holding the top pick and the Jets holding the second pick, Moore decided to come back to school for another season.In 2025, Moore was 296-of-412 passing for 3,565 yards and 30 TDs with 10 interceptions. Moore's 71.8% completion rate was fourth in the country behind Ohio State's Julian Sayin, Miami's Carson Beck and Mendoza.This season, Moore will be working with a new offensive coordinator after Will Stein left to become the head coach at Kentucky. Drew Mehringer takes over Stein's old role after previously serving as the tight ends coach.Stein's offenses have helped quarterbacks make a lot of high-percentage throws; after all, former Oregon QB Bo Nix holds the single-season completion percentage record. It's hard to see Oregon's offense changing wholeheartedly with Mehringer now calling plays, but greater health at receiver could help unlock even more of Moore's potential. Evan Stewart missed the entire 2025 season with a knee injury, Dakorien Moore missed four games and Gary Bryant Jr. missed three games.Eric Edholm's NFL Draft prospect to watchQB Dante MooreThe Ducks should have multiple first-rounders next year, but Moore probably has the chance to go highest. After a mixed-bag freshman year at UCLA and a season sitting behind Dillon Gabriel at Oregon, Moore broke out with a great season in 2025. He's a cool operator in the pocket, keeping his eyes downfield, sensing and avoiding pressure well and delivering the ball with a mostly clean, efficient operation. The 6-foot-3 Moore reportedly has added some weight to his frame this offseason to bulk up to the 220-pound range. He's not a gifted scrambler but possesses enough functional athleticism to make plays on the move. Moore struggled with pressure in both Indiana games last season, and his nine fumbles provide a clear area for improvement.Jamari Johnson could be one of the most prolific TEs in college football in 2026. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)Ali Gradischer via Getty ImagesCollege fantasy football player to watchTE Jamari JohnsonBoth Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill are back at running back and the Ducks have always liked a committee under coach Dan Lanning. Noah Whittington led the team with 129 carries in 2025. And though the injuries at wide receiver played a role, no player had more than 51 catches last season.Enter Johnson, who is the No. 2 TE in Yahoo's preseason rankings. Oregon loves utilizing its tight ends in the passing game and that shouldn't change in 2026. Johnson saw significant playing time with first-round NFL pick Kenyon Sadiq last season and should have an even larger role in 2026.Even as Sadiq had 51 grabs for 560 yards and eight scores, Johnson was the team's fourth-leading receiver with 32 catches for 510 yards and three scores. There's a non-zero chance he could end up as Moore's top target in 2026. Draft him accordingly.Biggest gameNov. 7 at Ohio StateThe Ducks get the Buckeyes and Michigan in back-to-back weeks to start November. The last time Oregon and Ohio State met in the regular season, Oregon won 32-31 when Ohio State QB Will Howard slid to the ground as time expired. Oregon fans would like to forget what happened when the two teams met again in the playoff.Before the trip to Columbus, Oregon's biggest game is a trip to USC on Sept. 26 that may be more of a test of USC's contender status than it is a referendum on Oregon. The Trojans also haven't beaten the Ducks since 2016.Even if Oregon loses at Ohio State, the Ducks should have a great shot at making the Big Ten title game and the College Football Playoff.Why Oregon is No. 1The Big Ten has three legitimate contenders entering the 2026 season as it looks for its fourth straight national championship. And as Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana have won the previous three titles, why can't a fourth different Big Ten team win in 2026?Moore's return boosts the offense and also provides a clear transition to Dylan Raiola in 2027 as the former Nebraska quarterback (ideally) would sit and watch from the sidelines this season. If Moore can figure out those turnover issues, Oregon could score like the 2023 offense that averaged 44 points per game.Thieneman was a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but Lanning and his staff immediately found his replacement after the season. And, like Thieneman, that replacement came from another Big Ten school. Former Minnesota safety Koi Perich has over 200 tackles the past two seasons. He'll be a fantastic fit in Oregon's secondary and can make an impact similar to Thieneman.The linebacking group needs to replace leading tackler Bryce Boettcher, but there's still depth there. If there's a step back on the second level, it could be made up by the defensive line, which is one of the best in the country. Matayo Uiagalelei, Bear Alexander and Teitum Tuioti are all back. The 274 yards that Oregon allowed per game in 2025 were the fewest in the Lanning era. Opponents averaged just 4.4 yards per play.Throw in a schedule that doesn't include Indiana (until potentially the Big Ten title game), and we're bullish that Oregon will be back in the national title game for the first time since Marcus Mariota was winning the Heisman Trophy. This is a loaded team that's more than capable of winning it all.

TimesofIndia.com in Colombo: Team India captain Shubman Gill stepped out off the 28th delivery he faced in Galle and followed it up with an early sweep in the second innings. While the connection wasn't ideal when he looked to go downtown against Prabath Jayasuriya, he misjudged the length a bit while attempting a sweep off the stumps against the same bowler. Not the kind of start he would have liked to the tour, but the twin failures in the series opener haven't triggered any panic and Gill is sticking to the plan.During his first hit at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, Gill was in the mood and was severe against the trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain. The right-hander kept stepping out of the crease and launched plenty into the stands. The shouts of "watch, watch the ball" became constant, and Gill didn't deviate from the plan. Even when the length wasn't ideal for going all out, he would squeeze in a defensive push, but he remained on the charge and grew in confidence as the session progressed.The footwork was far more assured and the connection became sweeter. There were no ugly hoicks or slog sweeps, but proper cricketing shots: inside-out over covers, over the bowler's head and over long-on against off-spin. While he went deep into his crease navigating the two left-armers, there was no downshift against Saransh, who saw plenty of deliveries go the distance.Gill's message and method were clear from his marathon hit: he will take the spinners on and there will be a sense of urgency in the middle overs against the likes of Jayasuriya and Keshara Nuwantha. It helped that Gill had Pant as his batting partner in the nets, and one would hope that the moment they are reunited in the middle in Colombo, the approach remains the same.India spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule didn't read much into the approach, saying the Indian captain is sticking to his plan and method of adapting."With Gill, the flow of runs will always be there. This is just his way of adapting and finding the best methods to play, defend and more importantly adapt. So he has his own methods of adapting and is sticking to that," said Bahutule.Kuldeep Yadav and KL Rahul were notable absentees; they did not attend the practice session. In Kuldeep's absence, Saransh bowled a long spell and there is a lot of chatter regarding his inclusion in the second Test, especially after Sri Lanka's decision to add left-handers to the squad.The chinaman picked just one wicket in the two innings, but he largely remained and operated as the team's third spinner, with Jadeja and Suthar doing the bulk of the bowling and taking the majority of the wickets. India will have to make the tough call between prioritising experience and craft or opting for the match-up battle, which currently favours Saransh.Bahutule said they will finalise the combination after one final look at the pitch and asserted that Kuldeep continues to enjoy the backing."Kuldeep Yadav has been bowling well, played a different role in Galle and was trying to adapt. He was making an effort to change trajectory as per session requirements. So one match can't change a lot of things, and it's challenging for a wrist spinner to bowl with the old ball. Not much for the finger spinners, but harder for wrist spinners," added Bahutule.Apart from the third spinner, the Playing XI for Colombo is unlikely to spring a major surprise if there are no last-minute fitness concerns. India registered a convincing win in Galle and will want to carry forward the momentum from that fixture.The batters have been in good touch and if Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal return to scoring ways, life will be difficult for the hosts, who are missing three first-choice players due to injury. There is another net session to apply finishing touches, but considering the heat and humidity levels, it will largely remain an optional one, with players likely to opt for more rest over training. The plan will be to keep the bowlers fresh, and Morne Morkel did his bit by putting on his bowling shoes when Pant and Gill switched nets to face fast bowlers, side-armers and some net bowlers.Just like the win in Galle, India ticked most preparatory boxes in the first hit in Colombo and seem ready for the challenge.

Official: Real Madrid squad for the game against EspanyolA significantly changed and reinforced Real Madrid team is set to go into the 2026-27 season tomorrow, as they will play their first La Liga game of the new season, against Espanyol, at the RCDE Stadium.The Merengue fans will be very excited to see their team in action for this game, especially the new players. Real Madrid, who have already announced their squad for this game, have named all the new signings, Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva, Carlos Espi, and Yan Diomande in the list of players who will travel to Barcelona for this match.However, it remains to be seen which of these players will actually play the game. The likes of Cucurella and Konate are less likely to start, as they returned from their holidays quite late, and have trained under Jose Mourinho for only a few days. Others like Bernardo Silva, Dumfries, and Espi have already played quite a few minutes during the preseason.Meanwhile, there are two notable absences from the list. One of these is Aurelien Tchouameni, who continues to recover from his physical problem and has started training with the group, but Mourinho has not called him up for this game as he does not want to take any risks with him. The other is Endrick, who is out with a minor muscle injury, as the Portuguese coach confirmed in his presser.Defenders:4: Marc Cucurella5: Alvaro Carreras6: Antonio Rudiger7: Denzel Dumfries8: Mario RivasMidfielders:1: Jude Bellingham2: Eduardo Camavinga3: Federico Valverde4: Arda Guler5: Bernardo Silva6: Cestero7: Alexis CiriaForwards:1: Kylian Mbappe2: Vinicius Junior3: Carlos Espi4: Brahim Diaz5: Yan Diomande

Alexander Isak braced for red-hot reception as Liverpool star returns to Newcastle for the first timeAndoni Iraola has said Liverpool forward Alexander Isak will be full of motivation ahead of his first return to Newcastle United.Isak will return to St James' Park on Sunday for the first time since leaving Newcastle for Liverpool last summer.The Swedish striker is expected to receive a red-hot reception from the home crowd, who were unhappy with the forward's push for a move to Anfield last summer.Isak eventually completed his £125m British record move on deadline day, following a summer in which he refused to rejoin Newcastle for pre-season.Isak struggled to make an impression during a difficult debut season with the Reds, with a lack of pre-season and serious mid-campaign injury restricting his impact.Ahead of thePremier League opener against his old side, Liverpool boss Iraola said the 26-year-old will be motivated to make his mark as he looks to ignite his career on Merseyside."It's always special when you play against your old team in their stadium. In the same way when I go back to play against Bournemouth, you always want to do well in thePremier League," he said at his pre-match press conference."The first game of the season everyone is going to be very motivated and I think it's going to be the same for Alex."Isak will hope to shoulder the responsibility for goals, following the exit of Mohamed Salah. Salah was one of several senior names to depart Liverpool at the end of last season, alongside Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate. Despite that, Iraola is confident he has enough leaders in his squad."We lost a lot in terms of experience, high-level players who have performed so well for so many years here - but I think it is also a natural thing in clubs."I think we have a lot of young players wiling to take those minutes and ready to take those leadership roles. Overall, I am very happy with the attitude of the players in the pre-season."Pre-season is always easier for the manager because there are less complaints about minutes, being out of the squad and other things - but still I think everyone has been very ready to understand what we demand from them and I'm happy with the feeling I have with this group of players."

With just over a week left until the college football season kicks off, eligibility lawsuits have become a central part of the discussion. A Louisiana judge paved the way for members of the Class of 2022 to enter the transfer portal as the NCAA faces legal scrutiny over its age-based eligibility model.As a result, there’s a wave of player movement with eight days to go before Week 0. During an appearance on ESPN Radio on Thursday, SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee criticized the landscape and cited the latest wave of lawsuits as a reason Congress should pass the Protect College Sports Act.$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverageLashlee called out the inconsistency that comes with the lawsuits, specifically with regard to transfer rules. A Colorado judge ordered in late July that athletes from the Class of 2022 were eligible, but the ruling did not enjoin portal rules. However, a judge in Louisiana said there could be a one-week window for players to transfer, including some who have gone through NFL training camp. Add it all up, and Lashlee said Congress must pass the Protect College Sports Act to help bring stability. Congress broke for a recess earlier this month and is due back in mid-September, and the bill is due to come up after a deal with Senate leadership.“I think this is more evidence why, when they come back from the break – regardless of what you think – Congress has to pass this bill,” Lashlee said on Amber & Ian. “We have a game right now that has no rules and no leadership. And the leadership that is there can’t be sustained.“You can’t have a deal where it depends on which court case or which state you sue in and what judge you get determines the rules. … The court system is running our our game right now. And, there’s no consistency and continuity. So for some players, it might be a good thing. For others, it might not be a good thing.”Rhett Lashlee: ‘I’m worried about the problem’The round of eligibility lawsuits came after the NCAA approved a new age-based, five-year eligibility model. It will give athletes five years to play five years of eligibility starting with their 19th birthday or the date they enroll in college, whichever happens first. Recruits from the 2027 cycle will be age-based only, while the Class of 2022 did not receive an exemption for a fifth season.SUBSCRIBE to the On3 NIL and Sports Business NewsletterAs a result, legal challenges mounted. But with training camp nearing its end and games coming up quickly, Rhett Lashlee said the wave of players entering the portal creates more questions. That’s why he put the blame on leadership in college sports.“Regardless of [which] side of that you fall on, it’s not ever good when there’s no rules, no consistency and we don’t all know how to both for the players, what they’re what they’re allowed to do and what they can expect,” Lashlee said. “And for the the fans and for us that are … trying to to lead programs and run things in this business, there’s just so much uncertainty and instability. We’ve got to have it because you go from here’s the rules to then two weeks ago, well, guys could maybe get a fifth year from ’22, but only back to their school and can’t transfer to now, oh wait, you can come off an NFL roster and come back and go wherever you want two weeks before the season starts.“I think anybody rational would tell you, that’s not a sustainable model. So that’s really what I care about, more than just one little instance. I’m not worried about the symptoms. I’m worried about the problem.”

A marmot named 9 sits outside of her den Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson)2026-08-21T13:00:25Z GOTHIC, Colo. (AP) — Last winter was tough for marmots living high in the Colorado mountains, where researchers say two-thirds of one population died while hibernating because of insufficient snow cover.Those that survived are doing well, fattening up in time not just for fall and hibernation season but … drumroll, please … the very first Fat Marmot Week.Just like Fat Bear Week, an online contest to vote for Alaskan brown bears plumped up for winter, Fat Marmot Week — beginning Monday — is mostly just for fun, but it also has a serious side: Scientists need to drum up donations for their long-running research into the rodents to keep it going through federal funding cuts.“In some sense, we’re going to be laughing our way down as the Titanic sinks,” said Dan Blumstein, leader of the project launched decades ago at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado. “Because what else are you going to do?” But wait. What’s a marmot? A marmot named 9 sits outside of her den Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) A marmot named 9 sits outside of her den Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More A marmot is a cat-sized, furry ground squirrel that lives in burrows in North America, Europe and Asia. The 15 or so species worldwide include groundhogs, which have their own special day, Feb. 2, in the U.S. and Canada. In the Rocky Mountains, yellow-bellied marmots are plentiful. Hikers often spot these charismatic creatures perched on boulders or scurrying through wildflowers.Marmots aren’t shy near trails popular with people. Watch out: A bold one might swipe your snack. Researchers mark a marmot with dye for identification Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Researchers mark a marmot with dye for identification Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Researchers swab the cheek of a marmot Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Researchers swab the cheek of a marmot Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More A researcher measures a marmot's foot Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) A researcher measures a marmot's foot Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More A marmot pup looks out from a trap Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) A marmot pup looks out from a trap Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Like people, marmots have personalities and are “flexibly social,” meaning some like to intermingle in colonies of up to 30 animals while others prefer solitude, according to Emily Renkey, a master’s program student at the University of California, Los Angeles. Read More “We kind of understand these marmots just by looking at them sometimes, because we can kind of tell who’s who just by how they behave and how they interact with one another,” said Katie Adler, a UCLA doctoral student.Some marmots are difficult to study because they are wary of researchers’ efforts to trap them using wire boxes baited with an enticing mixture of oats and peanut butter, Renkey said.“Others, you could trap three or four times in the same morning,” she said. Marmots are big-time snoozers A marmot named 9 sits with one of her pups Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) A marmot named 9 sits with one of her pups Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More While hibernating bears snooze in a state called torpor, allowing them to wake up — or be woken up — every now and then, marmots slip into a far deeper form of hibernation. Their body temperature drops from about that of a human to as low as 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius), not much warmer than their burrows in winter.“You pick up a hibernated marmot and it’s this fuzzy ball and it feels like a cold rock with fur. It’s completely surreal,” Blumstein said. “They breathe once a minute or two.”To prepare for winter, the animals do a tremendous amount of fattening. They double their weight to as much as 13 pounds (6 kilograms), then lose all of that bulk during half a year or more of hibernation.“Marmots come out of the ground really skinny, relative to what they look like now, at least,” Adler said. A poor snowpack affects more than the ski season A road winds through the snow-covered Rocky Mountains at Hoosier Pass on April 18, 2022, near Blue River, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson, File) A road winds through the snow-covered Rocky Mountains at Hoosier Pass on April 18, 2022, near Blue River, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Last winter, scant snowfall and warm temperatures due to global warming deprived many Colorado marmots of an insulating blanket of snow over their burrows. Researchers believe their hibernation quarters got too chilly, causing many to die of cold.“We had over 160 animals and we ended with 60 at the start of this season,” Blumstein said. “Most of them died because of the lack of snow cover.”This year’s snowpack was the worst on record in the Upper Colorado River Basin, which includes Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. Human-caused climate change made the snow drought about 14 times more likely, a new study confirms.Hundreds of researchers at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory have observed changes including fewer bees and other pollinators, and sagebrush encroaching in valleys once dominated by wildflowers.Precipitation changes, meanwhile, literally cascade downstream to where farmers and communities need water to survive.“The snowmelt here impacts the Colorado River which impacts our drinking water,” Renkey said. “What happens in these mountains doesn’t stay in these mountains. It impacts all of us.”Mouseketeers, musketeers and marmoteers Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles measure a marmot Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles measure a marmot Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The marmot researchers in Gothic affectionately call themselves “marmoteers.” The study, run by UCLA researchers at the center about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Aspen, has been ongoing since 1962, making it one of the world’s longest-running studies of individual mammals.“It allows graduate students and other people to come in and suddenly capitalize on this knowledge and ask questions. Without doing all the grunt work,” Blumstein said. Columbia University undergraduate student Isabel Norman, left, learns how to weigh a marmot under the supervision of Katie Adler, a doctoral student at the University of California, Los Angeles, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Columbia University undergraduate student Isabel Norman, left, learns how to weigh a marmot under the supervision of Katie Adler, a doctoral student at the University of California, Los Angeles, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Funding cuts have caused Blumstein’s UCLA department to lose one-third of its graduate students. Fat Marmot Week is one approach to attract interest — and hopefully donations — to keep the work going. Among the rodents on display: Stonehenge, who chirps at mountain bikers; and Citroen, whose mate is a leader of this matriarchal marmot motherland. Voting opens Monday.The researchers have also been posting marmot videos to the OnlyFans adult content platform. To capitalize on the attention those posts have garnered, a “super fan” created a meme coin, a type of cryptocurrency, called $OnlyMarms, and donates transaction fees to the research program. That alone has raised around $100,000. Emily Renkey, a University of California, Los Angeles masters student, moves a marmot trap Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Emily Renkey, a University of California, Los Angeles masters student, moves a marmot trap Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The team needs to bank three years of funding — over $200,000 — to ensure marmot research can continue next summer.“People have to find funding in ways that we’ve never really thought of before,” Adler said. “Like reaching out to the broader community to get people engaged.”___The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. BRITTANY PETERSON Peterson is an Associated Press video journalist based in Denver. She covers water in the western U.S. for AP’s global climate team. twitter mailto

A marmot named 9 sits outside of her den Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Gothic, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson)2026-08-21T13:06:09Z LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — South African cyclist S’annara Grove has been provisionally suspended because of a failed doping test, the International Testing Agency said Friday.Grove’s sample collected on July 28 at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow returned an “adverse analytical finding” for ipamorelin, the ITA said.Ipamorelin, prohibited in and out of competition, “is a synthetic peptide used to stimulate the body’s natural production of growth hormone,” the testing agency said.The ITA said Grove, who didn’t medal in her track cycling events at the Commonwealth Games, has been informed of the case and has the right to challenge the provisional suspension.The 32-year-old Grove rides professionally for the Smurfit Westrock team and is listed as a competitor in the current Tour of Britain. The third stage of the race was Friday.Grove has not publicly addressed the ITA’s announcement. The Smurfit Westrock and South Africa teams have been approached for comment.Grove had been scheduled to represent South Africa at the road world championships in Montreal in September.___See full AP coverage of European sports here 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

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Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn ImagesPhoenix Suns small forward Dillon Brooks appeared on the latest episode of Deflected, where he was asked for his Mount Rushmore of players at his position. Brooks picked players based on the present, but still made some wild choices.“Brandon Ingram, let’s put your boy in there, Cooper Flagg,” Brooks said. “I’m trying to think of any threes… Jalen Williams. That’s a good one, too. There’s only four heads on Mount Rushmore, right?… I’m Canadian. So sometimes I see five. Kawhi Leonard.”Now, Brooks had also been asked who among that group is the most beatable, and he said Kawhi Leonard is the only one who isn’t.“Three of those guys are beatable except for Kawhi,” Brooks said. “It’s hard to get to him. He’s so focused on what the mission or the game plan is. So it’s like all the bumps and the little stuff you can do don’t affect him. And then he’s just a machine. Still haven’t figured that one out. We’re going to figure it out.”That’s very high praise. Brooks, who averaged 20.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game in 2025-26, doesn’t usually give such compliments, which speaks to Leonard’s greatness. The 35-year-old is coming off an excellent campaign, too.Leonard put up 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2025-26. He finished seventh in MVP voting and made the All-NBA Second Team.Not many would argue against Leonard being on the Mount Rushmore. For the other three, though, there would be plenty of arguments.Brandon Ingram was the first name Brooks mentioned, and he put up 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game for the Toronto Raptors in 2025-26. It was a solid campaign and saw Ingram make the All-Star team for just the second time in his career.Interestingly, Leonard and Ingram were set to be traded for each other this offseason. The Raptors put the trade on hold, though, because of the investigation into the seven-time All-Star and the Clippers.Getting back to the Mount Rushmore, Brooks selected Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg next, and there was clearly some bias involved. The 30-year-old was with his Suns teammate Khaman Maluach here, and the big man played with Flagg at Duke. They both ended up being first-round picks in 2025, with the forward selected No. 1 overall.Flagg lived up to the hype, as he averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game for the Mavericks in 2025-26. He won Rookie of the Year and is going to be a superstar in the future.Lastly, we get to Jalen Williams, who might have been a no-brainer of a pick this time last year. Williams made the All-NBA Third Team and the All-Defensive Second Team with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025. He shone on the court but wasn’t able to build on that campaign because of injuries.Williams averaged 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game for the Thunder in 2025-26. He played just 33 games, primarily due to hamstring issues. If the injury bug stays away, expect Williams to be one of the best small forwards in the NBA next season.So, this is quite an interesting group. As for notable omissions, there are a few that immediately come to mind.Jaylen Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game for the Boston Celtics in 2025-26. Brown, who has been traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, finished sixth in MVP voting (one spot ahead of Leonard) and made the All-NBA Second Team.Kevin Durant was another who made the All-NBA Second Team. Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game for the Houston Rockets in 2025-26. He is no longer in his prime, but remains one of the best at the position.Speaking of players who are out of their prime, but still pretty good, we get to 76ers superstar LeBron James. James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025-26. The 41-year-old led the Lakers to a playoff series victory over the Rockets, and there aren’t many players around today who can claim to have pulled off a feat like that.It’s not a surprise that Brooks didn’t include James, though. He called him the most overrated player in the NBA back in January. There is, of course, a bit of a rivalry here.Despite that, Brooks did include James in his all-time Mount Rushmore. You could argue he doesn’t belong in a present small forward Mount Rushmore, but he absolutely does if you’re looking at NBA history.

Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington has been out of practice this week, but his absence isn't expected to last much longer. Washington has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury and will not play against the Panthers on Friday night. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Washington is expected back at practice next week, however. Washington set career highs with 58 catches for 847 yards and five touchdowns last season and is heading into the final year of the rookie deal he signed after being drafted in the sixth round in 2023. Once healthy, Washington is expected to join Jakobi Meyers and Brian Thomas as the top wideouts in Jacksonville's offense this season.

GAINESVILLE, FL — Florida soccer outlasted Coastal Carolina, 3-2, on Thursday night to even up their record to 1-1.In a game that had a two-hour rain delay, the Gators came out firing on all cylinders, taking a 2-0 lead in the first half of play.Senior forward Kyra Taylor led the way with two first-half goals in her home debut for the program. Katie Johnston also contributed with a goal in the second half to put the team up 3-2 in the 76th minute to seize control of the match.Florida was more aggressive and controlled the pace with 19 shots, 13 of them coming on goal, compared to Coastal's five shots, three of them on goal. The program also had 11 more fouls than Coastal.Thursday's win also marks the first win under head coach Nick Zimmerman. The new head coach spoke on the team's performance in the one-score victory."I'm going to be a broken record when we talk about performance and learning. You know, right now, there are some really good moments, and others are inconsistent, but this was another opportunity for us to learn. We're an organization only six, seven months in our infancy, if you will." Zimmerman said.Following the victory against Coastal Carolina, the blue and orange will be back at Donald R. Dizney Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 23, to face the defending champions and rival, the Florida State Seminoles.Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Gators soccer rallies past Coastal Carolina for first win of season

Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss is not planning on being any less aggressive in what could be a make-or-break season for the fourth-year defender. Moss has never been shy about attacking the football during his time with the Broncos. In fact, he's had to do it more out of necessity after starting opposite of 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain. Moss was penalized 10 times in 2025; sometimes it was correct, and sometimes it seemed like Moss was unfairly targeted. After an offseason of intense training, Moss is ready to prove his worth. "My parents have always told me this, I like to learn the hard way," Moss said in early August. "It actually helps me out in those situations because, yes, they’re going to throw the flag because I’m being too aggressive, but even ‘VJ’ (defensive coordinator Vance Joseph) will tell me, ‘Keep going out there. Keep playing aggressive.’ It happens."To his credit, Moss has had a tremendous training camp, breaking up passes all over the field. Moss has consistently been listed by Denver media as a standout at practice. In Week 1 of the preseason against the Atlanta Falcons, Moss even picked off a pass, which many see as proof of a big year in the making. "I know I need to do better as a whole this season," Moss admitted. "It’s been a big focus of this camp. I’m still going to play aggressive and not shy away from it.".@R_moss5 with the pick 👐📺: 9NEWS pic.twitter.com/EFuIsNT5QB— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 14, 2026Coach Sean Payton also doesn't think that Moss should shed the aggressive nature of his play, even with the penalty troubles Moss encountered in 2025. "There were some tough calls against him as well that I think go with the position," Payton said. "He certainly doesn’t back away from that, and I think that’s important, especially at that position.”As the regular season draws closer, Moss and Co. look to remain as one of the best secondary units in the NFL in 2026. It will remain to be seen if they can keep up their elite play. Broncos fans far and wide hope that this will be the case. Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Undeterred by 2025 penalties, Riley Moss will keep playing aggressive

Brett Davis-Imagn ImagesAtlanta fans just got a nasty dose of déjà vu on Wednesday. Tua Tagovailoa threw a pick-six right to Colts CB Justin Walley during that joint practice in Westfield. He also got sacked a couple of times and fumbled a snap while running the first-team offense. This wasn’t the clean start anyone expected after the Falcons signed him to a minimum deal. The sun was hammering down on the Grand Park Sports Complex, and the results were messy at best.Drake London Shines While Tua StumblesOne guy actually saved this session from being a total catastrophe.Drake London absolutely Mossed the Colts defender covering him on a key pass from Tua. That was a massive play showing exactly why London remains the top target in this offense. According to The Falcoholic, that specific moment was about London’s elite skill rather than Tua’s precision. The receiver made a tough catch look easy even while the rest of the drive completely fell apart. Michael Penix Jr. didn’t touch a ball in team drills, which makes sense since he’s still recovering from his season-ending knee injury last year. Cooper Rush and Jack Strand got plenty of reps behind the first unit, but the coaching staff needs to see way more consistency from the starter before the regular season kicks off. A pick-six is never a good look, regardless of the setting.Kevin Stefanski’s Media Window DelayedHead coach Kevin Stefanski didn’t say a word to the media before practice Wednesday. There was some confusion about the timing that left reporters waiting around for a bit. Per The Falcoholic, Stefanski will definitely speak prior to Thursday’s practice around 2:15 p.m. He needs to address the team’s energy levels and how ready they feel for the upcoming season. The coach has to fix these protection issues before the squad plays the Colts again on Saturday. The practice moved fast and had high energy despite the errors. The setup involved two full-sized football fields end-to-end, which made it hard to see every single play. The Falcons ran individual drills against the Colts before moving to team scenarios. Special teams and in-game situations got tested under that hot Indiana sun. The facility is gorgeous, but the on-field product still needs more polish.What To Expect Before Saturday’s GameThe Falcons face the Colts in the second week of the 2026 preseason on Saturday. This series of joint practice sessions is crucial for evaluating the roster before cuts. The team cannot afford to have Tua struggling with protection when the real games start. If Penix Jr. isn’t ready for Week 1, the backup plan must be rock solid. The pressure is on to turn these joint practices into actual wins.Keenan Allen, the Colts’ newest WR, was the only person to speak prior to practice Wednesday. He likely saw the same struggles that the local media spotted. The Falcons need to clean up the fumbles and the turnovers before fans lose faith. A single pick-six in a practice session feels like a lifetime of pain for this fan base.

A SNAP EBT information sign is displayed at a gas station in Riverwoods, Ill., Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)2026-08-21T13:51:32Z PHOENIX (AP) — Enrollment in the biggest federally funded food aid program in the U.S. dropped by more than 13% in a 12-month span — a decline far steeper than the government estimated as work requirements and other provisions of President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” take hold.Those losing coverage in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, include people who don’t meet the tightening requirements to participate, and, advocates say, some who qualify for the help but are rejected because they miss deadlines or don’t have the needed documentation handy. It’s too early to tell exactly how many fall into each group.It’s also unclear how many have lost coverage because some state agencies that run the programs are overwhelmed trying to keep up with changes. That was the case in Arizona, which saw the nation’s largest enrollment drop. Tia Fields, who analyzes social safety net policies at the advocacy group Invest in Louisiana, said a the main reason she’s seeing people lose coverage is not failure to meet work requirements. “A lot of it is administrative paperwork,” she said.Proponents of welfare reform hope the roll reductions are driven by people earning too much to keep qualifying — a sign that policy changes are behaving as intended for a program they assert is riddled with fraud. “If there are people that are leaving the welfare rolls because they’re working and they’re moving forward,” said Rachel Sheffield, a research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, which pushed for stricter requirements for SNAP, “that would be a step forward.”Arizona has had the steepest decline so far, with a 12-month drop over more than 50%, according to data compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs SNAP. The decline was more than 20% in Georgia, Louisiana and Nevada — and in Florida, where the Department of Children and Families said in a statement that the decreasing number “is reflective of the state’s strong focus on advancing opportunities for Floridians and their families to achieve economic self-sufficiency.” Read More Eligibility requirements are tighteningSNAP helps more than 1 in 10 people in the U.S. buy food. Most of the beneficiaries have incomes below the poverty line. The monthly benefit, which is delivered on debit cards that can be used only for groceries, is $344 per household on average.Newly released federal data found SNAP enrollment fell from 42.2 million in May 2025 to 36.6 million in May, a drop of more than 13% in a year. The May data are preliminary and could be revised. Since 2010, the average number of monthly beneficiaries has been below 40 million for only two years — 2019 and 2020. The rolls started dropping after a recent peak of 43.3 million in October 2024. It’s fallen much faster since implementation began last year for Trump’s “one big beautiful bill,” which cut taxes and overhauled social safety net programs.The expanded SNAP work requirement has now kicked in for most of the country, but it won’t begin in some places until next year. 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. Many adults 54 and younger without minor children have long been required to work to get SNAP benefits. The new law requires most people who previously had been exempt from requirements to either work, volunteer or go to school to get benefits. It now includes those ages 55 to 64, and those with children ages 14 to 17. Those 65 and older or with children younger than 14 remain exempt, as do those with health limitations. Some other groups that had been exempted from the requirement — including homeless people — no longer are. In February, the Congressional Budget Office projected that the new requirements and other factors would push SNAP enrollment down over the next decade, falling below 34 million by 2036. But the nonpartisan office did not expect the drop to be as fast as it’s been. By May, the number of people receiving the benefits was about as low as it was forecast to go in 2030.Experts expect another impact when states are required to pay part of the cost of benefits if their rate of payment errors — when recipients receive more or less than they should — is above 6%. Advocates for recipients say states may deny benefits to some people entirely rather than risk errors.The cost-sharing is scheduled to start in October 2027, though Congress has considered a delay. Changes have been hard to implement in ArizonaIn Arizona, enrollment plummeted by 55% from April 2025 to April 2026 — the biggest drop in the country, with more than 400,000 fewer people getting benefits now.The state said the drop was driven largely by the state’s own struggles putting new federal requirements in place.“Implementing the federally mandated changes triggered unprecedented call volumes and administrative hurdles, including additional verification requirements, creating real barriers for applicants,” said Brett Bezio, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Economic Security.Bezio said that hiring more staff members and introducing ways for people to submit their documents online have stemmed the enrollment drop in recent months as the state has reduced the chance for people who qualify to lose benefits. In Phoenix, LaDiamond Lopez lost her benefits in January, with officials telling her she needed more documentation about her income and household — something that’s needed for officials to determine whether enrollees meet work requirements.She’s been skipping meals and some bill payments to ensure her children have enough to eat.In her quest to be reinstated, she had previous employers sign forms confirming she no longer worked for them and added her children — ages 3 and 9 — to her apartment lease. She expected payments to resume in August, but she doesn’t know if they’ll last.“I was approved at the end of May, but now they’re asking me for more documents,” she said. “It’s a panic.”Other factors could be driving down enrollment The Heritage Foundation’s Sheffield says that some of the drop in SNAP use is likely a natural decline after peaks in the coronavirus pandemic era.Paco Velez, the president and CEO of Feeding South Florida, said the 22% one-year enrollment drop in Florida is driven partly by immigrants who are in the U.S. legally but fear being targeted by Trump’s immigration crackdown if they’re seeking government benefits.Invest in Louisiana’s Fields said SNAP enrollment declines have broader consequences. For instance, children in households that receive the benefit can be automatically enrolled in free school lunch programs or in the SNAP for Women, Infants and Children program for low-income mothers, young children and expectant parents if they meet the other criteria.“What happens when that child can’t pay for lunch?” she asked.Some food banks have ramped up donations to try to meet a demand that they say has risen as SNAP rolls have declined. But that isn’t expected to bridge the gap fully.“We’re very worried about it because we know that no other organization or program can replicate the scale and success of SNAP, ” said Carolyn Vega, a policy analyst at the advocacy group Share Our Strength. “We know that schools can’t fill this gap. We know that food banks can’t fill this gap.”___Schuettler is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.___Mulvihill reported from Haddonfield, New Jersey. GEOFF MULVIHILL Mulvihill covers topics on the agendas of state governments across the country. He has focused on abortion, gender issues and opioid litigation. twitter mailto MIKELLA SCHUETTLER Schuettler is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. twitter mailto

A SNAP EBT information sign is displayed at a gas station in Riverwoods, Ill., Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)2026-08-21T13:51:03Z BERLIN (AP) — An attacker wielding a sword has wounded several people at a school in Sweden, local officials say. The suspected perpetrator is in custody.The city government said the attack took place at the Brinell School in the city of Fagersta, northwest of the capital, Stockholm.

A SNAP EBT information sign is displayed at a gas station in Riverwoods, Ill., Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)2026-08-21T13:43:44Z BANGKOK (AP) — An airstrike Friday by Myanmar’s military on a Buddhist monastery in Myanmar’s central Sagaing region killed 14 people who were taking part in a week-long meditation retreat, an opposition group and a resident said.The attack is the latest in a series of frequent and deadly aerial strikes targeting armed pro-democracy forces and ethnic armed groups in the country. The strikes often cause civilian casualties.The attack occurred Friday at 9 a.m. in Swel Le Oh village in Myaung township, about 75 kilometers (45 miles) west of Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, according to Nway Oo, a spokesperson for the Civil Defence and Security Organization of Myaung Township, or CDSOM.Nway Oo said 14 people, including three women, were killed and 20 others were wounded when a jet fighter dropped a bomb in the compound of the village’s monastery. A villager who spoke on condition of anonymity also confirmed the death toll to The Associated Press. The villager said the jet fighter dropped two bombs 15 minutes apart, with the second bomb damaging a house near the monastery where more than 100 people were on a week-long retreat during Buddhist Lent.The villager, who lost a relative in the airstrike, said that people fled to a nearby community after burying bodies of the victims.

The National Transportation Safety Board logo and signage are seen at a news conference at NTSB headquarters in Washington, Dec. 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)2026-08-21T13:42:46Z JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A small plane chartered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers traveling to the site of a remote aircraft-tracking radar in western Alaska crashed near its destination, killing all eight people aboard, the U.S. military said.The crash happened Thursday near Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, approximately 450 miles (725 kilometers) west of Anchorage, Alaska.The twin-engine Cessna 441 was scheduled to land there after taking off from the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday.Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region chief, said two pilots and six passengers were on board. No names were immediately released, but two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees were among the passengers, the Joint Base Elemdorf-Richardson, a military facility in Anchorage, said in a statement. “This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve,” U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Eleventh Air Force, said in a statement.The NTSB and the FAA are investigating the crash. It happened in foggy weather, according to information compiled by a service that’s part of the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit. The airport is a private military site. The radar site is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center. It’s part of a network of remote radar sites that tracks aircraft operating in Alaska’s airspace and along its borders, the statement from Alaskan Command said.The statement did not provide details on the specific work the individuals were doing. It referred to the plane involved as a “civilian-contracted aircraft.” Read More Davis described those on board as “dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment. Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates during this devastating time. We are profoundly grateful for the swift and tireless response of our search and recovery professionals.”U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska posted online that the flight was operated by Security Aviation, an airplane charter company based in Anchorage. An email was sent to the company Friday morning seeking comment. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. “I join Alaskans in offering condolences as we learn of the plane crash in Cape Newenham,” Murkowski posted Thursday night. “I’ve traveled extensively with Security Aviation throughout Alaska, and have met many of their experienced pilots. I appreciate the U.S. Coast Guard, NTSB, Alaska State Troopers, and the Rescue Coordination Center for responding to the site. Alaska is praying for those on board, their loved ones, and the team at Security Aviation.”In 1950, a continental defense radar station was built at Cape Newenham as part of the Distant Early Warning Line to warn of a Soviet attack during the Cold War, according to Coastview, a science education nonprofit that promotes understanding of the Alaska coast. Little remains of the former station today.___Associated Press writer Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report. BECKY BOHRER Bohrer is a statehouse and political reporter based in Juneau, Alaska. twitter 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The National Transportation Safety Board logo and signage are seen at a news conference at NTSB headquarters in Washington, Dec. 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)2026-08-21T13:40:41Z ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani security forces acting on intelligence raided multiple militant hideouts in the country’s northwest and southwest, killing 49 militants, the military said Friday, as authorities intensify operations against insurgents amid a surge in militant violence.Twelve militants were killed in separate operations this week in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan, the military said in a statement. Another 37 were killed in operations in southwestern Balochistan province.The military described those killed as members of “ Fitna al-Khawarij " and “Fitna al-Hindustan,” terms the government uses for the outlawed Pakistani Taliban and Baloch separatist groups, respectively.Pakistan has accused both the Pakistani Taliban and Baloch separatists of operating from sanctuaries in Afghanistan and receiving support from India. Both Afghanistan and India deny the allegations. The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, is a separate group but is closely allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban. Pakistan has seen a surge in violence, much of it blamed on TTP and Baloch separatist groups. Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populous province, has long been the site of an insurgency by ethnic Baloch groups seeking greater autonomy or independence from Pakistan’s central government. The province, which shares a long border with Afghanistan, has also seen attacks by the TTP and the Islamic State group.

Nature, Published online: 21 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02626-xNature staff discuss how an FDA-approved drug for narcolepsy could have promise beyond the condition, and the longest-lived human brain organoids yet.

Nature, Published online: 20 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02617-yKiller T cells might help people to live to extraordinarily old ages. Plus, the longest-lived brain organoids so far and how mass genome-screening programmes for newborns might work.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 12: Jannik Sinner in action during his match against Alexander Zverev in the Men's Singles Final on day fourteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2026 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 12, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)Visionhaus via Getty ImagesWorld No. 1 Jannik Sinner has announced he is pulling out of the upcoming U.S. Open due to a knee injury.Sinner, last year’s U.S. Open runner-up and 2024 champion, said in a social media post that over the past few days he’s been doing on-court work, but that he needs more recovery time.Even though I have been working hard with my team and my medical staff, we have now had to make the difficult decision that I will not be able to compete at the US Open this year. We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realized that I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue. I’m obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart. I was very much looking forward to coming back and playing in the electric atmosphere in front of the great fans there.The 25-year-old Italian has been out of action since winning Wimbledon last month. This story will be updated

The post-whistle chaos that marred the end of Argentina’s World Cup Final loss to Spain this summer will have big implications for both sides, specifically the runners-up.Argentine players Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, and Thiago Almada plus team official Roberto Ayala have been suspended and fined, while Spain's Gavi also has been punished by FIFA.MORE — World Cup stars who will star in this Premier League seasonThe final whistle had just blown in New Jersey when Paredes grabbed Eric Garcia's throat and threw Gavi to the ground. FIFA charged Paredes with assault.Paredes has been suspended 10 matches and fined $90,000, while Molina will miss seven games and faces the same fine.Ayala is suspended three games, while Almada and Gavi will both miss a game. All three were fined $30,000.FIFA have also punished Argentina's FA, putting their next two men's home games at a 50% attendance ban and fining the CONMEBOL member $321,000 for "breaches of articles 13 paragraph 2 c) (Using a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature), 14 paragraph 5 (Team misconduct), 15 (Discrimination and racist abuse) in light of discriminatory chants and gestures by its supporters, and 17 (Order and security at matches) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC)."Read the full FIFA statement here.

Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn ImagesKhaman Maluach already has one of those uncomfortable rookie moments every young player eventually experiences, and his came courtesy of Peyton Watson.During a sit-down conversation with his Phoenix Suns teammate Dillon Brooks, Maluach said that Watson gave him his first official “welcome to the NBA” moment in a game against the Denver Nuggets.“My welcome-to-the-league moment was when we played in Denver, and I got subbed in. And I remember Peyton Watson coming off the pick-and-roll, and I’m thinking like, ‘Oh, I’m just gonna body up.'”“And he goes up, and he dunks the ball, and like, boom, boom. I see the whole base up, and I was like, ‘Yep, welcome to the league, man.'”It was the perfect introduction to how quickly things happen in the NBA.At 7-foot-2, Maluach has the size and length to challenge almost anyone at the rim. His instinct was to meet Watson at the basket and use his wingspan to shut down the rim. Instead, Watson exploded through the play and finished with a highlight dunk.Brooks could only laugh while also giving Maluach credit for not allowing the moment to change how physically he plays.“But one thing about you, though, is that you don’t care about none of that shit. Because half the time, you’re gonna get those blocks. But that one was a pretty good highlight. I can’t even lie.”That might be the most important part of Maluach’s story. Young defenders are inevitably going to get dunked on. The ones who become great defenders are usually the ones who keep challenging anyway.Khaman Maluach reveals his welcome to the league moment to Dillon Brooks 😅“Peyton Watson… and I think I’m gonna body him up.”(Via @NBA2KLeague & @Suns) pic.twitter.com/mcUcZsktW1— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) August 20, 2026Maluach appears to already understand that.His rookie season was largely underwhelming. Maluach averaged 3.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 46 appearances while playing just 8.8 minutes per game.But there were flashes of what the Phoenix Suns believe he can eventually become. In his first career start against the Dallas Mavericks, Maluach finished with 14 rebounds and three blocks, showing exactly why the Suns are intrigued by his defensive upside.His growth became even more obvious in the 2026 Summer League, where he averaged 19.5 points and 12.8 rebounds per game and earned All-Summer League Second Team honors.Now entering his second season, Maluach has the chance to turn those flashes into consistent production.Watson’s dunk will probably stay attached to his rookie memories forever, but Maluach does not sound embarrassed by it. If anything, he seems to appreciate the lesson.The NBA is filled with elite athletes capable of putting even the best-intentioned defenders on highlight reels. Maluach learned that immediately against Watson, but Brooks’ response says plenty about the young center.He got put on a poster, but he is still going to jump the next time.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery (FRANCK FIFE)Unai Emery has revealed Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez could be the next Aston Villa players to join the exodus from the Europa League winners.Villa have rejected several bids for Watkins from Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal this week, but Emery hinted the England striker would be allowed to leave for the right price.England defender Ezri Konsa is on the verge of sealing his move to Premier League champions Arsenal, while Argentina goalkeeper Martinez has told Emery he wants to go.Morgan Rogers, Lucas Digne and Youri Tielemans have already been sold by Villa since the end of last season, joining Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United respectively.It is a remarkable dismantling of a team that won Villa's first major trophy for 30 years when they beat Freiburg in the Europa League final in May."We have an issue with Watkins, it's clear. He is another player, we have had offers for him," Emery told reporters ahead of Villa's Premier League opener at Brighton on Sunday."He is our player, I don't want to sell him. It can change because if it is a good option for him, good option for the club and I can replace him in the squad."This is the routine we have and we did before with the players they are losing. With Ollie, he is here, and he has always been up and down in his performance."We will see what happens. If he is leaving it will be for the best three ways. One is him, another is the club and another is the team."Martinez has been keen on a fresh challenge for the last two years, with Villa signing Japan keeper Zion Suzuki as his replacement."He transmitted to us the possibility to have another challenge in his career," Emery said."Not now, even last year, he was thinking in case he can have one possibility to change and he didn't do last year, and he performed fantastic with us."This year again, he transmitted us the possibility to have another challenge, and we decided to sign Suzuki because I think he's a fantastic goalkeeper in case Martinez is leaving."Despite the astonishing turnover of players at Villa Park, Emery insisted the club, who finished fourth in the Premier League last season, have had a good transfer window.In addition to Suzuki, they have signed Johan Manzambi, Joao Gomes, Matteo Ruggeri, Alejandro Garnacho and Aaron Wan-Bissaka."I'm very excited, I think we have had an intelligent market," he said. "We know where we are and we know what we want to do again for the next year."This is the priority and this is the motivation I have."smg/bsp

Apr 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) leaves the court after being defeated by the Golden State Warriors during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesThis year’s offseason has been marked by several intriguing storylines, most of which have pertained to player movement. However, the investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers‘ salary cap circumvention involving Kawhi Leonard‘s contract remains a key saga this summer.The news about Leonard’s salary cap scandal broke last year, when a report by Pablo Torre delved into Leonard’s $28 million “no-show” deal with Aspiration, a fraudulent company that was allegedly compensating the superstar under the table. Although investigations into this matter revealed no direct links between the Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and the team’s sponsors, even leading the NBA to dispute ESPN’s report, the official findings are yet to be released.Needless to say, the consequences could be significant, causing the Toronto Raptors to put a hold on finalizing Kawhi Leonard’s acquisition. While penalties may be levied depending on the eventual evidence, a recent report by Sportico’s Michael McCann revealed why the NBA must weigh its next steps carefully. McCann raised an important question about the matter when he asked:“Can a league restrict opportunities for a business to engage in sponsorship and endorsement negotiations with a team and a player on that team?”In the Clippers’ case, it has become clear that Steve Ballmer wasn’t directly involved in any transactions involving Kawhi Leonard. In that case, McCann questioned whether the NBA could still fine the franchise’s employees for introducing Leonard’s team to sponsors.He mentioned similar cases in the league, including Stephen Curry‘s endorsement deal with Rakuten, which was also the Golden State Warriors‘ sponsor. However, this didn’t demand further probing, as it was common for a brand to sponsor teams along with a player on the team.While one could argue that the Clippers’ situation is an outlier because of Leonard’s suspicious contract demands in the past, McCann raised another intriguing point about the players’ right of publicity, which may be far more relevant.Given the NBPA’s emphasis on each player’s right to enter individual endorsement deals (as long as it doesn’t intersect with group licensing), McCann added:“If a team were punished because of communications that contributed to a player on the team signing a deal with a team sponsor, the player could argue that such a move would have a chilling effect on his endorsement opportunities. The player and NBPA might go so far as to argue that the league has suppressed or damaged players’ rights of publicity and freedom to enter into individual contracts.”Given that players have the right to engage with sponsors without any restrictions, if the NBA chooses to penalize the Clippers or Kawhi Leonard harshly, the league risks backlash from the NBPA over the limitations on commercial freedom.Since this could also indirectly deter sponsors from engaging in new deals with other players, primarily out of fear of another probe, any damage to a player’s off-court income may also trigger a heated response from the NBPA.Overall, this is a tricky situation for the NBA. If the league penalizes the Clippers aggressively, the resultant pushback could lead to greater collateral damage. However, if the NBA isn’t harsh enough, other players may choose to enter similar deals, effectively nullifying the purpose of the salary cap.Although there is no conclusive update on when the investigation into the Clippers will conclude, some expect the league to decide ahead of the next Board of Governors’ meeting. Given what’s at stake, the NBA and Adam Silver may have to tread carefully.

The unusual-looking bobolink is what's called a bilateral gynandromorph. The bird behaved like a male, eventually wooing a mate and raising fledglings

Jenny Simpson waves to a fan after winning her heat in the women's 1,500-meter run at the U.S. Championships athletics meet, Thursday, June 21, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)2026-08-21T14:15:55Z BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — World champion runner Jenny Simpson revealed it was a rare heart condition that threw her into cardiac arrest at a race in June and that she will not return to running.In an Instagram post Thursday, the 39-year-old Simpson said she was diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC), a condition that triggered “dangerous heart rhythms that ultimately caused my heart to stop.”She said the diagnosis means it would be dangerous to return to running.“That chapter has ended,” she said. “Thankfully, my story hasn’t.”Simpson was pacing a group of girls in a mile run at an event in Raleigh, North Carolina, when she collapsed. She underwent CPR at the track and an automated external defibrillator was also used before medics rushed her to the hospital.“You might be wondering what would be the right thing to say to me after an event like this,” she wrote. “Please do not say that you’re sorry or that you feel bad for me. If it is true in your heart, please tell me you’re glad that I’m here. That’s how I feel — so glad that I’m still here.”For about a decade beginning in 2007, Simpson was America’s most successful women’s 1,500-meter runner. She won worlds in 2011, finished second there twice and won Olympic bronze in Rio in 2016.___AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Health workers tend to an Ebola patient at the Rwampara Treatment Center in Ituri, Congo, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)2026-08-21T14:09:14Z ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The Ebola outbreak that is spreading at unprecedented speed in Congo has not peaked yet and could be three times the current known size, according to data from authorities and Africa’s top public health agency.It is history’s fastest Ebola outbreak, and the World Health Organization says it is on track to surpass the deadliest on record, which was between 2014 and 2016, with over 11,000 deaths across West Africa.This latest outbreak has recorded 2,516 deaths out of the 5,290 confirmed cases as it rages in Congo’s vast eastern region, exacerbated by an intensely mobile population, including those displaced by armed conflicts, and distrust of medical authorities. Less than 10% of cases are currently coming from known contacts, far below the 90-95% rate when the outbreak can be said to be under control, according to Yap Boum, head of emergency preparedness and response at the Africa CDC. Boum told reporters Thursday that under current estimates only 30% to 40% of cases have been detected.Here’s what the data shows about the outbreak: At this stage, it’s recorded ten times more cases than history’s largestCompared to the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak that ended with over 28,000 cases, including more than 11,000 deaths, this outbreak has recorded ten times more cases and seven times more deaths by the 13th week from when it was declared, data from the Africa CDC shows.Congo’s deadliest Ebola outbreak before now had been that of 2018-2020 with 3,400 cases and more than 2,200 deaths. This is moving 18 times faster in terms of the confirmed cases and 13 times faster regarding the deaths.One key source of concern is that experts believe the outbreak began spreading from the mining town of Mongbwalu as early as February, months before authorities declared the outbreak on May 15. Responders have traced only 16% of expected contactsAfrica CDC data from the past three weeks shows the contact tracing rate of those exposed to patients is 82% out of 19,630 contacts in total. But that doesn’t give the full picture. The agency said with an average of 60 contacts per confirmed case, it was expecting 99,780 contacts to be recorded for the 1,663 cases it said it confirmed in that three-week period. Read More However, many of those contacts are not known, and therefore cannot be contacted for follow-up. Therefore, the “actual contact tracing rate is only 16% of the expected,” the Africa CDC said in its update.It is caused by Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccines or treatments, unlike the most common Ebola virus type. Its symptoms also are milder, which could mean that many patients feel less immediate need to alert responders or seek treatment. A previously unaffected province has now recorded 2 casesThe health zones affected in the outbreak have grown from three at the onset to 56 across six provinces.In the previously unaffected Bas-Uele province, two cases have been reported over the past week and a half in two separate parts of the province, data from Congo’s government has shown. However, the spread is slowing down in some places, such as in South Kivu province, which has not recorded any case for 79 days. 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. Most people are dying without medical attentionDeaths in the community – that is outside Ebola treatment centers – have been on a steady rise in recent days, and constituted an overwhelming 97% of the deaths reported on August 17th, the Africa CDC data shows.Despite this, only 20% of health alerts are coming from within the community, underscoring the need to engage more communities. And although the overall case fatality rate is 46.7%, it is quite high in some places such as North Kivu, one of the country’s most populous, where the rate is 68.2%.The data suggests most people are still not reporting symptoms early or at all for various reasons: misinformation that the outbreak isn’t real, initial preference for traditional medicine, fear of being kept in isolation especially in the event that initial symptoms are of something else, or the lack of severe symptoms.

Palestinian and Israeli authorities offered divergent accounts of the incident, which came as settler violence has surged across the Israeli-occupied territory.

Beijing can squeeze U.S. critical mineral supplies and has enough oil to withstand the loss of Iranian crude, Chinese analysts say.

Getting involved in the 2026 NFL playoff and division odds markets is like driving a sports car at top speed: It's simultaneously very fun and very precarious.Look no further than last year. Who envisioned the Patriots following back-to-back 4-13 seasons by going 14-3 and unseating Buffalo atop the AFC East?Who saw the Chiefs sitting at home in mid-January after a run of 10 straight playoff appearances that included nine consecutive AFC West titles, five Super Bowl appearances and three championships?Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL seasonAnd who figured the Panthers' seven-year playoff drought would end with an AFC South title (despite an 8-9 record)?As always, the most predictable thing about the NFL is its unpredictability.That, of course, won't stop bettors from jumping into that sportscar and slamming the pedal to the metal — which brings me to my top five NFL playoff and division futures bets to make entering the 2026 season.Denver Broncos to miss the playoffs (+126)If you saw my NFL win totals article, this one shouldn't come as a surprise.Simply put, two teams overachieved in a massive way last year, and one was Denver (I'll get to the other one shortly). Not only did the Broncos play just five games against teams that made the 2025 postseason -- going 3-2 in those contests -- they caught division rival Kansas City in an unexpected down year.Denver also had tremendous good fortune in the injury department. Per Sports Info Solutions, the 2025 Broncos ranked among the five healthiest teams in terms of total points lost due to injury. It's true that the good luck ended in an AFC Divisional game win over Buffalo, when starting quarterback Bo Nix fractured his ankle late and missed the AFC Championship game. But the point is that the Broncos finished 14-3 and earned the AFC's No. 1 seed partly because two very important intangibles went their way.Will Denver enjoy optimum health for a second straight year? Highly unlikely. As for the schedule, it is rife with landmines, including 10 games against 2025 playoff teams and another two against the Chiefs, who are once again the consensus AFC West favorite.Those landmines appear early, too, as the Broncos open at Kansas City, followed in order by the Jaguars and Rams at home, 49ers and Chargers on the road and defending champion Seahawks at home.It's conceivable that Denver could be 2-4 (if not 1-5) by mid-October. Should that happen, a postseason berth will be little more than an unachievable dream. Indianapolis Colts to make the playoffs (+170)Last season, Indianapolis won eight of its first 10 games and appeared on its way to ending a four-year playoff absence. Then the bottom fell out.The spiral began after the team's Week 11 bye with narrow losses to the Chiefs (23-20 in overtime) and Texans (20-16). Then in Week 14, quarterback Daniel Jones -- in the midst of an impressive bounce-back season -- suffered a torn Achilles early in a 36-19 loss at Jacksonville.The Colts followed those three defeats with four more to finish 8-9 and land outside of the playoff picture for a fifth straight year -- the franchise's longest drought in more than three decades.WESTFIELD, INDIANA - AUGUST 19: Daniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts throws a pass during the joint practice against the Atlanta Falcons at Grand Park Sports Campus on August 19, 2026 in Westfield, Indiana. Justin Casterline via Getty ImagesWhy do I expect that drought to finally end this year? For starters, Jones is healthy and leads a unit that last year finished in the top 10 in points, total yards and passing yards (despite having to bring 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement to start three of the final four contests). In addition to Jones, veteran running back Jonathan Taylor returns after another productive campaign (1,169 rushing yards, 11 TDs in 15 games). Same goes for wideout Alec Pierce (NFL-best 21.34 yards per catch last year) and budding star tight end Tyler Warren (76 receptions, 817 yards as a rookie).Most significantly, the Colts signed multiple free agents and used five of their first six draft picks to plug holes in their leaky defense.Indianapolis also resides in a division with two teams that figure to come back to earth in 2026 -- Jacksonville (13-4) and Houston (12-4) -- and another (Tennessee) that is still rebuilding after back-to-back 3-14 seasons. Finally, the 2026 schedule includes the likes of Washington, Pittsburgh, Miami, the New York Giants and Cleveland.New Orleans Saints to win NFC South (+270)If the NFL handed out a "never say die" award, last year's plaque undoubtedly would've gone to the Saints.After a miserable 2-11 start under first-year head coach Kellen Moore, the Saints ripped off four consecutive victories (including three in upset fashion) before falling 19-17 to Atlanta in the finale.Throw in a 21-17 Week 13 setback at Miami, and New Orleans came within a touchdown of closing on a six-game winning streak.Time will tell if that late-season momentum carries over to this fall. But one thing we do know is that the Saints appear to have finally found a replacement for Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees.A second-round pick from Louisville, Tyler Shough struggled through the first half of his rookie campaign before finishing with a flourish. Over his final eight games, Shough racked up 2,080 passing yards (260 per game) and nine touchdowns against just four interceptions.I expect Shough to take more positive steps in his second year in Moore's system and improve an offense that averaged just 18 points per game in 2025. I also expect the defense to once again set the tone after ranking ninth overall and fourth against the pass last season. It's a defense that surrendered more than 21 points just twice in the final eight contests.Most importantly, I expect the NFC South -- which featured a trio of 8-9 teams tied atop the division a year ago -- to be a hot mess once again. And, thus, very much up for grabs.Buffalo Bills to win AFC East (-130)Buffalo's franchise-record streak of five consecutive AFC East titles came to a halt last season -- but not because the team underperformed. In fact, the Bills (12-5) finished with double-digit wins for the seventh straight year.Rather, Buffalo was dethroned because New England outpaced expectations by a mile (thanks in large part to one of the cushiest schedules in recent memory). The Patriots' 14-3 mark in 2025 including 13 victories -- yes, 13 -- against opponents that finished with losing records.The only winning team New England defeated? The Bills, who avenged their 23-20 Week 5 home loss to the Pats with a 35-31 Week 15 win in Foxborough.This year, the Patriots will be traveling a far more difficult road. In addition to their annual visit to Buffalo (Week 4), they have to trek to defending champion Seattle (Week 1), Jacksonville (Week 3), Chicago (Week 7), Detroit (Week 10), the Chargers (Week 12) and Kansas City (Week 15).The home slate also features some potential potholes, including Green Bay (Week 9), Buffalo (Week 13) and Denver (Week 17).In other words, I'm banking on some serious regression from last year's AFC East champs. At the same time, I see no reason why Josh Allen and first-year coach Joe Brady won't have the Bills firing on all cylinders yet again. And if Buffalo can post at least 11 victories for a seventh straight year, it should be enough to reclaim the division crown.A quick note about the odds-on price attached to this NFL futures wager: It certainly isn't ideal, but it's miniscule compared with Buffalo's -300 division title odds entering last season.New England Patriots to miss the playoffs (+184)In case you couldn't tell, I'm not high on the 2026 Patriots -- at all.Last year, this franchise caught every break imaginable, both figuratively (the insanely easy schedule, including two weak playoff opponents in the Texans and Chargers) and literally (Nix snapping his ankle and missing the AFC title game).Then in Super Bowl 60, against a dominant Seahawks squad, New England finally got exposed. And if the 29-13 loss wasn't embarrassing enough, head coach Mike Vrabel soon got entangled in an off-field scandal that has yet to be fully resolved.On the positive side, the Patriots provided third-year quarterback Drake Maye some needed weapons with the offseason acquisitions of veteran wide receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Also, their 2026 draft class received mostly solid marks. And, of course, they get to face the Jets and Dolphins four times.However, as previously noted, the rest of the schedule is daunting. And let's not forget that prior to going 14-3 last year -- and having even better injury luck than the Broncos -- New England posted consecutive 4-13 records.Translation: I think the 2025 Patriots were a fraud. I think the Super Bowl hangover (in this instance) is real. And I think the absolute ceiling for this year's team is 10 wins -- and even then, New England might need to win a tiebreaker to snag a postseason invite.Add it up, and there is excellent plus-money value baked into this NFL futures wager.

Tight end is always one of the more interesting positions to attack in fantasy drafts because once you get past the very top of the board, you are usually making a specific bet. Are you betting on volume? Are you betting on talent? Are you betting on the quarterback and the offense around the player?Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL seasonThese three Yahoo draft battles all force you to answer that question a little differently.Colston Loveland (ADP 40) vs. Tyler Warren (47)This is a tough one because I really like both of these young tight ends. Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren both flashed as rookies, both have legitimate top-five tight end upside and both are being drafted like fantasy managers expect another step forward from them in Year 2.Loveland's full-season numbers do not completely tell the story. He finished with a 16.4% target share and 65% route participation, but from Week 9 through Week 18 he saw 63 targets in 10 games, caught 47 passes for 597 yards and scored six touchdowns. That second-half stretch is much closer to the player fantasy managers are betting on when they take him as Yahoo's TE3 at 38th overall.The appeal with Loveland is not just the player — it is the environment around him. Caleb Williams is entering another year in Ben Johnson's system and I think Chicago has a chance to be one of the better offenses in football. Loveland also played with a 9.1-yard aDOT as a rookie, giving him more downfield upside than the typical tight end who lives underneath.There is competition though. Rome Odunze is going to command targets. Luther Burden III is going to get his opportunities when healthy and Cole Kmet is still there. Loveland may have to be extremely efficient if the target tree stays crowded.Warren's case is almost the opposite. He ran 500 routes as a rookie, participated on 87% of Indianapolis' routes and commanded a 21.2% target share. He saw 112 targets and I have him projected for around 120 this season. The volume could be massive.Indianapolis also has room for Warren to become the focal point of this passing attack. Michael Pittman Jr. is gone, Alec Pierce has been dealing with an injury and Josh Downs is a good player, but I do not view him as the type of receiver who automatically owns this offense. The Colts also added Keenan Allen late in camp, which adds another mouth to feed.The difference for me comes down to what I think those targets are worth. Warren had a 5.4-yard aDOT last season compared to Loveland at 9.1 and I trust Caleb Williams more than Daniel Jones to create high-value opportunities when things break down.Warren probably has the cleaner volume projection. I can easily see him finishing with more targets and more catches. But if I am choosing between two comparable young talents this early, I am going to bet on the offense I believe has the better chance to take off.The pick: Colston Loveland.Tucker Kraft (61) vs. Sam LaPorta (63)This matchup got a little more complicated over the past week because now both players come with legitimate injury questions. Tucker Kraft is coming back from an ACL tear and has only recently returned to 11-on-11 work. Sam LaPorta is coming back from back surgery and is now dealing with a hip issue that has put his Week 1 status into question.That makes this a little more interesting because I am not looking at one healthy player against one injured player. I am trying to separate the actual talent profiles and roles.Kraft was on his way to a massive season before tearing his ACL. In eight games he caught 32 passes for 489 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 12.7 half-PPR points per game. He posted 2.56 yards per route run, earned targets on 23% of his routes and accounted for 33.3% of Green Bay's red-zone targets.The touchdown pace was hot. Six scores on 32 receptions is not something I would project over a full season. But the efficiency and target earning were real and that is what makes Kraft interesting.Green Bay's offense is also going to look different. Romeo Doubs is gone. Dontayvion Wicks is gone. Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden are still there, but if Kraft is fully healthy I can see him becoming one of Jordan Love's primary options. I have him personally projected for around 100 targets, close to 800 yards and seven touchdowns.LaPorta's argument is just as easy to understand. Detroit should once again field one of the best offenses in the league. Jared Goff is a walking 4,000-yard passer and this team is going to score points.The problem is that Detroit has a lot of players who need the football.Subscribe to Fantasy Ultra to unlock our Strategy Lab, 150+ page Draft Playbook and more!Jahmyr Gibbs is being drafted as the No. 1 overall player in fantasy. Amon-Ra St. Brown is going to command heavy volume and Jameson Williams can flip a game on one play. LaPorta was still on the field a ton last season, running a route on 83% of Detroit's dropbacks, but his 20.1% targets per route trailed Kraft and his red-zone target share was well behind Kraft's.Now we add the hip issue on top of that.Yahoo has Kraft going 58th overall and LaPorta at 61, so this is basically a same-cost decision. I like LaPorta and I think there is a chance he ends up being undervalued if the injury pushes him too far down draft boards. But if I am choosing between the two right now, I see a clearer path for one of them to become one of the two most important pieces of his passing offense.The pick: Tucker Kraft.Kyle Pitts Sr. (73) vs. Harold Fannin Jr. (71)This might be the most difficult battle of the three, because I can make a real case for both players.Kyle Pitts Sr. was actually good last season. He saw 118 targets, caught 88 passes for 928 yards and ran a route on more than 90% of Atlanta's dropbacks. He earned a 22.7% target share and posted 1.80 yards per route run. Whatever frustration fantasy managers still have with Pitts, the usage was there.The coaching change makes this even more interesting. Kevin Stefanski comes to Atlanta after spending last season with Harold Fannin Jr. in Cleveland. Stefanski had a versatile tight end he could move around the formation and manufacture touches for in Fannin. Now he has Pitts, who can do a lot of those same things.The early usage has been encouraging too. In Atlanta's preseason stint with the starters, Pitts was targeted on all four legitimate Tua Tagovailoa attempts and caught three passes for 22 yards. Four throws are not enough to tell us what the offense will look like, but the intent matters.Tua wants the football out quickly. He is not going to consistently sit in the pocket waiting for routes to develop downfield, and that may actually help Pitts. If Stefanski can give him easy throws underneath, play-action looks and opportunities over the middle, there is a path to another strong season.Then there is Fannin.I think he is one of the most underrated tight ends in fantasy football. He commanded a 21.6% target share as a rookie, saw 107 targets and earned a target on 25.5% of his routes. That target-per-route number is the stat that keeps pulling me back in.His role also continued to grow as the year went on and David Njoku is gone now. Cleveland added KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston at receiver, so this is not an empty target tree, but Fannin has already shown he can operate from multiple spots and create after the catch.The obvious question for both is quarterback play. Cleveland is dealing with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders while Atlanta is trying to figure out what it has with Tua and Michael Penix Jr. I do not think either situation is perfect.I have Pitts and Fannin projected almost dead even, right around 12 points per game. Yahoo has them almost dead even too, with Fannin going 71st overall and Pitts at 73.So this one is not really about draft price. It is about which player I believe in more.Pitts may have the better offensive environment and I understand why people will bet on Stefanski unlocking him. Fannin already showed me that he can command targets at a very high rate as a rookie and now he enters Year 2 with an even clearer role.At basically the same cost, I am betting on the player who’s not competing with the best running back in football and a top-10 receiver on the outside.The pick: Harold Fannin Jr.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 15: Roberto De Zerbi, Manager / Head Coach of Tottenham Hotspur during the during the pre-season friendly match between Tottenham Hotspur and TSG Hoffenheim at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on August 15, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images Roberto De Zerbi held his first press conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League opening match at Brentford. While the press conference was overshadowed slightly by the fresh news that an agreement has been reached with Manchester City for the purchase of Savinho, there was still plenty to talk about in the match.For starters, as mentioned previously RDZ named the new Tottenham Hotspur leadership group, which includes Micky van de Ven as club captain, along with Pedro Porro, Ben Davies, James Maddison, and Archie Gray as vice captains. But two of that group will not feature tomorrow vs. Brentford — Micky and Porro were both ruled out of contention, as was Pape Matar Sarr.“Micky is not on the list tomorrow like Pedro Porro. James Maddison is inside [it], Solanke inside, Udogie, Fernandes also. Sarr not because he felt some pain, but nothing big. Kudus is almost ready.“Today [Micky] worked with us, with the group and he is going very well. He suffered a problem during the pre-season of Australia, I don’t know if it was the flight, but not a big problem. We have Senesi, we have Ben Davies and in the right condition to play the game tomorrow.”A lot to unpack there! Spurs have been strangely silent on Micky’s absence from preseason, and we all assumed it was injury related. De Zerbi didn’t provide much of an update, but Micky’s been in the club socials a LOT lately, and was just named Captain so if there was a major issue we’d probably know about it by now. Sounds like he’ll be coming back sooner rather than later. Pedro Porro’s absence is likely just fitness related; he only just returned from his post-World Cup break. Sounds like Sarr is just out with a minor knock and the club is being cautious.So what does that mean for the lineup tomorrow? Well, RDZ gave some clues there too, answering a question about whether Spurs are going to sign another right back after selling Djed Spence.“In this moment I think no, we have Archie Gray, he prefers playing in the midfield position, but he can play very well also as a right-back.I think we are good. I don’t want 25, 26 players, I want 21, 22 players, I think that’s enough, especially if these players or more players, they can adapt in more positions on the pitch, and I think we have many players who can play in different positions, Gray midfielder, right back, Gallagher number 10 or number 8, it’s the same Micky van de Ven or Ben Davies left back, I think we have Kudus, winger or number 10, we have a lot of solutions.”So that sounds to me like we’ll see Antonin Kinsky start in goal, a back line of Gray – Van Hecke – Senesi – Robertson/Udogie, a midfield of Tonali – Gallagher – Fernandes, and a front line of Moore – Richarlison – Tel. There might be some surprises in there, but that’s the safe bet based on what we’ve seen recently in preseason. Even if he signs today I doubt Savinho will feature.I suspect this isn’t the final starting lineup once the window is closed and all new signings are brought up to speed, but this feels reasonable for at least tomorrow. We could get some rotation for the midweek League Cup match against Charlton.

England defender Ezri Konsa has completed his transfer to Arsenal, with the 28-year-old becoming the Gunners’ fifth major signing of the summer. The former Aston Villa defender moves to north London in a deal worth £51m, and he has signed a four-year contract with the option of an additional 12 months. The defender – who can play at both centre-back and right-back – was targeted for his versatility, as well as for cover for the injured Jurrien Timber and William Saliba, the latter of whom could be out until late this year after requiring surgery on a back injury. Konsa is Arsenal’s fifth major summer signing (PA)The move was completed on the same day that the champions will open their 2026/27 campaign at home to ewly promoted Coventry City, though the timing of the deal means that Konsa was obviously not registered in time to be in the squad for the game. With only official confirmation from the clubs to come as the signing is announced, Arsenal fans will have to wait for at least a week before they can see their new signing make his first appearance for his new side, but it could be a fascinating one.Konsa will be eligible to start in Arsenal’s second game of the Premier League season, which comes against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Monday 31 August. With both Saliba and Timber sidelined, Konsa could well expect to see minutes at his old home ground. However, he has only recently returned from an extended break after his exploits with England at this summer’s World Cup, and he will be lacking match fitness and sharpness ahead of the second game of the new season.Konsa was a key part of the England squad that finished third at this summer’s World Cup (Getty)In addition, it is not yet known whether Mikel Arteta will make him part of the starting XI straight away. Young centre-back Cristhian Mosquera started alongside Gabriel in the Community Shield win over Manchester City, though with just over £50m spent on their new arrival, you would expect to see Konsa in and around the starting XI throughout 2026/27 as the Gunners look to go one better than last season and fight for trophies on four fronts.

Serie A 2026-27 Predictions: Clear title favourites, Milan doubts and more – VideoIn the latest episode of the Football Italia LIVE Show, Lorenzo Bettoni and Richard Hall look ahead to the 2026-27 Serie A season and offer their predictions on some of the biggest questions facing Italian football.Click here to subscribe to the official Football Italia YouTube channel and join the next LIVE showSerie A 2026-27 predictionsThe pair discuss the Scudetto race, the teams they expect to challenge for the title, the clubs they believe will qualify for European competition and their picks for the three sides most likely to be relegated to Serie B.Both are backing Inter to retain the Serie A title, but there is less certainty about who can push the Nerazzurri closest. The discussion also focuses on Milan, with the Rossoneri’s prospects for the new campaign proving particularly difficult to predict. Can Milan return to the top end of the table and secure European football, or could they face another disappointing season?JAKARTA, INDONESIA – AUGUST 08: Head coach Ruben Amorim of AC Milan looks on during the pre-season friendly between Chelsea FC and AC Milan at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on August 08, 2026 in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Peksi Cahyo/Getty Images)With the new Serie A campaign approaching, the Football Italia LIVE Show also takes a closer look at the teams competing for Europe and the clubs who could find themselves involved in a battle for survival.Do you agree with Lorenzo and Richard’s predictions? Who will win the Scudetto, which teams will qualify for Europe and who will be relegated?

In response to Trump administration threats to its federal funding, Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) has updated its policies governing how its staff handle records related to trans and non-binary gender identities. The only major change is an assertion that the policies do not violate federal rules. In a letter to the district, Superintendent of Schools Mark Bedell wrote, “As made clear by these amendments, no policy, guideline, or practice may limit or otherwise interfere with parental rights under FERPA, and this includes any information maintained in education records that relates to gender identity, transgender status, sexual orientation, preferred name, or preferred pronouns.” Related Trump administration is threatening schools’ funding for not outing kids to their parents The school district’s policies came under scrutiny after the religious parents of one student filed a lawsuit over the fact that their child had been using a different name and pronouns at school without their knowledge. The parents are represented by America First Legal Foundation, which was founded in 2021 by Stephen Miller and has often supported anti-LGBTQ+ lawsuits, including ones pushing teachers to out trans students. The lawsuit claims that the school violated their First and Fourteenth Amendment protections, as well as the Maryland Constitution. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The parents became aware that their child was using a masculine name they were unfamiliar with at school after a teacher accidentally sent an email in December 2025 that used the name and male pronouns. When questioned, the teacher reportedly lied at first, then confirmed that the student was using the masculine name at school. While the school said it would stop using the name, the parents received another email in May with the same masculine name. After the lawsuit was filed, the Department of Education (ED) announced that it had been conducting an investigation into the school district and was passing the case on to the Department of Justice (DOJ). That led to AACPS receiving a letter from the DOJ asserting that the district’s policy was not in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), with the ED claiming that the district “improperly classifies information about a student’s so-called ‘gender identity’ as ‘confidential medical information’ that cannot be shared with parents.” One part of FERPA entitles parents to view their child’s complete academic record upon request. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon claims that some schools have kept secondary academic records under a child’s other name, hidden from parents, which she says violates FERPA. Those who originally lied about the name and then claimed the name would not be used may have violated FERPA when they were directly asked about it, even if the choice was made out of concern for the child’s safety. However, AACPS’s existing policy (last updated in 2023) neither required nor prohibited notifying parents of a student’s gender identity. While the actions by staff and teachers might be questioned, the school policy might not violate FERPA. In fact, the policy required that school staff work with a student’s parents to develop a plan to support the student’s gender identity. The only reason allowed for not taking that step was if there was a concern that informing the parents to make a plan could threaten the student’s safety. The policy updates as announced by Bedell simply acknowledge FERPA and state that nothing in their policy should be “construed to limit or otherwise interfere with parents’/guardians’ rights under FERPA, including the right to inspect and review their student’s complete education record.” The change does not create any obligation to notify parents if there is a safety concern; it just makes it clear that a child’s gender identity should still be included if requested by a parent. While it removes a potential safeguard against being outed, the new policy is still not the forced-outing policy that the parents who filed the lawsuit wanted. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

An Israeli navy vessel patrols off the Mediterranean coast as Palestinian children participate in the "Swimming with Gaza" event in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)2026-08-21T14:37:26Z SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The U.S. government has declared a drought disaster in the U.S. Virgin Islands as dry conditions persist.St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix are all experiencing an extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and no relief is in sight.The declaration announced Thursday will allow farmers and agricultural producers to seek federal emergency loans.“Our farmers are essential to our food security, our economy and our way of life,” U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said in a statement.He had requested the federal declaration earlier this month.“This declaration does not make the drought disappear, but it gives our farmers another tool to withstand its effects,” he said.The deepening drought also has affected neighboring Puerto Rico, where officials recently implemented water rationing measures for certain neighborhoods in seven cities, including San Juan, the island’s capital.More than 33% of Puerto Rico is under extreme drought, and another 30% under a severe drought.Experts blame the lack of rainfall on a natural warming cycle known as El Niño. It is particularly strong this year, leading to an anticipated below-average Atlantic hurricane season.

El italiano Jannik Sinner reacciona después de vencer al alemán Alexander Zverev en la Final masculina del Campeonato de Tenis de Wimbledon, el domingo 12 de julio de 2026, en Londres. (AP Foto/Kirsty Wigglesworth)2026-08-21T14:37:47Z NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked Jannik Sinner withdrew from the U.S. Open on Friday because of a right knee injury.Sinner hasn’t played since winning the Wimbledon title last month and determined that he wasn’t ready to play when the main draw begins on Aug. 30.“Even though I have been working hard with my team and my medical staff, we have now had to make the difficult decision that I will not be able to compete at the US Open this year,” Sinner wrote in a post on X. “We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realized that I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue. I’m obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart. I was very much looking forward to coming back and playing in the electric atmosphere in front of the great fans there.”Sinner was the 2024 U.S. Open champion and lost to Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s final.___See AP’s full tennis coverage here BRIAN MAHONEY Mahoney is an editor on the AP Sports desk. He also is a pro basketball writer, primarily covering the two NBA teams in New York. twitter mailto

Munich's Jamal Musiala receives medical treatment during a pre-season soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa via AP)2026-08-21T14:08:24Z BERLIN (AP) — Bayern Munich has been aware of Jamal Musiala’s neurological issue for at least a year, board member for sport Max Eberl said Friday.Musiala collapsed during successive games over the past week, causing alarm for teammates, opponents and spectators. Eberl and Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said the incidents were triggered by a change in the treatment Musiala was receiving for the neurological issue.The player said in an Instagram post after the latest collapse against Heidenheim on Tuesday that he had been diagnosed with “absence seizures caused by a neurological dysfunction” but there was “no additional health risk” and that he intends to keep playing as before.While the 23-year-old Musiala’s collapses caused what Bayern honorary president Uli Hoeness said Wednesday was a “drama” for the club, Eberl and Kompany projected an aura of calm on Friday.“We’ve been dealing with this all of last season,” Eberl said. “We’ve worked with it, we’ve handled it, and now it’s a situation where a young person is suddenly confronted with this out of nothing – a situation we are helping him navigate.” Musiala out of SupercupKompany said Musiala is being left out of his squad for Saturday’s German Supercup match at Borussia Dortmund because of the extra attention on the player, but that everyone at the club is relaxed about his condition as “we’ve been dealing with this for a long time.”“The initial shock happened a while ago,” Kompany said. “Since then, we’ve gathered much more information, gained a far better understanding of the situation, and made every decision based on the best possible advice from top experts … we’re past the stage where this is a major topic of internal discussion.” Change in treatmentKompany said the speculation from outside was normal because Musiala’s condition had only just become public.“I just spoke to Jamal. He said, ‘Vinnie, no problem, you can mention it.’ But he made a change to his treatment, and that had some side effects,” the Bayern coach said. “That’s why it happened the first time and then the second time. It’s totally normal to try something different during treatment. Now we want to go back to how things were before – when nobody knew anything about it.”Eberl said it was normal for anyone taking pills to say they’ll be happy when they don’t have to take them. Read More “Now the task is to adjust the medication again so he gets back to where we were before — a state where he had been seizure-free for a very, very long time,” Eberl said. “That’s the process we are overseeing medically, with the medical professionals bearing primary responsibility, of course.” Kompany said Musiala would train individually next week.Bayern opens its Bundesliga title defense at home to Stuttgart on Aug. 28.___See AP’s full soccer coverage here CIARÁN FAHEY Fahey is a Berlin-based reporter for The Associated Press, covering sports in Germany and beyond. instagram mailto