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In this photo provided by the City of Jersey City, first responders try to rescue people stranded in a flooded street in Jersey City, N.J., Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, after storms went through the area. (City of Jersey City via AP)2026-08-21T14:33:55Z NEW YORK (AP) — Cleanup efforts and damage assessment were underway Friday in Delaware’s capital and on Long Island, New York, after tornadoes touched down during storms that battered the Northeast with heavy rains and left dozens of people stranded in their cars during flash flooding.Officials said there were no reports of any serious injuries.The National Weather Service said a trained spotter reported a tornado in Dover, Delaware, during Thursday’s storms. Photos and video on social media show the roof of a motel being blown off and damage to other buildings along Route 13 northeast of downtown.In Atlantic Beach on Long Island, images posted on social media show a large funnel cloud over the water and small buildings torn apart at a beach club. The weather service confirmed a tornado touched down on the shore, saying it started as a waterspout over the Atlantic Ocean. Weather service crews were going to view the Delaware and Long Island damage on Friday to determine the strengths and paths of the tornadoes.Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen said a state of emergency was lifted Friday morning to allow residents and businesses to resume normal activities. Police urged residents to be patient and set aside extra time for travel.“There is still debris throughout the city, and crews will be out working on cleanup, repairs, and restoring services. You may encounter blocked lanes, utility crews, emergency personnel, and other delays,” police said on social media. On Long Island, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said first responders rescued people trapped in their vehicles during flooding. Read More In other parts of New York, flooding caused part of the Long Island Expressway in Queens to close in both directions, according to New York City Emergency Management. Photos on social media showed lines of stopped cars as emergency crews traversed the water.In Jersey City, New Jersey, emergency crews rescued 69 people trapped in cars that were overtaken by flash flooding, said Mayor James Solomon. Emergency crews used small inflatable boats to reach people who were stranded.

Argentina's Leandro Paredes (5) knocks down Spain's Gavi (9) during scuffle after the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)2026-08-21T14:31:33Z ZURICH (AP) — FIFA on Friday handed bans to three Argentina players, led by a 10-match suspension for midfielder Leandro Paredes, for striking Spain opponents moments after the World Cup final.One Argentina coach as well as one Spanish player — Gavi — also were banned.Argentina defender Nahuel Molina was handed a seven-game ban while Thiago Almada was given a one-game suspension. The players and team official also were fined varying amounts.___See AP’s full soccer coverage here

This is Behind the Blog, where we share our behind-the-scenes thoughts about how a few of our top stories of the week came together. This week, we discuss three years of 404 Media.JASON: Tomorrow is the third anniversary of the launch of 404 Media. If you haven’t been paying attention to us yammering on about this on the podcast and in our emails, you can celebrate with us at our party in New York in a few weeks.Anniversaries are a good time to take stock of things, but they always seem to sneak up on us. I don’t think we’ll have much of a public post this year on the actual anniversary, but maybe some public celebrating closer to the party and panel we’re throwing. First off, if you’re reading this, thank you for your support and for being a subscriber. We could not be doing this without you. Starting 404 Media has changed all of our lives; we’ve said it a million times at this point, but it was not clear when we started this that it would actually work. Three years in, it is extremely working, and we are very proud of the work we’ve done, what we’ve built, and the impact our journalism has had. These are going to be disorganized, off the dome thoughts, but a few things:

It was the latest example of President Trump’s bid to use the legal system against those who voice unflattering facts and opinions generally protected by the First Amendment.

CHAPEL HILL — UNC football coach Bill Belichick confirmed Wisconsin transfer Billy Edwards Jr. will be the Tar Heels' starting quarterback against TCU in Ireland.“Billy’s probably a little more consistent. That probably showed up over the long haul," Belichick said Aug. 21 during a press conference inside the Kenan Football Center."We’re talking about close to 2,000 snaps from the spring to training camp. … It’s not based on one play or one series. It’s kind of a whole composite of it. He just came out ahead.” The frontrunner since arriving on campus, Edwards emerges as the season-opening starter for the Tar Heels after a QB competition with Texas A&M transfer Miles O'Neill, freshman Travis Burgess and returner Au'Tori Newkirk. The Tar Heels and Horned Frogs play in eight days in the opening game of the 2026 college football season.With more than 1,000 snaps, Edwards is the most experienced QB in UNC's room. In 11 games as a starter for the Maryland Terrapins in 2024, Edwards was second in the Big Ten with an average of 261.9 passing yards per game. He finished with 2,881 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He missed most of his lone season with the Badgers in 2025 because of a knee injury and wore a brace during spring practice with the Tar Heels. Edwards hasn’t worn the knee brace during fall camp practice periods open to media members and is one of 60 new players on the roster in Belichick's second season. He’s shown an ability to get the ball out quickly, averaging 2.47 seconds to throw on dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus data. Edwards had 18 “big-time throws,” according to PFF, and got the ball out in 2.34 seconds in 2024. His quick decision making and ability to get the ball out to playmakers will be vital for offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino’s task of turning around the Heels’ offense.The Tar Heels saw primary starter Gio Lopez transfer to Wake Forest after the 2025 season, which ended with UNC posting a 4-8 record with one of the worst offenses in the nation. Lopez was named the starting QB five days before the first game of the 2025 season.Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to rbaxley@usatodayco.com.This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Bill Belichick explains why Billy Edwards will be UNC football's starting QB vs TCU

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 2: Zachary L'heureux #68 of the Nashville Predators scores against Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Crypto.com Arena on April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by Mile High Hockey staff members. Seven writers have ranked players under the age of 25 in the Colorado Avalanche organization as of September 1, 2026. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked.Name: Zach L’Heureux Age: 23Position: LWHeight: 5’11”Weight: 197 lbs.Likely 2026-27 Team: Colorado Avalanche (?)2025 Rank: N/AFinal Rank: #11High Rank: #7 (Jackie)Low Rank: #33 (Brennan)2025-26 Statistics: Nashville Predators: 25GP: 4G, 1A, 5PMilwaukee Admirals (AHL): 30GP: 14G, 14A, 28PIs there a player with more intrigue for the Colorado Avalanche heading into the 2026-27 season than newly acquired forward Zach L’Heureux? He could either end up spending the majority of the season in the AHL, like he did last year, or he could end up solidifying as one of the missing pieces on the Avalanche roster in a middle-six scoring role. The range in our voting reflects this uncertainty as L’Heureux’s value to the organization is up in the air.There also isn’t a player in the entire Avalanche organization with a more complicated past than L’Heureux now with Val Nichushkin jettisoned. The 23-year-old has been suspended at every level he’s played including on nine occasions in the QMJHL including once for 10 games, three times in the AHL and one three-game suspension in the NHL for slew-footing Minnesota’s Jared Spurgeon. It’s no secret that the Avalanche lack a little bite in their game and could use someone who toes the line, but is Jared Bednar going to put his trust in that type of player, especially someone who is still trying to establish themselves in the league? The mantra always is it’s better to reign in passion than try to encourage it, but we’ll see how that goes in reality.View LinkL’Heureux brings a reasonable resume and pedigree with him to Colorado as a former first round pick taken at 27th overall in the 2021 draft by the Nashville Predators. After finishing his junior career in the QMJHL, he spent his first pro season in 2023-24 entirely in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals. There L’Heureux put up 48 points including 19 goals in a 66 game rookie season. The next year “Happy” as they call him only played four games in the AHL and was with the Predators for 62 games where he scored 15 points. He also led all NHL rookies with 198 hits that season showing the physical bite to his game. The following year Nashville put L’Heureux back in the AHL for the bulk of the season and did well scoring 28 points in 30 games, but the move called in question his future in the NHL. The left winger played 25 games in Nashville, all at the end of the season, and only put up five points with four goals and an assist. It makes sense why a change of scenery was the move now especially with L’Heureux’s waiver exemption having expired. He is signed for two years, though, one-way for $875K cap hit per year, which gives the Avalanche an incentive to make it work. It will be fascinating to see where the experiment goes from here. 2026 Top 25 Under 25#25 Nikita Novosyolov#24 Axel Eloffson#23 Teddy Lechner#22 Ivan Yunin#21 Luka Cloutier#20 Matthew DiMarsico#19 Shawn Carrier#18 Domenick Fensore#17 Tory Pitner#16 Jake Fisher#15 Beckett Hamilton#14 Linus Funck#13 Alex Gagne#12 Egor Shilov

The Houston Texans will have to find a way to replace the production loss by second-year wide receiver Jayden Higgins.An internal option who could break out is fourth-year receiver Xavier Hutchinson as he enters a contract season.A fellow Iowa State alum, Hutchinson has been a reliable fourth option for three seasons behind names like Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell and Higgins. Now, he'll be asked to expand his role further as Houston prepares for a season to remember.“I believe in myself 100%,” Hutchinson said in the Texans' locker room. “I prepared for this in the offseason, obviously not for it to happen this way, of course, but I prepared myself to be able to take on whatever role this team needed to succeed. If that means more on my plate, then I’m ready for it. I’m ready to ball, that’s it.”Higgins, Houston's breakout star of training camp, suffered a torn ACL in Tuesday's joint practice against the Las Vegas Raiders while running routes in team drills. He was able to walk off the feild under his own pressure, but with non-contact injuries, the results are never promising.A healthy Higgins would have been beneficial for Houston's passing attack as the team continues to look for a stable No. 2 force. Last season, the 6-foot-4 target had 41 catches for 525 yards and six touchdowns and seemed like the most logical emmergining talent after standing out in traning camp. "You can't just replace a guy like that," quarterback C.J. Stroud said postgame Thursday. "He's a heck of a talent, somebody who came into this league and made plays already early in his career. It sucks. There’s nothing good to say. Sadly, we have to try our best to rise up, with the other guys around us."While the Texans might not replace a talent like Higgins, they're going to have to try. This is a team built to win titles now, so any questions on offense must be addressed. As Houston prepares for its final preseason, the internal options for a larger role include Hutchinson, Jared Wayne and hopefully a healthy Jaylin Noel, though he's been limited in training camp because of a finger strain and hamstring issues. Hutchinson, who could be playing for a new contract in Houston or elsewhere, might have to be the "it guy" in the room for the season. That, or at least Noel and Tank Dell get back to full speed. “Everyone in that receiver room can make plays, everyone in that receiver room believes in themselves,” Hutchinson said. “Sadly, it’s next man up now, but I feel like everybody is ready to step into that role perfectly and everybody is ready to make plays and I can’t wait to see it unfold for us in the season.”This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Xavier Hutchinson ready to be 'next man up' for Texans' passing game after Jayden Higgins' injury

DENVER (AP) — A federal appeals court on Friday temporarily halted a court order that would have granted thousands of athletes who left college after last season an extra year of eligibility.The lawsuit was filed by players who graduated high school in 2022, whose college eligibility ended last season and who were not included in the NCAA’s new rule that grants most players five years of eligibilty, beginning next season.After winning a ruling in district court, many of those players were trying to figure out how to return to their former schools to play another year.This ruling, by a 2-1 margin from a panel on the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals n Denver, puts that on hold until the appeal can be heard in total. It could tamp down on the chaos from a series of similar rulings in courts around the country that led to players trying to come back before the start of college football season.

Konsa ‘hungry for more’ after completing move to Arsenal from Aston VillaArsenal have confirmed the signing of Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa in a £55m deal.Konsa has signed a four-year contract with the Gunners, with the option of a further year, and described joining the club as a “privilege” as he prepares for a new chapter in his career.“I’m super excited. It’s a privilege to be here and can’t wait to get started,” Konsa said.“I want to keep winning, I’m hungry to win and that’s what I’m here for. It’s a proud moment for me and my family to play for one of the best teams in the world.”The defender already knows several of his new team-mates after playing alongside Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka for England.“They said it’s very enjoyable, they said I’ll enjoy it,” he added. “I’ve got a good relationship and I’m looking forward to training with them and playing with them.”Stay up to date with all the latest Arsenal news by joining our Arsenal WhatsApp channel. The 27-year-old will join an Arsenal defence that kept 19 Premier League clean sheets during their title-winning campaign, and he praised the chemistry within Mikel Arteta’s back line.“The chemistry they have, they all want to defend for each other, the love they have for defending, they love keeping the ball out of the net which is what you have to do as a defender,” Konsa said.“But I just love the way they are together. What they’ve built over the past few years has been special.”He now joins the champions with his sights set on adding more silverware to his collection.“That’s what I’m here for, to win. Hungry for more. I had a taste of it last season with the Europa League and I want to go for it all,” he said.“I’m very proud [of my time at Aston Villa]. Very grateful for what they did for me in my career, joining them as a boy and left as a man.“I’m excited to get going at Arsenal and can’t wait to get started.”If you enjoy our articles, help us out by making Hayters.com one of your preferred sources on Google by clicking here.

Wesam Hamada, the mother of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl who was killed in Gaza City in January 2024 after the car she was in with relatives came under Israeli fire, looks out a window at an office building at an undisclosed location, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) ADDITION: Location removed at the subject's request.2026-08-21T15:02:16Z JERUSALEM (AP) — The mother of a 5-year-old Palestinian girl who was found dead days after Israeli forces fired on her family’s car in Gaza City wants an independent inquiry into her death, saying an Israeli military investigation announced this week is insufficient.Wesam Hamada said her daughter Hind Rajab’s final pleas still haunt her.“All I remember is her voice pleading, ‘Mama, I’m scared. Mama, I’m hungry. Mama, I’m hurt,’” she said. “Her voice keeps repeating in my ears.”The widely publicized recording of Hind’s January 2024 phone call with her mother and emergency dispatchers made her one of the Israel-Hamas war’s most prominent casualties.Israel’s military this week admitted to firing at the family’s car as it fled an Israeli invasion and firing toward an ambulance dispatched to help them. It said it would launch a criminal investigation into its troops’ conduct. All six people in the car and two paramedics were killed. But both Rajab’s family and emergency responders from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society doubt the Israeli investigation can deliver justice. “Why did the investigation and the acknowledgment of the shooting at Hind’s car and at the paramedics come only after more than two years?” Hamada said in an interview with The Associated Press. “It’s an attempt to distract from what’s happening in Gaza and improve the (Israeli) army’s image to the world. That’s it.” A call to paramedics heard around the worldThe story of their deaths drew international outcry after the Palestinian Red Crescent Society released recordings of Hind and her 15-year-old cousin Layan Hamada calling for help. It was further amplified by “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” a film that excerpted the recordings and was nominated for an Oscar. Read More On the recordings, as audible gunfire erupts around them, Hamada asks for help and tells Red Crescent dispatchers that her family had been killed. Seconds later, more gunshots are heard, and Layan’s screaming stops. Ambulance dispatchers called back and found Hind on the other end of the line. She told them Layan was dead and Israeli tanks were advancing. The Red Crescent sent an ambulance and stayed in contact with Hind until the call dropped.Hind and five relatives were found dead in the family car 12 days later. The two medics sent to rescue her were also found dead nearby, their ambulance blackened and destroyed. 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. Israel initially said its troops were not in the area. A U.N. commission of inquiry and an investigation by the research group Forensic Architecture found evidence placing Israeli forces near the car and attributed the attack to them.Rana Al Faqih, a dispatcher who was in contact with Hind for more than three hours, said the day remains seared in her memory. She tried to calm Hind and patched her mother onto the call to comfort her. An impartial investigation is the only way to deliver justice to Hind’s family and the families of emergency workers, she said in an interview at the Red Crescent headquarters in Ramallah, West Bank. Advocates doubt Israeli investigation can bring accountabilityThe investigation is one of two criminal probes the military announced Wednesday after reviewing roughly 150 incidents.Military investigators will now take up the probes and present their findings to military prosecutors. The military advocate general can then decide to keep investigating, indict any soldiers or decline to charge them.Israeli officials say the country’s justice system can address any violations by its troops. But such investigations rarely lead to indictments. Just 0.17% of incidents reviewed from 2014 and 2022 led to prosecution, according to an analysis by Israeli rights group Yesh Din.The Belgium-based Hind Rajab Foundation — which campaigns for the arrest of Israeli troops it accuses of war crimes — said in a statement on Wednesday that an Israeli military investigation “should not be mistaken for a genuine step toward justice.”“Israel’s internal investigations into the criminal conduct of its own soldiers are fundamentally flawed and cannot be regarded as credible mechanisms of accountability,” it said. Sorrow shared by mothers across GazaThe Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in southern Israel and abducted 251 others. More than 73,400 people have been killed in the Israeli offensive since, according to the health ministry in Gaza. The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants but says women and children constitute about half the deaths.Hamada said her pain since the killing of Hind — who had wanted to become a doctor — was not unique.“The pain is like the pain of every mother who has lost her child in Gaza,” she said. “You wish she were in front of you, growing up and fulfilling your dreams and her dreams, and then you lose her in the most horrific circumstances.”__ Ibrahim Hazboun in Jerusalem, and Haitham Hamed in Ramallah, West Bank, contributed reporting. SAM METZ Metz covers Israel, the Palestinian territories and the broader Middle East for The Associated Press. He previously covered North Africa and the Western United States. twitter mailto

Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones speaks to the media after arriving at the federal courthouse for a hearing in front of a bankruptcy judge in Houston, June 14, 2024. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)2026-08-21T15:03:26Z AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas court has slashed the $50 million judgment to $1.5 million against Infowars founder Alex Jones over falsely calling 2012 school shooting a hoax.The ruling does not affect a $1.4 billion judgement against Jones in Connecticut, but is a significant legal victory for Jones after he and his company, Free Speech Systems, were found liable for damages for claiming the mass shooting didn’t happen.The unanimous opinion of by the Texas Third Court of Appeals found that Sandy Hook parents Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis did not show evidence that harassment enflamed by Jones’ hoax claims rose to a level that would allow them to exceed the state’s $750,000 cap on damages.Heslin and Lewis’s 6-year-old son Jesse Lewis was among 20 children and six educators killed in the 2012 attack in Newtown, Connecticut. The lawsuit and 2022 verdict against Jones marked the first time Jones was held financially liable for peddling lies about the massacre, claiming it was faked by the government to tighten gun laws.Jones’ trial attorney Andino Reynal had said he would appeal the damages amount and predicted shortly after trial that he could get it reduced to $1.5 million.Jones and his company have filed for bankruptcy, and those legal proceedings continue.

This photo taken with a fisheye lens shows the NCAA logo displayed at mid-court in Philadelphia, March 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)2026-08-21T15:20:14Z DENVER (AP) — A federal appeals court on Friday temporarily halted a court order that would have granted thousands of athletes who left college after last season an extra year of eligibility.The lawsuit was filed by players who graduated high school in 2022, whose college eligibility ended last season and who were not included in the NCAA’s new rule that grants most players five years of eligibilty, beginning next season.After winning a ruling in district court, many of those players were trying to figure out how to return to their former schools to play another year.This ruling, by a 2-1 margin from a panel on the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals n Denver, puts that on hold until the appeal can be heard in total. It could tamp down on the chaos from a series of similar rulings in courts around the country that led to players trying to come back before the start of college football season.

This photo taken with a fisheye lens shows the NCAA logo displayed at mid-court in Philadelphia, March 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)2026-08-21T14:49:34Z BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s interior minister said Friday that a cache of weapons and ammunition found near Berlin last year was intended for use in attacks, and that a suspect has been arrested in Romania.Alexander Dobrindt told reporters on Friday that federal prosecutors have launched an investigation into the weapons discovery, which was first reported in various German media.Dobrindt said that the participation of “foreign powers” could not be ruled out, and that the investigation would look into that possibility.The suspect in custody in Romania had “attack plans,” the minister said. Romanian authorities did not immediately comment on the case. “The investigation is directed against intelligence agency activity and against the preparation of a serious state-endangering crime,” Dobrindt told reporters in Berlin, explaining that it involved a “high-risk situation.” He did not provide further details. Contacted by The Associated Press, the federal prosecutors’ office in the western city of Karlsruhe declined to comment. Dobrindt explained that German authorities were informed of a possible weapons cache outside Berlin in October, and subsequently located it. “Two handguns and corresponding ammunition were stored in this hiding place,” he said. 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

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)2026-08-21T14:42:00Z A Palestinian teenager was killed by Israeli settlers Friday after a rock throwing incident in the occupied West Bank.Also, Turkey announced it is asking for an international warrant for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his role in stopping several boats trying to break a naval blockade of Gaza in May, and Lebanon’s brief economic growth has ended due to the latest Israel-Hezbollah war.Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Friday. Full coverage can be found here.Palestinian teen killed by Israeli settlers after rock throwing incidentA 17-year-old Palestinian was killed and another man wounded by Israeli settler gunfire after rocks were thrown Friday in Sa’ir, north of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.The ministry identified the teenager as Karim Sanad Raja Shalaldeh. The teenager’s father told The Associated Press at the hospital that Israeli settlers had killed his son. The Israeli military said soldiers were dispatched to Sa’ir after Palestinians threw rocks at Israeli civilians who were in the area without prior authorization. Some Israelis were injured and a security official opened fire.Separately, the Palestinian General Authority for Civil Affairs informed the Health Ministry that 58-year-old Fathi Khazem was fatally shot by Israeli forces early Friday in Jenin. An Israeli army official speaking on condition of anonymity in line with military rules said Khazem attempted to stab an Israeli soldier during an overnight operation. No Israeli soldiers were injured.The Israeli official said Khazem was the father of Raed Khazem, who carried out a shooting attack in Tel Aviv in April 2022. Read More Violence has escalated in the West Bank where at least 87 Palestinians have been killed in almost 1,500 attacks by Israeli settlers and soldiers this year, according to Palestinian officials.— Koral Saeed in Herzliya, Israel. Turkey seeks international warrant for Netanyahu over May blockadeTurkey is seeking an international warrant for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s interception of an international flotilla that attempted to break a naval blockade of Gaza.The Interpol red notice sought against Netanyahu and one other Israeli national was tied to an Istanbul court case trying 35 defendants in absentia for alleged “genocide,” other crimes against humanity, torture, unlawful detention and hijacking, Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said in a statement posted on X.The charges stem from the Israeli navy’s interception in May of several vessels in international waters off Cyprus days after the flotilla departed from the Turkish port of Marmaris. Some detained activists reported mistreatment. 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. Turkey is among the most vocal critics of Israel’s government.Netanyahu responded on social media, calling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan an antisemitic dictator who has “massacred Kurds, harbors Hamas terrorists, occupies half of Cyprus, and jails record numbers of journalists and politicians who oppose him.”“Erdogan’s pathetic attempt to intimidate the leaders and soldiers of Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East, will go nowhere,” Netanyahu said Friday. Economic woes return to LebanonLebanon’s economy is projected to contract 6.4% this year because the latest Israel-Hezbollah war reversed the economic recovery of the previous year, the World Bank said Friday.The destruction from the war that started in March and related sharp drop in tourism reversed a 4.2% growth seen in 2025 in Lebanon’s economy, the organization said.The World Bank also predicts a sharp increase in inflation driven by supply disruptions, higher shipping costs, and rising oil prices, which will further reduce purchasing power.Lebanon’s economy has been in crisis since a 2019 banking collapse.

Harry and six other high-profile figures lost a privacy lawsuit against Associated Newspapers. They may eventually have to pay more than twice the initial sum, a judge said.

Recent surveys suggest the broader public views both of them negatively, especially in comparison to Harry’s brother, William, and his wife, Kate.

BLOOMINGTON — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th circuit has granted the NCAA's motion to stay the decision giving 2022 student-athletes an additional year of eligibility. That will have a direct impact on an Indiana football team that welcomed back defensive linemen Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt in recent weeks after a District Court judge in Colorado expanded the NCAA's "five-for-five" rule to include players from their signing class. They will not be eligible to play in games, but per a source with knowledge of the situation they will be allowed to practice until they receive clarity on their eligibility.Daley and Wyatt will be in limbo until an appellate court issues a ruling on the NCAA's pending appeal of the original decision. The decision on Friday won't impact Indiana basketball forward Sam Alexis, who was awarded fifth year of eligibility via a separate injunction awarded in a Tennessee court.This story will be updatedMichael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: NCAA's court victory leaves Indiana football defenders in eligibility limbo

Barcelona enquire about €30m-rated Bundesliga striker during talks for La Masia product’s saleWith a little over ten days left before the summer transfer window closes, FC Barcelona are yet to resolve their centre-forward situation.The signings of Rodri, Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, and Joao Cancelo have strengthened the squad significantly, but the main issue still remains unaddressed.The departure of Ferran Torres after Robert Lewandowski’s goodbye has only increased the need for the club to rope in a new No. 9, but having waited for Julian Alvarez all summer long, the Blaugrana find themselves in a tricky situation.With the Alvarez deal all but falling through, Deco & co. are scrambling in the market for alternatives, and names like Lautaro Martinez, Luis Suarez, and Nicolo Tresoldi have been linked. Now, another player has been added to the list.Barcelona ask about Serhou GuirassyGuirassy emerges as an option. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)Indeed, according to Gerard Romero, Barcelona have asked about Borussia Dortmund centre-forward Serhou Guirassy.The Blaugrana are in direct talks with the Bundesliga giants over the potential sale of academy graduate Hector Fort. The 20-year-old right-back has decided to join the Black and Yellows after being told to leave, and negotiations are taking place between the two clubs.Taking advantage of those talks, the La Liga champions have enquired Dortmund about Guirassy and the conditions for a potential transfer.€30 million release clause for Guirassy?Furthermore, Romero adds that Guirassy has a more than reasonable €30 million release clause in his contract.An affordable alternative? (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)If true, it makes the 30-year-old Guinean striker a very appealing target for Barcelona, given that he is a proven goalscorer with plenty of experience at the top level and would arrive for an affordable fee.Guirassy has been at Dortmund for two years now, during which he has racked up 60 goals and 15 assists in 96 matches.The 30-year-old striker still has two years left on his contract, but if the aforementioned release clause does exist, it would make him an absolute bargain in the market.So, it will be interesting to see whether Barcelona decide to act on it in the final days of the transfer window as their pursuit of a new striker continues to get complicated.

George Russell is third in the drivers' championship [Getty Images]Mercedes' George Russell took his first pole position for four races in qualifying for the sprint race at the Dutch Grand Prix.The Briton, trailing Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli by 59 points in the championship, was 0.041 seconds quicker than McLaren's Lando Norris in second.Antonelli could manage only fifth, behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri.Red Bull's Max Verstappen was sixth, ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, who is second in the championship, 50 points behind Antonelli.Russell's pole was the perfect start to the second part of the season for him, having lost ground to Antonelli in the three races before the summer break after his victory in Austria at the end of June.The Briton said: "It has been a tough end to the first part of the year so I am really happy to be back."The lap felt really good. It is always difficult in sprint qualifying because we have just a lap to put it together, but it all came together nicely."Russell was 0.227secs quicker than Antonelli and has an opportunity in Saturday's shorter sprint race - which runs to about a third of the distance of a grand prix - to cut back into the Italian's points advantage.Behind the leading drivers from the top teams, Pierre Gasly was a strong eighth in an Alpine running the team's first major aerodynamic upgrade for some time, ahead of Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad.Liam Lawson, subbing at Red Bull for Isack Hadjar after the Frenchman broke his wrist boxing, was 11th.Much attention before the session was focused on Aston Martin, who are running a redesigned Honda engine.The team's performance had been encouraging in practice earlier on Friday, when the engine seemed to be giving the expected performance uplift of about 0.3-0.5secs a lap.But its performance was impossible to divine in qualifying because the straight-line mode - which opens the front and rear wings to reduce drag - was not working on Fernando Alonso's car.The veteran Spaniard - who also lost one lap when he locked his tyres into the first corner, which he said was caused by an engine issue - was last."A little bit of everything in qualifying," said Alonso, who is yet to make a decision on his future in F1 beyond the end of this year. "Free practice was more or less OK, but we had problems with the engine driveability. It was pushing on the braking so it was difficult to stop the car."And the apparently the SLM [straight line mode] did not work for me so I could not open the rear wing. A combination of both made the laps very tricky."His team-mate Lance Stroll could manage only 19th place.Closer to retiring than changing teams - why Verstappen stayed at Red BullDutch GP in pictures as F1 prepares for Zandvoort farewellAntonelli - the boy 'born in a garage' who started driving on dad's lap

Aune Heggebo joined West Brom from Norwegian side SK Brann for an undisclosed fee in July 2025 [Getty Images]It is 0-0 between Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion with 15 minutes remaining in the opening game of the season at Carrow Road. Baggies forward Jimmy Jay-Morgan crosses it into Norwich's six-yard box at pace, flying by the outstretched hand of Canaries keeper Vladan Kovacevic and into the path of Albion striker Aune Heggebo.The Norwegian jumps, seemingly trying to guide it in with his foot but it hits his hand instead and flies into the net.Did he mean to handball it? Hard to tell at the speed it all happened.Norwich players protest, but referee Tim Robinson and his assistants did not see it and the goal is given.West Brom lead 1-0 in the Championship match. Morgan doubles the lead before Mathias Kvistgaarden scores a 90th-minute consolation for the hosts. In a league without Video Assistant Referees (VAR), apart from the lingering unhappiness at the decision which contributed to West Brom's 2-1 win, that is normally the end of it.But after the game something unusual happened.Heggebo became the first player to be charged by the Football Association with "deception of a match official", a little known rule first brought in 2017-18.Then on Thursday he was banned for two matches.Little detail, reasoning or context has been given beyond a factual statement announcing the ban from the Football Association.Now attention is turning to what precedent might have been set.If you gain from something that may well have been accidental – West Brom insist it was – should you own up?BBC Sport explores the fallout from this decision.Aune Heggebo's controversial effort put West Brom in front after 75 minutes [Getty Images]West Brom's Heggebo banned for 'handball goal' Absence of VAR in Championship is 'crazy' - ClementWhat do the rules say?Heggebo was charged with misconduct, contrary to FA Rule E3.1, by the Football Association on Tuesday.In his defence, West Brom argued that the ball took a deflection off the goalkeeper before making contact with Heggebo's hand.The Baggies claim it affected the ball's trajectory and left the player with "less than 0.1 of a second" to react.Given the accidental nature of the handball, the club argued, it could not reasonably be viewed as a deliberate act of deception. Since the ban was announced on Thursday, West Brom have said they are going to write to the FA requesting clarification on how a player is reasonably expected to react should similar circumstances arise in the future. Retrospective disciplinary action has previously been taken against players guilty of simulation.According to English football's governing body, the FA can take retrospective disciplinary action in situations where a match official may have been deceived. This process is not for debatable decisions, but only where there is overwhelming evidence to indicate that a player intentionally deceived a match official.However, West Brom believe that this charge is the first of its kind in English football following a rule change two years ago.The incident reopened the debate over the use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) in the Championship. VAR is used in all matches in the Premier League but EFL clubs have blocked its introduction to date.In April, clubs in the second tier of English football turned down the chance to introduce a version of the VAR system for 2026-27.BBC Sport understands the idea is closed for the foreseeable future and is unlikely to be resurrected by the clubs in a year's time - so no opportunity to review incidents like this shortly after they happen.What has the reaction been?Heggebo, who joined West Brom from Norwegian side SK Brann for an undisclosed fee in 2025, will miss his team's next two games at home to Burnley on Sunday (12:00 BST) and away at Newcastle United in the second round of the Carabao Cup next Wednesday (19:45 BST).West Brom issued a statement backing their player after the two-game ban was announced."We remain steadfast in our support of Aune, whose character and integrity have been evident throughout his time at The Hawthorns," it read.Speaking to BBC WM, West Brom fan Alistair said the club had been treated harshly by the FA."It's not our fault the referee didn't see it. "What is he supposed to do? Go to the referee and say: 'you know what ref, I've handballed that and then get a rollocking off his gaffer after the match?'."It's not Thierry Henry against the Republic of Ireland or Diego Maradona against England."Former Norwich City striker Chris Sutton, however, told BBC Sport that the outcome will "make players think twice about punching the ball into the back of the net.""There's an argument that you can blame the officials for missing it - I get that," added Sutton."But the player successfully deceived the officials and we shouldn't be rewarding or encouraging that."That's why it's right the player has been banned."Former West Brom and Ajax midfielder Richard Sneekes disagreed, telling BBC WM:"I just can't see how the FA can do this. It's absolute nonsense. Where are they going to draw a line?"Heggebo will next be available for West Brom's Championship game at Middlesbrough on 29 August [Getty Images]What does it mean for the rest of the season?Heggebo's ban has been welcomed by Martin Cassidy, chief executive of Ref Support UK - a charity committed to the support of referees.He wants the rule implemented more throughout the 2026-27 season as he believes it will help stamp out incidents of players deceiving the officials.Cassidy said he had no sympathy for West Brom or the player and cited an incident in 1997 when Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler won a penalty against Arsenal - and then told the referee to overturn his decision."Heggebo should have owned up," added Cassidy. "Deceiving the officials is not welcome and this is a really positive step."This rule has been around for a while. They have never really used it as much as they could. "For me, this is a really positive step forward that could change the game for the good."Latest West Bromwich Albion news, analysis and fan views

The Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos will continue the 2026 preseason with an exhibition showdown at Empower Field at Mile High on Friday night. A quick preview of the Broncos with Broncos Wire editor Jon Heath before Friday night's kickoff:1. The two big questions: How does Bo Nix look in his return from injury, and did the Broncos do enough this offseason to cement their status as a top Super Bowl contender?Heath: Bo Nix appears to be healthy — he’s running around and cutting normally, and he has said his ankle is back to normal. Denver did hold him out of their preseason opener on Atlanta’s artificial turf, but he’s expected to play in the team’s two home preseason games on natural grass.The Broncos’ big loss this offseason was defensive end John Franklin-Myers, and while they have a group of promising young DEs to help replace him, none of them are expected to individually match JFM’s production. Still, the defense should rank among the NFL’s best again this fall. On offense, Denver was missing a speedy, play-making wide receiver, and they added one in Jaylen Waddle. That should, in theory, help the offense take a big step forward. So with an elite defense and an improved offense, the Broncos should be able to contend for a title.2. Are there any intriguing position battles going on in Denver this summer?Heath: JFM’s replacement has been a storyline of Denver’s offseason. Malcolm Roach is the favorite for that job, but Eyioma Uwazurike, Sai'vion Jones and Tyler Onyedim will rotate in. On offense, Sam Ehlinger is pushing Jarrett Stidham for the backup quarterback job, but non-Broncos fans might be most interested in the wide receiver rotation for fantasy football purposes. Waddle and Courtland Sutton are obviously the top two targets. Right now, Denver has Marvin Mims listed as WR3. Pat Bryant has looked extremely impressive this summer, though, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Bryant third in line for targets behind Waddle and Sutton this fall.3. Who are the top Broncos rookies to watch in this preseason showdown?Heath: Onyedim was the team’s first pick in this year’s NFL draft (in the third round), but he’s probably going to be a rotational player in Year 1. The big name to watch for is Jonah Coleman, a fourth-round running back out of Washington who has turned heads at training camp. The Broncos might not give him an extensive workload, though, because coach Sean Payton is already starting to treat him like an established player without much to prove. Two standout undrafted rookies to watch for are linebacker Taurean York and cornerback Brent Austin. A pair of UDFA wide receivers — Cam Ross and Kolbe Katsis — are attempting to splash as returners. But Denver fans are fascinated with another receiver, Joseph Manjack, because he plays without gloves.4. The Packers really had a tough time defending the pass in the preseason opener. Who are the Broncos backup QBs and pass game weapons?Heath: Stidham and Ehlinger are the backup QBs. Stidham looked sharp in the team’s preseason opener last week, but he struggled when the Broncos needed him in the AFC Championship game last season. Ehlinger will attempt to unseat him for the QB2 job this summer. At receiver, Troy Franklin is competing with Mims and Bryant for playing time behind Waddle and Sutton. Lil'Jordan Humphrey isn’t flashy, but Payton clearly likes him as a blocker and veteran receiver. Hakeem Butler is a former UFL star who is attempting to break into the NFL for a sixth time.5. What will make Friday night a successful preseason game for the Broncos?Heath: No. 1: Stay healthy. Denver has also won eight consecutive preseason games, and Payton has preached the importance of wanting to establish a winning culture. So, he wants to win, but Friday’s game is really about developing the young players coming through. Clarity in the backup QB battle, Coleman continuing to show promise, and backup linebackers and safeties stepping up would be a great night for the Broncos. That might be too tall of an order, though, so I’ll reiterate that a healthy game would be a successful game for Denver.Packers Wire answered questions from Broncos Wire here.This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Quick preview of Broncos before Packers' preseason showdown in Denver

2026-08-21T15:39:05Z It began in 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic: an effort, backed by federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act, to get Connecticut students back in school amid a spike in chronic absenteeism. The strategy: send volunteers directly into homes to build relationships with families, connect them with resources and, they hoped, improve attendance.Five years later, state leaders and national experts on school attendance have declared the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program, or LEAP, a resounding success. In the 2021-2022 school year, chronic absenteeism in Connecticut reached 23.7%, nearly double what it was pre-COVID. This past school year, it dropped to 16.4% — a decrease of roughly 35,000 students. That’s still higher than before the pandemic but well below the 2021 peak.Gov. Ned Lamont, whose administration has overseen LEAP from its creation to the present day, said he’s pleased with the results. “This is a program that I think is working,” Lamont told a large crowd of educators, LEAP home visitors and state officials at a gathering on Wednesday to celebrate LEAP’s five-year anniversary.LEAP operates as a partnership between the state of Connecticut, its Regional Education Service Centers and local community organizations. Pairs of trained home visitors visit families with children at risk of chronic absenteeism. Over several months, the home visitors build relationships with the families, identifying why the kids aren’t going to school and offering resources. LEAP home visitor Cecelia Garay said the causes of missing school vary. Read More “Some of the barriers will be transportation. Illness. They lost permanent housing and they don’t want to say it. … The language barrier. We have families that, they work — a single mom working two jobs,” Garay said.Whatever the problem is, the home visitors work on finding solutions with the family.“This is about a change in mindset. It’s moving from blame to engagement and prevention,” said Attendance Works CEO Hedy Chang, who has worked with Connecticut on LEAP since the program’s inception. According to Ajit Gopalakrishnan of the Connecticut State Department of Education, students served through LEAP improve their rate of attendance by double digits on average and receive fewer disciplinary actions. A 2023 brief from Attendance Works reported a number of other qualitative benefits for families, including a better awareness of resources and a deeper sense of belonging and accountability.In 2021, the program served 15 high-need districts; today, it serves 25, with plans to expand further in the near future. A $7 million line item for LEAP in the state budget has replaced the now-expired ARPA funding.Chang attributed LEAP’s success to how Connecticut collects attendance data: Years before the pandemic, Connecticut began insisting schools report attendance data monthly, rather than yearly. The state also developed a clear definition of what “attendance” actually is, including for virtual learning.Chang said having those structures in place when COVID hit was instrumental in making LEAP work.“It allows you to have a much earlier warning sign that things are going awry,” Chang said. The fact that many other states don’t collect the amount of data Connecticut does — and that “chronic absence” may not even mean exactly the same thing from one state to another — makes it hard to compare the Nutmeg State’s performance to the nation as a whole (in Connecticut, chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% of school days in a school year). Nevertheless, Chang said, Connecticut compares well to many of its peers.She offered a few theories about why chronic absenteeism remains above pre-pandemic levels. First: Attitudes toward being school haven’t yet gone back to what they were before COVID.“There have been challenges coming back from the pandemic of kids and families fully appreciating that being in school in person matters,” Chang said.She said the challenges low-income households have faced after COVID, such as rising food prices and housing insecurity, have also made school attendance worse. Many federal health, housing and nutrition programs have also received substantial cuts since the passage of 2025’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.And then there’s ICE. “There is research … that shows that when you have ICE raids at or near schools, it — particularly for those days, it affects (attendance),” Chang said. And that doesn’t just go for undocumented students; Chang said students with legal residence are also wary of going to school when ICE is in the neighborhood.Nevertheless, Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker said Connecticut is aiming to bring its chronic absence numbers down even further. The State Board of Education has set a target of 6% chronic absenteeism statewide; Russell-Tucker described that number as ambitious but achievable.“It’s bold … but I really believe that it just causes us to dig in even more,” Russell-Tucker said. As for Lamont, his message to students at the start of the school year was simple: “Come to school. We miss you. We love you.”___This story was originally published by The Connecticut Mirror and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

This handout photo provided by The Henry Ford Museum shows a 1927 Blue Bird ion display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., 2008. This is the oldest surviving school bus in America. (Rudy Ruzicska/The Henry Ford Museum via AP)2026-08-21T15:30:33Z CHICAGO (AP) — They arrived in a kaleidoscope of colors, but one won. For decades, the American school bus has maintained such a standard look that “school bus yellow” is national shorthand for their deep, glossy hue.No act of Congress mandated the color, with its slight orange tint. Rather, a 1939 conference of transportation officials from all U.S. states (then 48) chose the shade for its visibility as one of the first safety standards. At their peak in the 1980s, the yellow buses took more than 60% of U.S. students to school.The metal-bodied school bus got its start in rural America. Georgia car dealer Albert Luce designed it to carry cement workers, then marketed it to schools when the company turned it down. It was impeccable timing as school districts replaced one-room neighborhood schoolhouses with larger ones much farther apart. That consolidation gave rise to the school bus. “I don’t think you could’ve had one without the other,” says Matt Anderson, head transportation curator at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan, which houses Luce’s 1927 bus. Decades later, buses helped desegregate schools, hauling Black and white children across the country’s racial divide. The controversial practice has mostly ended, and in much of the United States, schools have grown more segregated, not less. This handout photo provided by The Henry Ford Museum shows a 1927 Blue Bird ion display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., 2008. This is the oldest surviving school bus in America. (Rudy Ruzicska/The Henry Ford Museum via AP) This handout photo provided by The Henry Ford Museum shows a 1927 Blue Bird ion display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., 2008. This is the oldest surviving school bus in America. (Rudy Ruzicska/The Henry Ford Museum via AP) 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 Children board buses in the center city of an unknown location to go to outlying schools on Dec. 10, 1971. (AP Photo, File) Children board buses in the center city of an unknown location to go to outlying schools on Dec. 10, 1971. (AP Photo, 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 Carl Fisher drove a metal school bus for two-thirds of its nearly 100-year history. With 66 years behind the wheel, Fisher retired in 2012 as the longest-working driver, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. His first model was a Dodge truck that his dad’s friend converted, adding benches and small stools to haul 20 children in Pleasant Hope, Missouri.“He put windows in it and everything, really made it nice,” Fisher says. Read More The basics became industry standard and more safety upgrades followed, including padded seats and a flip-out stop sign.“It’s the safest form of on-road transportation per passenger, per mile, bar none — without seat belts,” says Brad Beauchamp, who is with the electric vehicles team at Blue Bird, the yellow school bus maker Luce reputedly named after the bird his wife spotted on a fence post. Due to driver shortages and other factors, a yellow school bus is no longeravailable to take many students to school, putting pressure on families to figure out transportation. 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. Jim Oppegard, who drove kids for more than two decades in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park, retired at 94 as the oldest school bus driver on record. It’s rewarding work, he says.“You’re helping the kids and helping the overall society,” he says. “You’re doing an important job.” American Objects These are among the items that have shaped the nation. Here are their stories. Part of a recurring series, “American Objects,” marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. For more American objects, click here. For more stories on the anniversary, click here.

Michael Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, leaves following a hearing at the Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, in West Palm Beach, Fla., Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)2026-08-21T15:29:40Z NEW YORK (AP) — The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is mentally competent to stand trial as he faces sex trafficking charges after being hospitalized for months for dementia and Alzheimer’s symptoms, a federal judge ruled.U.S. District Court Judge Nusrat Choudhury, in her Thursday decision, concluded that Michael Jeffries “clearly possesses a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings” and is a “reasonably intelligent person and skilled communicator” following his stay at a federal prison hospital in Butner, North Carolina. The federal judge on Long Island, New York, said she reviewed testimony and written reports from medical experts and listened to hours of phone calls Jeffries made to his romantic partner, lawyers and others while in custody.“His presentation and responses in evaluations following his commitment to Butner and his phone calls show that he understands the structure of the criminal legal system, courtroom procedures, the functions of the various participants, the nature and purpose of the proceedings, and key legal concepts,” Choudhury wrote. Jeffries’ lawyer declined to comment. “We do not comment on the Judge’s rulings,” Brian Bieber wrote in an email. “The case, and all related issues, will be tried inside the courtroom – not in the media.” Jeffries, 82, is currently free on bond. He’s slated to go on trial in late October, alongside two co-defendants, his partner Matthew Smith and staffer James Jacobson. A pretrial hearing is slated for next Thursday. Jeffries’ lawyers had argued that he required around-the-clock care to deal with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia and a traumatic brain injury. They had medical experts testify in court that Jeffries’ cognitive issues were “progressive and incurable” and that he would not “regain his competency.” Read More That prompted Choudhury to order Jeffries to be hospitalized to see if his mental condition would improve. After spending about four months at Butner, federal prison officials in December deemed Jeffries mentally fit to stand trial. Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson have pleaded not guilty to federal charges, including sex trafficking and interstate prostitution. Prosecutors say the three used the promise of modeling jobs to lure men to drug-fueled sex parties in New York City, the Hamptons and other locations. The criminal case echoes sexual misconduct accusations made in a civil case and in the media in recent years. 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. Jeffries left Abercrombie in 2014 after more than two decades. He’s credited with transforming the New York retailer, originally founded to sell wilderness gear, into a mainstay of teen mall culture in the early 2000s with its preppy youth aesthetic and sexy marketing. PHILIP MARCELO Marcelo is a general assignment reporter in the NYC bureau. He previously wrote for AP Fact Check and before that was based in Boston, where he focused on race and immigration. twitter mailto

Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire holds the trophy after his team's win against BYU in the Big 12 Conference championship NCAA college football game on Dec. 6, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)2026-08-21T15:49:03Z The Big 12 Conference has had six different champions in the past six seasons.While 12th-ranked Texas Tech seeks a repeat after winning its first Big 12 title and making the College Football Playoff, teams like No. 14 BYU, No. 21 Utah and No. 23 Houston could make a push to extend the league’s streak to seven. “We want to do something that very few teams have been able to do, and that’s to win the Big 12 championship again,” Tech coach Joey McGuire said. The Red Raiders reloaded again through the transfer portal after setting school records with 12 wins and nine NFL draft picks. Will Hammond is healthy after an ACL injury last season and will start at quarterback after the offseason legal saga surrounding transfer Brendan Sorsby, who was declared ineligible by the NCAA because of gambling.BYU is coming off its first 12-win season since 2001, and both its losses were to Texas Tech, 29-7 in Lubbock, then 34-7 in the Big 12 title game. “We know that last year was some really cool things, some awesome success,” 11th-year Cougars coach Kalani Sitake said. “At the same time, we know what we can do better.”The Cougars return Big 12 rushing leader LJ Martin (1,305 yards, 12 TDs rushing) and QB Bear Bachmeier, who threw for 3,033 yards, ran for 527 and accounted for 26 TDs (15 passing, 11 rushing) after getting thrust into the starting role as a true freshman. Houston went from four wins to 10 in its second season with coach Willie Fritz, and returns dual-threat QB Conner Weigman (3,405 total yards and 36 TDs.) Utah has 82% of its total offense back (QBs Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin, and RB Wayshawn Parker) from an 11-win team, but two offensive linemen were first-round NFL draft picks and coach Kyle Whittingham left after 22 seasons for Michigan. Out West in the desert and the RockiesArizona quarterback Noah Fifita, that national active leader with 73 TD passes, is a rarity going into his fourth season starting for the same team. With him back and the unexpected return of leading rusher Ismail Mahdi, the Wildcats hope to build on a 9-4 finish and be a Big 12 contender. Arizona State won the Big 12 title and made the playoff in its league debut in 2024. The injury-plagued Sun Devils weren’t able to repeat last year and now are without QB Sam Leavitt (transfer to LSU) and receiver Jordyn Tyson (first-round NFL pick by New Orleans). Read More Deion Sanders, who last year had surgery for bladder cancer, said he feels like his old self going into his fourth season at Colorado. He hired new offensive and defensive coordinators after a five-game losing streak to end last season with a 1-8 conference record. He is 16-21 overall with the Buffs. This is our AP Top 25 Poll newsletter. You can subscribe below and we will email it you weekly. Sign up for Top 25 Poll Alerts: Get email alerts for every college football Top 25 Poll release. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. There are four new coaches in the Big 12, with some familiar facesThe Big 12’s four new head coaches include Kansas State’s Collin Klein and Utah’s Morgan Scalley at their alma maters replacing their former bosses. Jimmy Rogers took over at Iowa State when Matt Campbell left after 10 seasons for Penn State, and Eric Morris is at Oklahoma State.Klein had been gone for two seasons as Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator when Chris Klieman suddenly retired from K-State. Scalley was Utah’s defensive coordinator when Whittingham resigned. Roger won an FCS national championship three seasons ago as head coach at his alma mater, South Dakota State, and was at Washington State last year.Oklahoma State’s 88 newcomers include 21 who came with Morris from North Texas, which lost to Tulane in the American Conference championship game to miss out on a CFP berth. Among the Mean Green transfers were QB Drew Mestemaker, the national passing leader with 4,379 yards as a freshman, RB Caleb Hawkins (1,434 yards and FBS-best 25 TDs rushing as a freshman) and WR Wyatt Young (70 catches, 1,264 yards, 10 TDs).This is the first time since 2004 the Cowboys enter a season without Mike Gundy their head coach. They have lost 19 conference games in a row, with consecutive 0-9 conference records since a 49-21 loss to Texas in the 2023 Big 12 championship game. The Big 12 needs to make a playoff statementAfter making the 12-team playoff and getting a first-round bye last season, Texas Tech lost 23-0 to Oregon in the Orange Bowl quarterfinal game. That dropped the Big 12, which has never had multiple playoff teams, to 1-8 in CFP games.“There’s an obligation as programs in this conference that we play at a high level, and then I think it’s really important that we win in the playoffs,” McGuire said. “Until we do that as a conference, then we’re going to continue to have the same narrative that we have right now.” The Big 12’s last repeat champion is no longer in the leagueOklahoma won a record 14 Big 12 championships before going to the SEC two years ago. The Sooners won six in a row from 2015 to 2020, followed by Baylor, Kansas State, Texas, Arizona State and the Red Raiders winning titles.This will be the 31st season for the Big 12, which will host its 25th championship game Dec. 4. ___ Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The longevity guru intensely monitors his diet and health. At a dinner party, he was asked about his quest for immortality. There was silence.

Facing pressure in the United States and Europe, Shein is struggling to find new ways to grow ahead of its much-delayed initial public offering.

The creator and star of “Half Man” didn’t have a particular agenda for this dark tale of male repression. But “people think that it’s a political piece of work,” he said.

LONDON—Acknowledging that the sea mammals were far from being “awe-inspiring, beautiful creatures or a splendor of nature,” an embarrassed David Attenborough finally admitted this week to exaggerating the wonder of seals. “While I did several monologues in voiceover claiming that sea lions have a quiet majesty, they are actually just stinky, slippery wet dogs with fins that are mediocre at best,” said Attenborough, contritely confessing that he used hyperbole to mislead the public into thinking seals were worth paying any attention to at all. “Look, there’s only so many animals, not all of them are going to be winners. Calling those disgusting little gray lumps ‘one of life’s miracles’ was just me padding time until I got to talk about polar bears.” Attenborough also noted that he completely understood why people clubbed the nasty Arctic-dwelling creatures. The post David Attenborough Admits To Exaggerating Wonder Of Seals appeared first on The Onion.

The post Men Overly Bored appeared first on The Onion.

WASHINGTON—Dismissing public concern about the president’s health as baseless speculation, Capt. Sean Barbabella, the director of the White House Medical Unit, announced at a press conference Friday that Donald Trump has always been a face drawn onto a cantaloupe. “If you go back and look at his presidential portrait, he’s always had two dots as eyes and a big Sharpie smile right on his cantaloupe head,” said Barbabella, claiming it was a sign of good health for a president to slowly ripen over the course of his term in office. “I know people may think Trump is medically unwell, but I’m here to assure you that he does a lot of rolling for someone his age, and he still tastes just as sweet and delicious as he did in 2016. Now, as he ages, does his rind start to break down a bit? Does he have a small patch of mold? Yes, but that’s perfectly normal for anyone in his stressful position.” Barbabella also went on to note that it was customary for the president to be covered in ants. The post White House Doctor Claims President Has Always Been Face Drawn Onto Cantaloupe appeared first on The Onion.

DETROIT — The Pistons did not have the best outing during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. They finished the tournament as one of five teams that finished with fewer than two wins, going 1-4. Despite their struggles as a team, the Pistons' performance during the league's annual mid-July showcase was still a success, as a handful of players effectively showcased the hard work they have put in over the offseason.At the top of the list was second-year guard Chaz Lanier. The former second-round pick from Tennessee established himself as one of the best players in Las Vegas, and if not for the Pistons' subpar record, Lanier would have left with some hardware."I feel like I went out there and was aggressive, displaying all of the things that I've really been working on since the season ended in May," Lanier told The Detroit News. "But since Summer League ended, I've continued to stay in the gym and hungry. My goal is to continue getting better."For a team that spent the entire summer improving its 3-point shooting and floor spacing, Lanier proved he could provide another solution to what the Pistons need.He averaged 17.4 points while shooting 51.1% from behind the arc. Lanier's best game came during the Pistons’ 103-94 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 12. He scored a game-best 25 points with seven 3-pointers. He began the game by scoring 17 in the first quarter on 5-for-7 shooting from deep."He is all about the right stuff, and he plays the right way," guard Ebuka Okorie said of Lanier. "He can shoot the ball really well, but he competes on both ends of the floor. It is great to have someone who is always playing for the right reasons."More: How Pistons' Daniss Jenkins benefited from Jeremie Hart's career pivotLanier's performance was prophetic, showing why coach J.B. Bickerstaff believes he possesses the on-court attributes to score 20-30 points as an off-ball threat. While everyone was captivated by his shooting against the Cavaliers, Lanier focused on other areas of his game. One of those areas was proving he has become a better defender than he was his rookie year."This whole summer I've been very intentional about getting better in different areas," Lanier said. "To play for J.B., the first thing you have to do is be a really good team defender, and I've been really intentional about that. I've also been intentional about adopting an aggressive mentality and taking my shots, not passing up anything — just honing in on all of the small things of my game."Lanier's efforts to improve his defense stem from his desire to become a complete player and earn more minutes in his second year. Last season, Lanier knew going in as a rookie that playing time would be scarce. He only appeared in 34 games and averaged 7.7 minutes during the 2025-26 campaign.As a result, Lanier felt he spent his entire rookie season missing out on experiences that most first-year players get to encounter. He feels that his rookie year came to an end without having a "welcome to the league" moment, except for when he took the floor of Crypto.com Arena with the Lakers' LeBron James sitting inches away during a Pistons victory in December.Playing in each of the five Summer League games allowed Lanier to showcase his improvements on a larger stage. However, his most significant progress has come during the practice sessions he and his teammates held behind closed doors at the Henry Ford Health Pistons Performance Center.Since the season ended in May, the Pistons have organized several voluntary workout sessions at the team's practice facility. These sessions have included players like Ron Holland, Isaac Jones and Tolu Smith III, who have spent much of their offseason in Detroit improving their skills alongside Lanier."The runs that we have had in the gym, we have just been competing and having fun," Lanier said. "We have taken the time to compete while putting into practice everything we have worked on throughout the summer."Aside from a few visits to see his family in Tennessee, Lanier has spent the entire summer in Detroit focusing on his game. When he isn’t working on his skills, Lanier has tried to explore new ways to relax and decompress. One of his new hobbies includes exploring art at several Detroit museums.Although he has enjoyed his new hobby, Lanier has remained driven to use his time to improve his game, especially as he looks to establish a genuine role in the Pistons' rotation this upcoming season.coty.davis@detroitnews.com@cotydavis_24This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Chaz Lanier working to provide more than shooting for Pistons

Greg McElroy has had a front-row seat to the best that college football has to offer, both as a player and as an analyst.The former Alabama championship quarterback and current ESPN analyst recently sat down with Front Office Sports (subscription required) to talk about a few different topics before the season kicks off. During the discussion, McElroy was asked to pick a couple of young coaches who could shine as head coaches if given the chance in the near future.So if I were to identify a defensive coordinator, if we’re going to go in the same line as Dan Lanning or Marcus Freeman, it’s Bryant Haines at Indiana," McElroy said. "I think he’s next-level. That guy is so smart, and his scheme is so difficult to play against, and they are so well coached, and their talent evaluation on that staff is amazing. He’s going to do something. I don’t know what, but he’s going to get a job at some point — and when he does, look out. It’s going to be amazing."McElroy went to the other side of the ball to find an offensive coordinator who could develop into a great head coach."That’s Shannon Dawson, who I think is just a really, really smart coach," McElroy said of Miami's offensive coordinator. "He does a really good job and has a really good scheme. He’s very player-friendly, but also knows what the players want to get the most out of them. I’ve seen him develop quarterbacks in different ways over the last couple of years. Cam Ward two years ago, to Carson Beck last year, to Darian Mensah this year."Haines and Dawson will have a chance to further improve their resumes as both schools look to make a return trip to the national title game.Contact/Follow @College_Wire on X and @College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Greg McElroy predicts future college football head coaching stars

A gavel rests in the 350th District Court in the Taylor County Courthouse. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co Who’s ready for a law school dropout to try and break down, from a legal standpoint, what’s currently happening with these fifth year “ghost” transfers? Don’t everybody raise their hands at once. This morning, approximately one hour after U of L officially announced the signing of 5th year transfer Seth Trimble, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the NCAA’s stay request in the Wisne v. NCAA case in Colorado. This was the original class action suit that granted eligibility to all the applicable 5th year seniors in college athletics, the ones like Trimble and D’Angelo Hutchinson and Jabari Mack and Kalib Perry, who have been signing with programs all over the country for the last couple of weeks. The courts initially said all those players were eligible, now they’re saying all those players are ineligible. Wisne, of course, will appeal this ruling, but the appeal process will almost certainly drag on for months, essentially making the Colorado case a dead end for 5th year players hoping to suit up in 2026-27. HOWEVER, 5th year players who have been granted individual injunctions at the state level (all of which are, assumedly, being appealed or will be appealed) are still eligible to play for the time being. Both D’Angelo Hutchinson and Jabari Mack are part of the injunction that was filed in Jefferson County last week, and which is expected to be ruled upon very soon (perhaps today!) (UPDATE: It has been granted). If judge Brian Edwards grants the injunction, both players will be eligible to suit up for Jeff Brohm unless the NCAA wins its appeal … which, again, might not be ruled on until the football season is already over. Last week on the radio (and in a text), I strongly urged U of L or the people involved in guiding Trimble to add him to the Ky suit or some other state-level injunction. That apparently fell on deaf ears (and eyes). Now, Trimble and all other players who only had eligibility granted through the Colorado case will have to receive a state level injunction. Basically, expect an insane number of filings early next week. We've reached the worst-case scenario with the 2022 players: A world where lots of players will be eligible through state-level injunctions, but no national consensus and eligibility for different players being dictated by different states on different schedules. What a mess. https://t.co/jdXM8k3Q3B— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) August 21, 2026There is absolutely a part of me that wonders if what the NCAA is doing right now is purposefully flipping its pool float over and over again in the water so that it can scream at Congress that it needs to jump into the pool and save it from drowning. Orchestrated or not, this whole thing is absolutely a mess.

We’re back with more preseason reactions. I had my full team-by-team takeaways from Week 1 of the preseason here, and I’ll update this week’s action after watching the All 22 throughout the next couple of days. I have my own fantasy football draft this weekend with the boys in San Diego, so my reactions will be more delayed this time around. Expect a big update on Monday. Thanks for hanging in there.Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season49ers: Shanny dunking on spreadsheets with Stribling & Black tapeSome key starters rested, but Brock Purdy and the starting offense had a 10-play drive to start the game. Deebo Samuel Sr. and Demarcus Robinson opened in 2-WR sets, while De’Zhaun Stribling played in 3-WR sets initially. He once again dominated targets. Stribling had a great comeback route, a quick out against off coverage and was on the receiving end of a perfect rep on a dig route where he snapped things off cleanly before hands catching the pass in stride while in traffic. If he would’ve caught his stutter-and-go touchdown up the sideline from the slot, Stribling would’ve been a Round 6 selection in a hurry. There’s overwhelming evidence that the 49ers love him. He has already won the inside-outside hybrid Jauan Jennings role, and there’s room for him to quickly be a 2-WR set starter and fantasy-relevant player early on. Samuel hasn’t stood out. His ADP is at 123.7 (up 13.3 spots over the last seven days).Kyle Shanahan was roasted for taking Stribling where he did (33rd overall), but he was also questioned for drafting RB Kaelon Black in the third round. Well, Black was excellent on Thursday, to the point that I believe he’s already won the valuable Christian McCaffrey backup role. Black had two key pass protection reps versus blitzers, and this is something that also stood out on his college tape at Indiana. He also was flawless in picking the right hole with the right pacing on his rush attempts. His play speed is better than his time speed because he makes confident, quick decisions. He also finished a couple of runs by flattening defenders. We’ll see if Jordan James can return from injury in time to make this a real competition, but for now, Black looks like a draftable player in fantasy football. If you think CMC is missing time, you should be drafting Black. It’s as simple as that. Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, Mike Washington Jr. get 5 drivesThe starters rested, and the second-team offense had extensive run (26 snaps). Of note, WR Tre Tucker was included with the resting starters, while offseason signee Jalen Nailor needed to play the first three drives. As I wrote last week, Tucker was the starter in their 1-WR set look as well, so it’s probably time to simply rank Tucker ahead of Nailor as the more proven outside receiver. Meanwhile, Jack Bech was even more buried. He only played four snaps in the first three drives with Nailor, and in total, he played 11-of-16 snaps in the slot. It’s possible that a majority of his playing time will come in the less valuable 3-WR sets. Mendoza had good and bad moments. He operated a different-styled offense as the one he excelled in at Indiana, and there will be growing pains for years to come as he gets more comfortable with dropping back from under center, turning his back to the defense and learning the quick game while closer to the line of scrimmage. The best throw was a dart over the middle that was fit in versus sitting zone defenders, but Mendoza also had a pick-six when he and fellow rookie Mike Washington Jr. weren’t on the same page. It looked to be more Washington than Mendoza in terms of blame. It’s not enough to rule Mendoza out starts before Halloween. There are reasons for excitement still. He physically looks the part.But that’s burying the lead. Washington was awesome again. He immediately reeled off an explosive that was not created by elite run blocking up front, but instead by out-classing the defense with rare athleticism. He can fight off arm tackles and hit the gas in a hurry. If I’m the Raiders, I’m giving him 5+ touches per game in the regular season. He’s good enough for them, and it’ll keep Ashton Jeanty’s abrasive style a little fresher. Win. Win. More important than his tape, Washington’s role as fantasy insurance is more than confirmed. He played 22-of-26 snaps with Dylan Laube barely playing with this unit. If Jeanty is out, Washington will be a bellcow. That’s draftable in all 12-team leagues. Subscribe to Fantasy Ultra to unlock our Strategy Lab, 150+ page Draft Playbook and more!Texans: Woody Marks has his best run everSome of the starters played, but Nico Collins and David Montgomery weren’t included. C.J. Stroud had a 10-play first drive, and RB2 Woody Marks played on 100% of those snaps. He had the best run of his NFL career for a touchdown, prompting some Texans’ beat reporters to tweet out that this could be a 50/50 split between Monty and Woody. That’s music to my ears as a 2026 Monty fader. There are worse RB4 clicks than Marks right now. He’s one of the few RB2s who could realistically overtake their backfield via performance rather than injury.It wasn’t a run, but Marks also stood out on pass protection. On a 3rd-and-4, the Raiders had both of their off-ball LBs up in the a gap, so Marks was also aligned in the A-gap at the snap. Those backers dropped into coverage, but they sent the CB on a blitz. Marks got his eyes around in time to pick up the blitz, and then stonewalled him, allowing the offense to pick up a first down. This is what it’s all about, folks. This is why we should project Marks to play real snaps at the expense of Monty.We didn’t get information about Jaylin Noel’s role without Jayden Higgins, as he’s still working back from a hamstring injury. Last week, coach DeMeco Ryans said Noel was a couple of weeks away, and he’s at least back on the practice field for individual drills. I don’t believe he’s practicing in full yet. Speaking of not practicing, Tank Dell is still not in team drills while he comes off the most serious injury in sports (knee dislocation). Some Texans beat reporters do not believe he will play for months, and that checks out to me given the extent of this injury. The easiest answer for now is Xavier Hutchinson’s experience and physicality will win out in Week 1 for those 2-WR sets. Noel, Dell or a veteran via trade or waivers will have to take Hutchinson’s job during the season. That’s not a high bar to clear, but it would require Noel escaping this slot-only profile. I’m not stoked about any of them in 12-team redraft leagues. I’d be more open to it if it’s Kayshon Boutte via trade.Chargers: Charlie Kolar is the starting TEThey opened in a 2-TE set with Justin Herbert under center, and it was Charlie Kolar and David Njoku in it, rather than having pass-only Oronde Gadsden II in. This backs up what we’ve heard from training camp and shouldn’t be shocking if you’ve seen the latter block. Kolar was a receiving prospect out of college and mixed in next to prime Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely with Jim Harbaugh’s brother in Baltimore. He has real fantasy appeal, despite what the spreadsheets say. He will be the Chargers’ leader in TE snaps.SEC dominator Brenen Thompson started next to Ladd McConkey but continued playing with the backups. It’s encouraging to see him ahead of KeAndre Lambert-Smith, though Quentin Johnston and Tre’ Harris didn’t suit up. Thompson will be the rotational deep threat WR4. This was just another reminder that this Chargers offense will be amongst the lower in 3-WR sets this year. The battle for those valuable 2-WR set snaps between McConkey, QJ and Harris is on.Omarion Hampton played the first three snaps with the first-team offense, and his day was done. Keaton Mitchell played next, well ahead of Kimani Vidal. Mitchell caught two passes; a wheel route up the seam and a checkdown where he made a defender miss. I’m #nooticing that his alignments are funky when he’s on the field and that OC Mike McDaniel appears to be having fun with how he’ll use him as a receiver, in addition to giving him pitches and stretch runs. Mitchell is a near lock to have a career-high in receiving this year, and I’m drafting him aggressively while fading Hampton inside the top-15. This could be an interesting tandem rather than pure bellcow backfield. Unfortunately, the Chargers interior OL looks really bad. Rookie C Jake Slaughter had negative moments, and the LG doesn’t look athletic enough to be a quality starter. Then there’s RG Cole Strange. If LT Rashawn Slater doesn’t return to practice and get back to his normal self, then the Chargers’ OL might be underwhelming versus expectations a month ago.

London Johnson's Louisville basketball career has ended before the former NBA G League guard logged an official minute for the Cardinals. UofL on Friday, Aug. 21, announced Johnson was dismissed from the program "due to a violation of team rules and university policy."We wish him the best in his future endeavors," the statement reads. Johnson signed with Louisville last November as one of the first former G Leaguers to return to the college ranks. He joined the program roughly a month later and redshirted the remainder of the 2025-26 season. Johnson came close to burning his redshirt in January, however, with the Cards weathering injuries to starting guards Mikel Brown Jr. and Ryan Conwell. He was available to play in a Jan. 10 win over Boston College at the KFC Yum! Center; but coach Pat Kelsey came back three days later to say he was sticking with the original plan to redshirt. Johnson scored 13 points on 4-for-6 shooting (2 for 3 from 3-point range) with seven rebounds and two steals across 22 minutes of run in UofL's 49-point exhibition win last month in the Bahamas. This story will be updated.Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville basketball's London Johnson dismissed from program

While there is still a group of people who believe adolescents experiencing same-sex attractions can actually overcome their identities to become heterosexual, the overall mindset among the religious right has shifted. Nowadays, the thinking tends to be that just because a person is LGBTQ+ does not mean they have to act on their desires (e.g., love the sinner, hate the sin). Prominent Christian apologist William Lane Craig has consistently espoused this belief both on his website and at public speaking events. Craig, who has had a profound influence on the field of conservative Christianity in academic settings and the growing digital landscape since the 1990s, is now in the twilight of his career, but a new generation continues his efforts. Related Vandals knocked down a church’s pro-LGBTQ+ display. The church responded in a powerful way. Within today’s online consumer culture of American Evangelicalism and the religious right in the United States, there is a trend of prominent faith leaders producing curriculum tailored to younger audiences that continues to espouse the belief that same-sex desires are not sinful in and of themselves, but same-sex sexual behavior is. These leaders vehemently denounce any form of gender-affirming healthcare, too, including social transition. Unlike previous generations, they package their products as hip and modern. In some instances, they use youth who appear to be LGBTQ+ in their marketing. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today In fact, some commentators have suggested that the Evangelical purity culture and conversion therapy movements have re-emerged in tandem with one another over the past decade in what has increasingly been referred to as Purity Culture 2.0. Christopher Yuan of The Holy Sexuality Project is a notable part of this trend. Yuan has gained a global following for his writing and rhetoric on sexuality and the Bible. He shares in his 2011 book, Out of a Far Country, that he came out to his parents as a young adult, and after being rejected, turned to the party scene and contracted HIV. After going to jail for drug trafficking, he had a born-again experience and embraced the ex-gay movement. But Yuan neither identifies as gay nor ex-gay. It’s important to note that, like the majority of prominent influencers in the right-wing manosphere, Yuan has no advanced education or clinical training in the fields of human sexuality or gender. He misleadingly uses his doctoral credentials to present himself as an authority figure on this topic, when in reality he holds a Doctorate in Ministry (DMin), a professional degree in the application of ministry, not an academic degree aimed at generating new research and theory. In The Holy Sexuality Project curriculum, Yuan asserts that sexual identity does not exist and that the concept was concocted by Sigmund Freud’s distorted views on God’s design of sexuality in the early 1900s. Yuan also implies that since sexual identity does not exist, men exclusively attracted to men may be unable to change their sexuality; however, through a high degree of religiosity and contemplative prayer, they can become attracted to that “one special woman.” He goes as far as essentially claiming that homosexual behavior is a form of sexual assault on God. Unfortunately, these aforementioned claims appear to be a microcosm of the overall conversion therapy movement in the United States. As the child enters adulthood and inevitably fails to shove down their true self, they will have to navigate many standard rites of passage without the support of their families. They will not be able to share common experiences, like forming romantic relationships and inviting their romantic partners to participate in the family’s customs and traditions. They will also have to navigate solo many of the existential dilemmas that most people experience throughout adulthood, including the dissolution of a romantic relationship, the loss of friendships, and experiencing discrimination and harassment, often simply for being LGBTQ+. One thing that is absent in nearly all of the curriculum within the religious right when it comes to sexual ethics in particular is that forcing LGBTQ+ individuals to be celibate because of religious beliefs doesn’t work. As such, it places people at risk not just of immense shame and guilt when they inevitably act on their natural urges, but also makes them more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, since they may never have gotten the proper sex education and also must find secretive ways to fulfill their desires. And Yuan’s course is not the only one peddling these dangerous beliefs. Others include Raising Sexually Faithful Kids and Parenting Boys and Girls in a Gender-Confused World (Harvest Ministries); A Parent’s Guide to LGBTQ+ and Your Teen and Kicking Off The Sex Talk (Axis Ministries); and Biblical Sexuality Curriculum (Rooted Ministry). While there is some variation in specific theological beliefs and applications across these groups, they are all similar in their core message: Disregard scientific evidence in the name of a fundamentalist interpretation of the Bible; sexual identity doesn’t exist; and being transgender is a mental illness. They all make the claim that parents who do not affirm their LGBTQ+ child because of their Christian faith are not rejecting their child, but rather are displaying an act of mercy and love. But for a parent to place a condition on their love for their child, especially when it comes to something that their child neither chose nor acquired, is inherently a form of rejection and places the child at risk for numerous negative health and social outcomes. Even when a child is not expelled from the home or ostracized from their family, there will still be an ongoing reminder of the condition that the parent has imposed on their child to be loved. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A recent study found that man’s best friend processes positive and negative human emotions differently and can distinguish between fearful faces and those showing sadness or anger

Lindsay Clancy, looks toward reporters in the courtroom during proceedings in her murder trial, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in Plymouth, Mass. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds, Pool)2026-08-21T16:01:06Z BOSTON (AP) — The defense rested its case Friday in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial after eliciting more testimony about her mental state before she strangled her three young children.Prosecutors then began calling rebuttal witnesses before attorneys make their closing arguments in the trial, which is likely entering its final days.Clancy, 36, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the deaths of Callan, Dawson and Cora Clancy, who ranged from 8 months to 5 years old. They were found in the basement of the family’s home in coastal Duxbury, Massachusetts. Clancy jumped from a second-story window after strangling the children and remains paralyzed from the waist down.___EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. ___ Clancy’s lawyer, Kevin Reddington, hasn’t disputed that she killed the children but says she should not be held criminally responsible because she had postpartum psychosis, a rare mental illness linked to the stress, sleep deprivation and hormonal changes that follow childbirth. Prosecutors argue that Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, planned the killings.Reddington sought to bolster that defense by having the jury hear from more of Clancy’s family members, who detailed her worsening mental health before the January 2023 killings. He also called a psychologist who met with Clancy after the killings. Clancy’s mother, Paula Musgrove, described her daughter as a dedicated and loving mom whose mental health began declining in October 2022. Read More In a text message displayed to the jury, Clancy wrote: “Mom, will you please come up and stay with me for a bit? I’m really sick. Something is wrong.” Musgrove also recalled a more alarming disclosure in December. Musgrove, Clancy and Clancy’s then-husband, Patrick Clancy, were in the couple’s kitchen when Clancy said she had to tell them something.“She told us she had thoughts of harming the children,” Musgrove said. Clancy’s former mother-in-law, Susan Clancy, testified that Lindsay Clancy begged for help in the months leading up to the killings. The jury was shown texts between the two in which Lindsay Clancy spoke about fears that she had developed a dependence on benzodiazepines, but couldn’t sleep without taking them. 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’m not okay and I’m terrified of taking meds tonight,” Lindsay texted her mother-in-law on Nov. 30, 2022, about two months before the killings.Reddington has said that in addition to postpartum psychosis Clancy also had bipolar disorder and was overmedicated.Another defense witness was Paul Zeizel, a psychologist who treated Lindsay Clancy in the hospital after she killed the children. “She was unable to conform her behavior to the rule of law. She had no appreciation for the wrongfulness of her act,” Zeizel said, adding that she had “a mental disease or a defect.”Zeizel also testified that psychological testing administered by a government doctor found no evidence she was faking or exaggerating psychiatric symptoms. Prosecutors argue that Clancy contrived to get her husband out of the house the day of the killings. They have attempted to show that while she was getting treatment for anxiety, insomnia and depression, she wasn’t suffering from psychosis. MICHAEL CASEY Casey writes about the environment, housing and inequality for The Associated Press. He lives in Boston. twitter mailto

Caution tape is seen in front of a downed tree blocking a road the day after Hurricane Lala near Volcano, Hawaii, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)2026-08-21T16:14:46Z HONOLULU (AP) — People in Hawaii are bracing for another round of heavy rain and winds, even as they’re still trying to clean up and recover from a hurricane last weekend that damaged homes, downed trees and left roads covered in mud and rocks.Like with Hurricane Lala, the Big Island is again expected to bear the brunt of the tropical weather, which was expected to be upgraded from a tropical depression to a tropical storm at some point Friday. The rain and heavy winds are expected to begin there late Saturday, with the storm continuing to move west across the islands through early Tuesday, said Casey Oswant, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu.“There will still be impacts, especially to the windward and southeast sides of the Big Island, but it will probably be a little bit more limited than what we saw with Lala,” she said. The northeast coast of the Big Island saw the heaviest rainfall from Lala, at 43.54 inches (1.1 meters), according to the weather service. The resulting flooding swept dozens of homes from their foundations and damaged roads and bridges. About 11,630 customers on the Big Island remained without power Friday, according to poweroutage.us.Rainfall predictions for this weekend for the southeast and windward sides of the Big Island were 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain, with isolated amounts up to 15 inches (38 centimeters), Oswant said. Across the rest of the island chain, 1 to 2 inches (2 to 5 centimeters) of rain was expected to fall, though parts of east Maui could see up to 4 inches (10 centimeters), she said. There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect Friday morning, but people were urged to closely monitor the storm’s progress. The rainfall has the potential to cause dangerous rip currents, life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in steep areas and places where the ground remains saturated in Lala’s wake, according to the National Hurricane Center. Your browser does not support the iframe HTML tag. Try viewing this in a modern browser like Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer 9 or later. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green and other state officials held a news conference Thursday afternoon to update Lala recovery progress and urge people to prepare for the next storm. Read More Officials urged people low on emergency supplies to restock up to 14 days of food, medicine and other essentials and closely monitor the storm’s progress. “There’s definitely tension in the air” at the thought of more rain in communities that floodwaters turned into rivers, said Tiffany Edwards Hunt, a teacher living in Keaau, on the east side of the Big Island. “There were some areas that were completely washed out.” Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. The Hawaiian Electric utility said it expects nearly all affected customers on the Big Island to have power restored, except for certain remote and severely damaged areas.

Authorities investigate a crash between a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter and a small plane at the Carlisle airport in Carlisle, Pa. Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Sean Simmers/The Patriot-News via AP)2026-08-21T16:02:53Z CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) — Federal investigators have pulled intact data cards from a state police helicopter and Cessna plane that collided at a small airport in central Pennsylvania, killing the plane’s pilot.Aaron McCarter, investigator-in-charge with the National Transportation Safety Board, called the recovery of the cards “very good news from a data standpoint,” during a media briefing Friday morning. Neither aircraft would be required to have a cockpit voice recorder that is found in larger aircraft, McCarter said.“We don’t know exactly what kind of parameters are on these data cards, but in some cases we get fortunate” and the cards have robust flight data, McCarter said.The data cards will be reviewed over the weekend as investigators try to determine why the Cessna clipped the helicopter during takeoff Wednesday night, McCarter said. The pilot of the plane was killed and two people inside the helicopter were injured. The crash at the small airport in Carlisle, about 110 miles (170 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia, involved a Bell 407 helicopter and Cessna 150, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.The Cessna was attempting to land when it veered to the side and collided with the rear of the police helicopter, which was hovering above a grassy area beside the runway as part of a training exercise. The small plane struck the tail of the hovering helicopter, killing the Cessna pilot and sending both aircraft to the ground in pieces.McCarter said Friday the helicopter was about 30 to 50 feet (9 to 15 meters) away from the runway. He said as the Cessna approached, it appeared to “be out of control.” Read More McCarter said the wreckage of both aircraft have been salvaged and will be moved to a Delaware facility for examination.McCarter said Thursday that both pilots were flight instructors and they have strong evidence the Cessna pilot was made aware of the helicopter nearby. The flight path of the plane was unusual and its pilot had been doing maintenance on the Cessna before the flight, he said.The pilot of the plane was identified as 57-year-old Paul William Sokoloski. Both helicopter pilots, Cpl. Bryce Corman and Trooper Jason Mills, were trapped until one pushed out a window, state police said. Corman is out of the hospital and Mills was still recovering with a good prognosis, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Thursday.

El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, interviene durante una reunión con líderes tecnológicos en el Salón Roosevelt de la Casa Blanca, el 19 de agosto de 2026, en Washington. (AP Foto/Jacquelyn Martin)2026-08-21T16:20:25Z WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Friday that his administration will allow more beef to be temporarily imported into the U.S. without triggering higher tariffs, as he remains under pressure to cut costs and address affordability issues ahead of November’s midterms.The president said on social media that he had committed to ensuring the imported beef would be sold at 25% below current market rates, making it cheaper for American consumers. A White House official said the deal is with foreign beef exporters who have agreed to the discount on beef, which the official said would be passed on to consumers.The directive drew quick backlash from conservative rural-state Republicans who raised alarms about the plan’s impact on ranchers. “I’ve advised President Trump against this course of action for a year because American ranchers have been struggling against the packer monopoly for decades, and this will further harm them — most of whom are MAGA Republicans,” Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., said in a social media post just hours after the president’s announcement Friday morning. Sheehy, a reliable ally of the president, said Trump’s “heart is in the right place” but the plan would nonetheless “make it more difficult for American ranchers to rebuild our herd and bring prices down for the American people. And most importantly, this will harm our ranching families who feed the nation.”The deal, Trump said, allows up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported into the U.S. for the next 90 days without activating an “out of quota” tariff, which is a tax that goes into effect once a certain quantity of that product enters the country. The White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a plan that has yet to be finalized, said the beef in question is lean beef trimmings that are used for ground beef production. Trump plans to sign an executive order formalizing the directive within two weeks, the official said. Read More The announced plan is likely to also spur opposition from American ranchers and farm groups, which have been some of the president’s most reliable political supporters but have balked at Trump’s past efforts to import more foreign beef. When the administration made a push last year to buy more beef from Argentina, key ranching and farming groups such as The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association raised concerns about the impact on American ranchers and feedlot operators. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. The Trump administration has struggled to combat the cost of beef, which has remained high due to several factors including drought, tight cattle supply and Americans’ consistent demand for the product. The U.S. president has also imposed 50% tariffs on Brazil, a major beef exporter. Last year, Trump asked his Justice Department to launch an investigation into foreign-owned meat packers, accusing those companies of ramping up beef prices in the U.S. He offered no evidence for his claims at the time, and a trade group representing meat packers said they weren’t to blame for high prices. The president also said Friday that his plan would help grow the U.S. cattle supply, which is the smallest in decades. But the idea of increased beef imports from abroad can create uncertainty for ranchers, which in turn could make them less likely to make investments to grow the herd. “Imports have been a major contributor to the decline in the U.S. cattle inventory,” said Bill Bullard, the CEO of the R-CALF USA, which represents independent cattle producers. “Using more imports today will exacerbate that decline, and will prevent herd expansion.” SEUNG MIN KIM Kim covers the White House for The Associated Press. She joined the AP in 2022 and is based in Washington. Kim is also a political analyst for CNN. twitter mailto JESSE BEDAYN Bedayn is a national politics reporter based in Austin, Texas. mailto

A man and a child observe a daily nationwide minute of silence in memory of soldiers killed in the war with Russia next to The Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine in Kyiv, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)2026-08-21T16:20:14Z Russian drones struck a shopping center in the city of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine on Friday, killing six people and wounding scores of others, authorities said.Six children were among the 91 injured in the afternoon strike in the city, which is the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said local administration head Oleksandr Vilkul. He said the rescue operation was ongoing and that the number of casualties could still rise.Zelenskyy described the strike as a double tap, with an initial wave of drones striking the area, followed by a second wave as rescue workers responded.“Attacks like these are nothing less than terrorist acts,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media.Kryvyi Rih has been hit multiple times during the more than 4-year-old war, with one of the deadliest occurring in April 2025, when 20 people, including nine children, were killed. Friday’s attack came just 24 hours after Russia pounded the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv with scores of missiles and drones in a nighttime aerial attack that killed at least 16 people.Moscow’s forces have in recent months intensified their ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv, exploiting Ukraine’s chronic shortage of U.S.-made Patriot air defense interceptors, the sole weapon in its arsenal able to shoot down the missiles. Large-scale Russian strikes have become a regular occurrence this summer. Just over two weeks ago, a Russian attack on Kyiv and its surrounding region killed 17 people, and nine were killed in the city two days before that. The United Nations said last week that Kyiv was one of the hardest hit cities in July, with at least 54 civilians killed and 202 injured. 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A new book by historian Nathaniel Philbrick makes the case that the James Marshall’s 1848 discovery set in motion events from the Civil War to the rise of Silicon Valley

Cattle ranchers have trimmed their herds in response to drought and low margins, helping push up the cost of another American staple food.

The bumpy rollout of the tax created an opportunity for Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s opponents to fight him in court and in the City Council.

The structures will go up in West Potomac Park, the site of President Trump’s planned National Garden of American Heroes.

The Trump administration wants average Americans to be able to buy guns online and have them shipped to their doors. Small gun stores warn it could upend the industry and risk public safety.

Whether shorts are office-appropriate attire has ignited an online debate. The Onion examines the pros and cons of wearing shorts in the office. PRO New scapegoat for bad quarter Good to have full range of movement while sitting stationary for eight hours A well-aired cog is a productive cog Ready to attend barbecue at a moment’s notice Makes it easy to keep track of who won’t be promoted You only have one pair of pants CON Wedding vows specifically promised ankles for spouse’s enjoyment only May encourage slacking, if not outright lollygagging Exposes vulnerable back of knee to attacks Death knell for formal kilts Casual atmosphere immediately triggers all-staff fuckfest You still work in marketing The post Pros And Cons Of Wearing Shorts In The Office appeared first on The Onion.

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