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WWW.NYTIMES.COMAbbott Calls Seeking Blame for Floods the Word Choice of LosersAs both the death toll and number of questions about official preparedness increased, the Texas governor invoked football metaphors, saying every team makes mistakes.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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GAYETY.COMJoe Locke and Dylan Mulvaney Spark Dating Buzz at Sabrina Carpenter ConcertJoe Locke and Dylan Mulvaney mightve just stolen the spotlight at Sabrina Carpenters concert in London this weekend. The Heartstopper star, 21, and beloved TikTok creator, 28, were spotted at BST Hyde Park on Saturday, July 5 and lets just say, the PDA was giving.Photos show the duo holding hands, dancing, and looking very cuddly as Sabrina took the stage. Whether theyre dating or just vibing as besties, fans are already calling it their second hard launch after Joe recently captioned a cozy Instagram photo dump with Dylan: Hard launch.But in case youre wondering who these two stars are, heres a quick refresher:Joe Locke shot to fame as Charlie Spring in Netflixs Heartstopper, and has since joined the Marvel universe in Agatha All Along and made his Broadway debut in Sweeney Todd. Openly gay and proudly outspoken, Locke uses his platform to advocate for queer representation and challenge typecasting in the industry.Dylan Mulvaney is a powerhouse in her own right. A theater-trained actress turned viral content creator, she skyrocketed to fame with her TikTok series Days of Girlhood, documenting her transition with humor and heart. Shes interviewed President Biden, starred in a Fringe musical, dropped her own single, and even penned a memoir. Basically? Shes booked, busy, and beloved.One things for sure: romance or not, these two are absolutely thriving and so are we.Source0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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GAYETY.COM28 Years Later Star Chi Lewis-Parry Opens Up About That Huge Prosthetic That Got Everyones AttentionDanny Boyles long-dormant horror icon has returned in 28Years Later, and boy, is it goryand unapologetically daring. But amid the rampaging Alphas and harsh new world, one feature in particular has audiences buzzing: the prosthetic package of Samson, the films premier infected Alpha, embodied by 6-foot-8 former MMA powerhouse Chi Lewis-Parry. Yes, the camera definitely lingersand yes, the internet roared.Prosthetic Power MovesChi Lewis-Parry shrugs off questions about Samsons prosthetic with easy charisma. Speaking to Variety he said Im 6foot8, he laughs. Ill say no more. But that one line speaks volumesjust like the prosthetic itself. Crafted with weight, detail and bold intent, it doesnt just exist; it commands your attention.Danny Boyle insisted it look real, move real, feel real, Lewis-Parry explains. It needed heft. Fake or light, and the illusion breaks. Samsons presence had to feel painfully authentic. As Alphas stomp across the UK wasteland, naked and feral, Samsons prosthetic punctuates the raw masculinity and absurdity of the momentdefinitely not shy, definitely unforgettable.Naked Rage in Full Frontal Fashion28Years Later takes nakedness beyond shredded jeans and tank tops. The virus has worn away all clothing over decades. The infected sprint bare-chested and bare-legged, every sinew and scar exposed. And yeseven below the waist.Legally and ethically, we had to use prosthetics, Lewis-Parry explains. With 13-year-old Alfie Williams on set, we couldnt do real nudity. But prosthetic or not, I wouldnt have been hugging around if I was fully in the nude!That honestyand that thigh-to-prosthetic visualsets the tone. Alphas arent just scarytheyre bravely unfiltered, naked in motive and appearance. And Samson? Hes swinging spines and swinging eyes.SpineSwinger SupremeSamson doesnt just run and roarhe rips. One of the films pivotal scenes occurs in a dim, damp reservoir tunnel. Lewis-Parry hurls himself through the dark, grabbing a severed head spliced to a spine, swinging it like some medieval weapon. Its brutal. Its beautiful. And it left a mark.I bruised up more in that scene than in my entire fighting career, he says. I even scored an actual flesh woundslew up on that rifle prop. It cut pretty deep. That scar is now my trophy. My Samson souvenir.The prop itselfcrafted by FX legend John Nolanwas more than stage weight. It had to feel heavy, Lewis-Parry says. I braced it with my elbow. I pivoted off my hip. If it looked light, it would lose that savage punch.Infused Muscle with Naturalistic RealnessSamson looks ripped, but maybe not like your stereotypical gym idol. Boyle wanted incidental musclemass gained organically, not by squat routines and protein shakes. The result: a hulking silhouette that looks earned, not sculpted.I was bigger going into filming than I am now, Lewis-Parry shares. Boyle wanted the body to look primal, not pampered. I still threw myself at walls, bled and sweat for it. But no bodybuilder flexjust ruthless, raw presence.A King Among HyenasSamson isnt just a standout Alphahes the apex predator among the infected. Lewis-Parry dubbed him the King of the Infected. He crafted a backstory: a noble protector turned ultimate monster. This depth informed Samsons dominancehe may roar, but he commands respect even from the undead.That hierarchy among the Alphas? That came from me, the actor says. Samsons a lion surrounded by hyenas. He eats first. The rest staff off the scraps.Boyle was so impressed by Lewis-Parrys Samson bellow, he cast him not just as the visual centerpiece, but gave him the role of voicing all Alpha infected. One roar to rule them all.From Gladiators to Gym BrosLewis-Parrys monster energy doesnt end on screen. Hes previously appeared in Gladiator2 as the swaggering fighter Phoebuswho meets a grisly end courtesy of a rhino horn. And off-set? Hes training with Ralph Fiennes. Pairing brute strength with polished refinement, the duo has hit the gym togetherand Fiennes discipline leaves Lewis-Parry admiringly breathless. Hes older than meand setting the pace, he says.Horror Dreams & Bond Villain AmbitionsEven with Samson dominating his screen time, Lewis-Parrys ambitions dont stop at spine-swinging gore. Hes playing one of the runners in Edgar Wrights upcoming The Running Man rebootthough he cannot divulge more. And one long-held goal still glimmers: playing a Bond villain.I wanted to play Predator or Bond villain since 2005, he recalls. That tunnel momentblood, beast, spine in handit hit me: I am my own Predator. Now its time for that sly villainy.Final Bit: A Bold, Brawny VisionChi Lewis-Parry isnt just a hulking horror icon. Hes master of his mythosmashing primal ferocity with emotional undercurrents, and wearing prosthetics that menacingly refuse to be ignored. Samson is terrifying. Hes absurd. Hes artfully real on screenand unmissably human behind the monstrousprosthetic included.28Years Later slashes into theaters now. And dont be surprised if you leave half-awed by the goreand half whispering about that prosthetic.Source0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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GAYETY.COMKatseye Announces First-Ever Beautiful Chaos Tour Across North AmericaKatseye, the breakout global girl group turning heads and topping charts, has officially announced their first-ever North American tour, sending fans into full celebration mode. Aptly titled the Beautiful Chaos Tour, the 12-city trek will kick off on November 15 in Minneapolis and wrap up with a grand finale in Mexico City on December 16.The tour is named after the groups latest EP, Beautiful Chaos, which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, a rare feat for a rookie group in todays competitive pop landscape. Its an impressive milestone that solidifies Katseyes growing global impactmusically and culturally.From Reality Show to Mainstream PowerhouseKatseye, made up of Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia, and Yoonchae, was formed through the HYBE x Geffen Records reality competition series The Debut: Dream Academy, which aired globally in 2023. Since then, the group has cultivated a massive fanbase with their high-energy performances, diverse cultural makeup, and empowering lyrics.While other girl groups have made splashes with viral hits, Katseye is building something deepera world of artistry that embraces chaos, beauty, and self-discovery. Beautiful Chaos is the season were all in, group member Sophia said in an interview with Variety. Its very much us, but its also us constantly evolving and finding ourselves. Its a big transitional part of Katseyediscovering who we are and the different sides of us.Its that emotional honesty, mixed with next-level stage presence and fashion-forward visuals, that has earned Katseye a rapidly growing LGBTQ+ following. Their songs touch on themes of identity, freedom, transformationand chaos, of courseall deeply resonant with queer audiences around the world.Tour Dates & Ticket InfoThe Beautiful Chaos Tour includes major cities in both the U.S. and Canada, as well as a highly anticipated stop in Mexico. From The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York to YouTube Theater in Inglewood, fans will have a chance to witness the groups dynamic performances in venues that match their meteoric rise.Here is the full list of tour dates:Nov. 15 Minneapolis, MN The ArmoryNov. 18 Toronto, ON The Theatre at Great Canadian TorontoNov. 19 Boston, MA MGM Music Hall at FenwayNov. 22 New York, NY The Theater at Madison Square GardenNov. 24 Washington, DC The AnthemNov. 26 Atlanta, GA Coca-Cola RoxyNov. 29 Sugar Land, TX Smart Financial CentreNov. 30 Irving, TX The Pavilion at Toyota Music FactoryDec. 3 Phoenix, AZ Arizona Financial TheatreDec. 6 San Francisco, CA The Theater at Bill Graham Civic AuditoriumDec. 9 Seattle, WA WAMU TheaterDec. 12 Inglewood, CA YouTube TheaterDec. 16 Mexico City, MX Teatro MetroplitanTickets for the general public go on sale Thursday, July 11 at 10 a.m. local time. However, superfans will want to act early:Weverse artist pre-sale opens Tuesday, July 9, exclusively for paid Weverse subscribers.The Katseye.World artist pre-sale follows on Wednesday, July 10.VIP packages will also be available, offering fans early access, exclusive merch, and premium viewing.Why This Tour MattersKatseyes Beautiful Chaos EP is more than just a collection of bopsits a statement of purpose. With songs that explore confidence, heartbreak, liberation, and finding ones place in a messy world, the EP has struck a nerve with a generation of fans who are navigating their own chaos with courage.As a group formed from six different cultural backgrounds and languages, Katseye represents the future of pop: inclusive, genre-blending, and unapologetically global. Their sound weaves together elements of K-pop, R&B, EDM, and experimental pop, while their lyrics often touch on self-empowerment and inner strength.For LGBTQ+ fans especially, the groups bold aesthetics and emphasis on self-expression are deeply affirming.What to Expect from the TourIf Katseyes past live performances are anything to go by, the Beautiful Chaos Tour promises an electrifying blend of choreography, storytelling, and visuals. Each member brings something unique to the tableDanielas soaring vocals, Laras fierce presence, Manons elegance, Megans sharp moves, Sophias emotional delivery, and Yoonchaes magnetic charm.Expect dramatic lighting, stylized wardrobe changes, and performances that feel more like high-fashion theater than standard pop fare. The tour is expected to include the entirety of Beautiful Chaos as well as unreleased surprises and a few revamped fan-favorite tracks from their debut singles.Katseyes LGBTQ+ Legacy in the MakingAs the music industry continues to evolve, Katseye stands out not just for their talent, but for their authenticity. Their connection with queer fans has been organicbuilt not on marketing strategy, but on shared emotion, freedom of expression, and mutual respect.Source0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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GAYETY.COMMarvels Fantastic Four Cast Stuns at Retro-Futuristic Paris LaunchMarvels First Family begins their global promo tour in style.Marvels First Family just made their first stop and they did it with serious style. Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach kicked off the global promotional tour for The Fantastic Four: First Steps with a glamorous photo call in Paris, posing for cameras at the futuristic Espace Niemeyer building.The Paris location, designed by famed Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, felt like a fitting backdrop for the films retro-futuristic 1960s vibe. With sleek lines, bold curves, and architectural flair, the setting teased the energy of Marvels newest cinematic universe.Pascal leads the cast as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, with Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. Together, they bring fresh energy and major star power to Marvels First Family and from these first images alone, fans are ready to follow them anywhere.PARIS, FRANCE JULY 07: Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby attend The Fantastic Four: First Steps Paris Special Event at Espace Niemeyer on July 07, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Marc Piasecki/Getty Images for Disney)What is Fantastic Four: First Steps About?Set in a stylized version of the 1960s, First Steps introduces the team as they face off against their most terrifying foe yet: the planet-consuming Galactus, played by Ralph Ineson. Julia Garner joins the action as his mysterious Herald, the Silver Surfer.Balancing their new roles as heroes and the challenges of chosen family, the Fantastic Four must save Earth and each other in what promises to be one of Marvel Studios boldest, most visually striking films to date. Directed by Matt Shakman (WandaVision), the film also stars Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles.The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters July 25, 2025. Check out the official photos from the Paris launch below.PARIS, FRANCE JULY 07: Joseph Quinn attends The Fantastic Four: First Steps Paris Special Event at Espace Niemeyer on July 07, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Marc Piasecki/Getty Images for Disney)PARIS, FRANCE JULY 07: Ebon Moss-Bachrach attends The Fantastic Four: First Steps Paris Special Event at Espace Niemeyer on July 07, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Marc Piasecki/Getty Images for Disney)Source0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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GAYETY.COMJosh Cavallo Announces Life-Changing Move to the UK: Its Not Goodbye ForeverJosh Cavallo, the trailblazing footballer who made history as the worlds first openly gay male top-flight professional footballer, has announced a major life transition. After years of breaking barriers in Australias A-League, Cavallo revealed on July 7 that he is leaving Adelaide United and relocating to the United Kingdom to begin a brand-new chapter both personally and professionally. Its not goodbye forever, Cavallo shared in a heartfelt Instagram post, but now, its time to leave the nest with my fianc by my side.The 26-year-old athlete, who came out publicly in 2021 in an emotional open letter, reflected on how living authentically transformed his life and career. Football and life have taken me further than I ever imagined, he wrote. New opportunities have led to a new life waiting for us across the world.Cavallos announcement included a pair of touching photos of him and his fianc, Leighton Morrell, standing hand in hand on the pitch at Coopers Stadium home of Adelaide United. It was a symbolic farewell to the place where Cavallo not only grew as a professional footballer but also made global headlines for his bravery and honesty.From Closeted Teen to Global Role ModelIn 2021, Cavallos decision to come out as gay while playing in a major league shattered a long-standing silence in mens professional football. His open letter, published across social media, detailed his struggle with internalized shame and the fear that being gay would end his football career. Growing up, I always felt the need to hide myself because I was ashamed, Cavallo wrote at the time. Ashamed I would never be able to do what I loved and be gay.His message quickly resonated around the world, drawing praise from LGBTQ+ advocates, fans, athletes, and even clubs across Europes top football leagues. Cavallo became more than just a player he became a symbol of progress and resilience in a sport often marked by silence around LGBTQ+ issues.Since then, Cavallo has used his platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ visibility in sports, sharing his story openly while continuing to play at the top level for Adelaide United. His presence on the field served as a living rebuttal to the long-standing myth that being gay and thriving in professional football are incompatible.A New Chapter in the United KingdomWhile Cavallo has not disclosed which team he may be joining, multiple sources have confirmed to Outsports that several European clubs are already in talks to sign him.For Cavallo, however, this move isnt just about sport its about building a life with his partner and embracing a new beginning. I never imagined that living my truth would unlock doors from the pitch to every corner of my personal life, he wrote. Whether youve followed my journey from the beginning or found strength in it along the way, your presence has meant more than words can ever say.In the post, Cavallo extended deep gratitude to the LGBTQIA+ community and to fans worldwide who stood by him after he came out. You helped me see that I wasnt alone and that none of us are, he said. For the boy who once looked in the mirror and questioned why he was different, this is proof that you can find your place in this world.Fans and Club Shower Cavallo with SupportAdelaide United, Cavallos club since 2021, paid tribute to his legacy in a touching Instagram post: Thank you, Josh, for everything on the pitch and beyond. Your legacy will never be forgotten. Once a Red, always a Red.The club had long been a safe space for Cavallo, supporting his coming out and even playing a key role in his engagement to Morrell earlier this year. Starting this year with my fianc. Thank you @adelaideunited for helping set up this surprise, Cavallo posted in January. You have provided a safe space in football, one that I never in my dreams thought could ever be possible.A Legacy That Lasts Beyond the GameCavallos impact extends far beyond goals and tackles. His willingness to speak openly about his journey has helped normalize queerness in mens sportsa space still fraught with homophobia, silence, and fear for many LGBTQ+ athletes.His story has inspired a growing number of younger players and fans to live openly, and hes become a vocal advocate for inclusion, mental health, and equity in sports. Josh showed the world that you can be both gay and successful in the most competitive spaces, said one LGBTQ+ fan in Sydney. His story gave me courage I didnt even know I needed.As Cavallo looks ahead to life in the UK with wedding plans, new club opportunities, and fresh horizons its clear hes carrying that same courage with him into the next phase of his journey. Goodbye, home, he wrote in closing. I never imagined Id be here and now, I cant wait to see where this path leads next.Source0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMAyton: Joining Doncic 'feels like a video game'More than seven years after being drafted ahead of Luka Doncic, 2018 No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton was amazed on Tuesday when considering the chance to team up with the superstar on the Los Angeles Lakers, telling reporters "this feels like a video game."0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMUCF's Frost: Nebraska job 'wasn't a good move'At his first Big 12 football media days as UCF's coach, Scott Frost addressed his failed tenure at Nebraska on Tuesday, telling reporters, "I got tugged in a direction to try to help my alma mater and didn't really want to do it. It wasn't a good move."0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMAces' Wilson exits with wrist injury after hard fallReigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson missed the second half of the Aces' loss to the Liberty on Tuesday night after injuring her right wrist.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMOKC's JDub had several injections for injured wristThunder star Jalen Williams said he took nearly 30 painkilling injections in his injured right wrist during Oklahoma City's championship run.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMTexas Tech's tortillas and more updates to CFB 26 are shown through team accountsNew traditions, presentation features and uniforms have been added to the second edition of the college football game since its return from hiatus.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COML.A. Moves to Join Lawsuit Against Trump Administrations Immigration RaidsThe legal move came the day after federal agents and National Guard troops converged on a Los Angeles park in an extraordinary show of force.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMTrump Got the Green Light to Fire Federal Workers. Now, They Wait.A court-ordered pause in May covered nearly two dozen federal agencies at different stages of executing President Trumps directive for mass layoffs. The Supreme Court said the administration could proceed.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMAfter Texas Flooding, Questions About FEMAs Role and Fate Under TrumpPresident Trump wants to shutter the agency and shift responsibility and costs of emergency management to the states. In Texas, that process appears to already be underway.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMOhtani takes Misiorowski deep before rook fans 12Shohei Ohtani greeted Milwaukee Brewers rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski with a 431-foot leadoff homer Tuesday night.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMTrumps Frustration With Putin Preceded Resumption of U.S. Weapons to UkrainePresident Trump lashed out at the Russian leader on Tuesday, signaling a change in his posture toward the conflict.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMThe Bayeux Tapestry, a British Masterpiece, Returns to England After 900 YearsThe embroidered work, depicting the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, is a loan from France. For the first time, it will be on exhibit in London.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMWildfires Scar Syria AnewThe country is experiencing its worst drought in decades, which has set the conditions for the blazes to scorch an area the size of Washington, D.C.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMBritains Economic Bind: Face Public Disapproval or Investor WrathThe Labour Party is starting its second year in control of the government with difficult choices over whether to curb spending or raise taxes.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMResearch Suggests Climate Change Added Excess Deaths in European Heat WaveThe rapid analysis by World Weather Attribution calculated that climate change might have tripled the death toll from the event.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMGaucho hopes CWC brings Brazil coaches respectFluminense's trip to the Club World Cup semifinal should net Brazilian coaches more respect, the club's manager Renato Portaluppi said on Tuesday, after their improbable deep run in the tournament ended in a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMLuis Enrique on Mbapp: Not discussing the 'past'PSG coach Luis Enrique refused to discuss Kylian Mbapp ahead of Wednesday's Club World Cup semifinal with his former star's new club Real Madrid.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMEx-Man Utd player Heinze added to Arteta's staffArsenal have added former Manchester United and Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze to manager Mikel Arteta's coaching staff, the club announced Monday.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMGiants walk off on Bailey's inside-the-park homerPatrick Bailey hit a three-run, inside-the-park home run with one out in the ninth inning, lifting the Giants over the Phillies on Tuesday night.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMMets' Mendoza: Snubbed Soto 'an All-Star for us'The New York Mets consider Juan Soto an All-Star, despite the snub he received from those who selected the National League squad, but manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters Tuesday "I'm hoping in the next couple of days we hear something and he makes it."0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMBibis Empty Victory LapThe 12-day war is over. But theres no peace in sight.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMWildfire on Edge of Marseille Injures More Than 100, Officials SayFirefighters worked to prevent the blaze from entering Frances second-biggest city, where ash and smoke had spread overnight.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMFlash Flooding in Ruidoso, New Mexico, Sweeps Homes Away and Forces RescuesRescue efforts were underway after heavy rainfall pounded Ruidoso, N.M.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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Hundreds of Chinese Children Poisoned With Lead From Kindergarten FoodThe kindergartens cooks used inedible pigments to decorate buns and cakes, the authorities said. Eight school officials and employees were detained.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMTransfer rumors, news: Man United, Spurs in four-way battle for DiblingManchester United are in a four-way battle to sign Southampton's Tyler Dibling. Transfer Talk has the latest news, gossip and rumors.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.PROPUBLICA.ORGTrumps FEMA Proposals and Feud With Gavin Newsom Could Devastate Californias Disaster Responseby Jeremy Lindenfeld, Capital & Main This article was produced for ProPublicas Local Reporting Network in partnership with Capital & Main, a 2022-2023 LRN partner. Sign up for Dispatches to get our stories in your inbox every week. In January, Katie Clarks one-bedroom rental of more than 15 years, and nearly everything inside, was incinerated by Los Angeles Countys Eaton fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California history. For her troubles, she received a one-time payment of $770 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which she used to replace clothes, food and a crate for her dog. While it was only a fraction of what she needed, the money was at least available while she waited for other funding.As an organizer with the Altadena Tenants Union who has been helping renters with their FEMA applications, Clark knows just how common her experience has been for fire survivors. She believes federal and local agencies severely underestimated the need and cost of housing for the 150,000 people displaced by the fires, leaving many still struggling to recover. A FEMA spokesperson denied the accusation, saying the agencys ongoing assessments indicate that the current Rental Assistance program is effectively meeting the housing needs of survivors eligible for FEMA assistance.The disaster response has been so shockingly bad, Clark said, but she recognizes that without FEMAs help in responding to fires that killed at least 30 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures, it could have been so, so, so much worse.We would have seen a whole lot more people left to their own devices. And what that would mean is homelessness. It would mean people just abandoned, Clark said. Even before President Donald Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom squared off over Trumps decision to send National Guard troops to quell immigration protests, before Newsom likened Trump to a dictator and Trump endorsed the idea of arresting the governor, the question of how much California could continue to rely on FEMA was front and center.Its a critical question in a state with its earthquakes, wildfires, floods, drought and extreme heat that frequently suffers some of the costliest disasters in the country.Since Trumps inauguration, his administration has floated sweeping proposals that would slash FEMA dollars and make disasters harder to declare. This has left both blue and red states wrestling with scenarios in which they must pay for what FEMA will not. States have long counted on FEMA to cover at least 75% of declared major disaster response and recovery costs.In just the past few months, FEMA has denied federal assistance for devastating floods in West Virginia and a destructive windstorm in Washington. The agency approved such funding for deadly tornadoes in Arkansas after Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appealed an initial denial and personally begged the president for help.Last month, ProPublica reported that FEMA missed a May deadline to open the application process for many grants, including funding that states rely on to pay for basic emergency management operations. The delay, which the agency has not explained, appears to have little precedent.In California, Trump has cast doubt on whether he will approve the $40 billion Newsom has requested to help pay for recovery costs associated with the fires, including $16.8 billion from FEMA to rebuild property, infrastructure and remove debris. Thats on top of the almost $140 million the agency has already provided to individual survivors.The president told reporters last month that states need to be weaned off FEMA and that the federal government will start distributing less federal aid after hurricane season ends in November.The questions now are: How much will be approved? Will it be enough? And, if not, what then?A FEMA spokesperson did not directly respond to questions from Capital & Main about anticipated funding cuts and potential impacts on state and local communities, but said the agency asserts that disasters are best managed when theyre federally supported, state managed and locally executed.The uncertainty makes it very hard to plan, said Heather Gonzalez, principal fiscal and policy analyst for emergency services at Californias Legislative Analysts Office. The little bean-counters in the back are stressing out right now trying to figure out what are we going to have to work with?The recent dust-ups between Newsom and Trump, she said, have only underscored the unpredictability. For his part, Newsom said he prefers the open hand of cooperation over the closed fist of fighting when it comes to disaster response.Emergency preparedness and emergency planning, recovery and renewal period, full stop that should be nonpolitical, he said on Monday, which marked six months since the fires. A firefighter battles a blaze in Altadena during the Eaton Fire. (Jeremy Lindenfeld/Capital & Main) The Rising Cost of DisastersSince at least the 1980s, California has endured a rapidly growing number of billion-dollar disasters, with 18 occurring between 2015 and 2024 alone.As the frequency and severity of Californias disasters increase, so too does its reliance on federal assistance to respond. In the aftermath of Januarys Eaton and Palisades fires the second and third most destructive wildfires in California history, respectively FEMA has already provided $139 million for everything from home repair costs to medical expenses, and the agency has allocated billions of dollars for debris removal, according to a FEMA spokesperson. Over 5,000 properties have already been cleared of ash and fire debris. The ruins of a bank that was destroyed in the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades. The wildfire was the third most destructive in California history. (Sarahbeth Maney/ProPublica) Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management Communications Director Emily Montanez said recovery efforts for the fires likely wont be complete for many years and are heavily dependent on FEMA.After the Northridge earthquake in 1994, FEMA had field offices here for 28 years, Montanez said. We see this as being no different. This was way more devastation, way more impact. So this could be years, definitely decades.While Montanez acknowledged that potential gaps in disaster response efforts leave some survivors without sufficient resources, she said that the recent operations coordinated between FEMA and local agencies in Los Angeles have mostly been efficient and successful.FEMAs federal assistance supplements Californias own disaster response and mitigation resources like those allocated to the Governors Office of Emergency Services, which was allotted $4.4 billion in the May revision of the states 2025-26 budget. When the offices funding does not cover all disaster costs, California can also pull from a number of its reserves, including the Budget Stabilization Account and Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties.Newsom told Capital & Main on Monday that the state has increased its discretionary reserves as a direct consequence of Trumps ongoing threats to FEMA, though he admitted that even that increased investment wouldnt make up for the potential loss in federal funding. California cant backfill the elimination of FEMA, Newsom said. Theres no state in America [that can], even the most endowed state $4.1 trillion a year economy largest in the nation, fourth largest in the world. And Californias $12 billion budget deficit will make backfilling the offices shortfall especially difficult the next time a major disaster strikes, according to Laurie Schoeman, senior adviser on climate resilience to former President Joe Biden.That will be made even harder if the still-unfinalized proposals outlined in an internal FEMA memo are implemented, according to Schoeman. One of the reforms floated in the memo caps the proportion of recovery costs covered by the federal government at the current baseline of 75%. Under current rules, the president can increase FEMAs cost share up to 100%, as Biden did for the Los Angeles fires less than two weeks before he left office.Another proposal quadruples the amount of damage that needs to be suffered in a disaster before FEMA awards any public assistance grants for infrastructure repair and debris removal. That would hike Californias damage threshold from roughly $75 million to nearly $300 million per disaster. Had just that second reform been in place between 2008 and 2024, California would have received 26% less in public assistance funding from FEMA, a loss of nearly $2 billion, according to a May analysis by the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.Such reduced funding during future events would cause an apocalyptic scenario where California communities would struggle to afford the cost of running shelters and paying for emergency responders to rescue disaster victims, according to Sarah Labowitz, a senior fellow in the Sustainability, Climate, and Geopolitics Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.Yet already, significant damage has been done, Schoeman said.In April, the Trump administration canceled the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, a FEMA initiative dedicated to funding disaster-preparedness projects. Over $880 million in federal funding was rescinded, including a $35 million grant in Californias Napa County largely dedicated to wildfire prevention work. The administration declined to respond to Capital & Mains request for comment, referring questions to FEMA. An agency spokesperson said that its approach to disaster preparedness mirrors that of disaster response: FEMA will play a supporting role.All types of preparedness start with families, individuals and local and state officials ahead of any emergency and disaster, a statement from the agency said.The rescinded federal funding risks undermining communities abilities to protect against future disasters, Schoeman said, and undoes work accomplished under Trumps first term.Theyre just cutting these projects even though they have proven benefit cost analyses in place, Schoeman said. The BRIC program was started under the Trump administration so it feels like the administration is going to cut their own leg off. Smoke drifts over Will Rogers State Beach and the Pacific Ocean during the Palisades Fire. (Jeremy Lindenfeld/Capital & Main) Clark said she is already struggling to get help. She said her insurance provider has so far withheld over $25,000 due to disagreements over whether her transitional housing qualifies as temporary, and her applications for additional FEMA assistance have been denied due to her technically being insured. Some wealthier survivors had the insulation and resiliency that economic resources give you, while others had to depend on nonprofits or the kind of government assistance that is now at risk to afford transitional housing.If you dont have those economic resources, your only option is to turn to either philanthropy or the state, Clark said. If neither of those are available, then tough luck.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMThe Worlds Best and Brightest Are Moving, but Not to AmericaImmigration isnt a crisis. Its the future.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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If Zohran Mamdani Wins, Then What?He would become the leftist others look to, either as a savior or as a villain.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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Ronny Chieng on Trumps Nobel Nomination: Consider the SourceAn endorsement from Benjamin Netanyahu for the Nobel Peace Prize is like a Husband of the Year nomination from O.J. Simpson, the Daily Show host said.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NATURE.COMWorlds most porous sponges: intricate carbon-trapping powders hit the marketNature, Published online: 09 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02067-yMetal-organic frameworks were the next big thing in chemistry when they were invented more than three decades ago. Now, these intriguing materials are becoming commercial tools for capturing carbon dioxide and harvesting water from the air.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMHorner sacked as Red Bull chief, team confirmsChristian Horner has been sacked by Red Bull after 20 years as team principal, the team confirmed on Wednesday.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.PROPUBLICA.ORGThe Texas Flash Flood Is a Preview of the Chaos to Comeby Abrahm Lustgarten ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as theyre published. On July 4, the broken remnants of a powerful tropical storm spun off the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico so heavy with moisture that it seemed to stagger under its load. Then, colliding with another soggy system sliding north off the Pacific, the storm wobbled and its clouds tipped, waterboarding south central Texas with an extraordinary 20 inches of rain. In the predawn blackness, the Guadalupe River, which drains from the Hill Country, rose by more than 26 vertical feet in just 45 minutes, jumping its banks and hurtling downstream, killing 109 people, including at least 27 children at a summer camp located inside a federally designated floodway.Over the days and weeks to come there will be tireless and warranted analysis of who is to blame for this heart-wrenching loss. Should Kerr County, where most of the deaths occurred, have installed warning sirens along that stretch of the waterway, and why were children allowed to sleep in an area prone to high-velocity flash flooding? Why were urgent updates apparently only conveyed by cellphone and online in a rural area with limited connectivity? Did the National Weather Service, enduring steep budget cuts under the current administration, adequately forecast this storm?Those questions are critical. But so is a far larger concern: The rapid onset of disruptive climate change driven by the burning of oil, gasoline and coal is making disasters like this one more common, more deadly and far more costly to Americans, even as the federal government is running away from the policies and research that might begin to address it. President Lyndon B. Johnson was briefed in 1965 that a climate crisis was being caused by burning fossil fuels and was warned that it would create the conditions for intensifying storms and extreme events, and this country including 10 more presidents has debated how to respond to that warning ever since. Still, it took decades for the slow-motion change to grow large enough to affect peoples everyday lives and safety and for the world to reach the stage it is in now: an age of climate-driven chaos, where the past is no longer prologue and the specific challenges of the future might be foreseeable but are less predictable. Climate change doesnt chart a linear path where each day is warmer than the last. Rather, science suggests that were now in an age of discontinuity, with heat one day and hail the next and with more dramatic extremes. Across the planet, dry places are getting drier while wet places are getting wetter. The jet stream the band of air that circulates through the Northern Hemisphere is slowing to a near stall at times, weaving off its tracks, causing unprecedented events like polar vortexes drawing arctic air far south. Meanwhile the heat is sucking moisture from the drought-plagued plains of Kansas only to dump it over Spain, contributing to last years cataclysmic floods.We saw something similar when Hurricane Harvey dumped as much as 60 inches of rain on parts of Texas in 2017 and when Hurricane Helene devastated North Carolina last year and countless times in between. We witnessed it again in Texas this past weekend. Warmer oceans evaporate faster, and warmer air holds more water, transporting it in the form of humidity across the atmosphere, until it cant hold it any longer and it falls. Meteorologists estimate that the atmosphere had reached its capacity for moisture before the storm struck.The disaster comes during a week in which extreme heat and extreme weather have battered the planet. Parts of northern Spain and southern France are burning out of control, as are parts of California. In the past 72 hours, storms have torn the roofs off of five-story apartment buildings in Slovakia, while intense rainfall has turned streets into rivers in southern Italy. Same story in Lombok, Indonesia, where cars floated like buoys, and in eastern China, where an inland typhoon-like storm sent furniture blowing down the streets like so many sheafs of paper. Lon, Mexico, was battered by hail so thick on Monday it covered the city in white. And North Carolina is, again, enduring 10 inches of rainfall.There is no longer much debate that climate change is making many of these events demonstrably worse. Scientists conducting a rapid analysis of last weeks extreme heat wave that spread across Europe have concluded that human-caused warming killed roughly 1,500 more people than might have otherwise perished. Early reports suggest that the flooding in Texas, too, was substantially influenced by climate change. According to a preliminary analysis by ClimaMeter, a joint project of the European Union and the French National Centre for Scientific Research, the weather in Texas was 7% wetter on July 4 than it was before climate change warmed that part of the state, and natural variability alone cannot explain this very exceptional meteorological condition.That the United States once again is reeling from familiar but alarming headlines and body counts should not be a surprise by now. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the number of extreme weather disasters has jumped fivefold worldwide over the past 50 years, and the number of deaths has nearly tripled. In the United States, which prefers to measure its losses in dollars, the damage from major storms was more than $180 billion last year, nearly 10 times the average annual toll during the 1980s, after accounting for inflation. These storms have now cost Americans nearly $3 trillion. Meanwhile, the number of annual major disasters has grown sevenfold. Fatalities in billion-dollar storms last year alone were nearly equal to the number of such deaths counted by the federal government in the 20 years between 1980 and 2000.The most worrisome fact, though, may be that the warming of the planet has scarcely begun. Just as each step up on the Richter scale represents a massive increase in the force of an earthquake, the damage caused by the next 1 or 2 degrees Celsius of warming stands to be far greater than that caused by the 1.5 degrees we have so far endured. The worlds leading scientists, the United Nations panel on climate change and even many global energy experts warn that we face something akin to our last chance before it is too late to curtail a runaway crisis. Its one reason our predictions and modeling capabilities are becoming an essential, lifesaving mechanism of national defense.What is extraordinary is that at such a volatile moment, President Donald Trumps administration would choose not just to minimize the climate danger and thus the suffering of the people affected by it but to revoke funding for the very data collection and research that would help the country better understand and prepare for this moment.Over the past couple of months, the administration has defunded much of the operations of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the nations chief climate and scientific agency responsible for weather forecasting, as well as the cutting-edge earth systems research at places like Princeton University, which is essential to modeling an aberrant future. It has canceled the nations seminal scientific assessment of climate change and risk. The administration has defunded the Federal Emergency Management Agencys core program paying for infrastructure projects meant to prevent major disasters from causing harm, and it has threatened to eliminate FEMA itself, the main federal agency charged with helping Americans after a climate emergency like the Texas floods. It has as of last week signed legislation that unravels the federal programs meant to slow warming by helping the countrys industries transition to cleaner energy. And it has even stopped the reporting of the cost of disasters, stating that doing so is in alignment with evolving priorities of the administration. It is as if the administration hopes that making the price tag for the Kerr County flooding invisible would make the events unfolding there seem less devastating.Given the abandonment of policy that might forestall more severe events like the Texas floods by reducing the emissions that cause them, Americans are left to the daunting task of adapting. In Texas, it is critical to ask whether the protocols in place at the time of the storm were good enough. This week is not the first time that children have died in a flash flood along the Guadalupe River, and reports suggest county officials struggled to raise money and then declined to install a warning system in 2018 in order to save approximately $1 million. But the country faces a larger and more daunting challenge, because this disaster like the firestorms in Los Angeles and the hurricanes repeatedly pummeling Florida and the southeast once again raises the question of where people can continue to safely live. It might be that in an era of what researchers are calling mega rain events, a flood plain should now be off-limits.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMA Green Light to Fire Federal Workers, and Trumps Problem With PutinPlus, the big business of youth sports.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMAfter Decades of Hostility, Israeli-Syrian Relations Begin to ThawThe longtime enemies have opened contacts, reflecting a power shift across a Middle East in which they have newfound common ground: antipathy for Iran.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMPhiladelphia Public Workers Reach Deal to End StrikeThe citys largest public sector union and the mayor reached a tentative deal, ending a work stoppage that led to piles of trash on the streets.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMBessent Steps Up Criticism of Fed as Auditions for Chair IntensifyThe Treasury secretary is breaking with tradition in publicly assailing the central banks policies as President Trump looks for its next leader.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NYTIMES.COMRivers Are the Soul of the Texas Hill Country, and a Source of HeartacheThe rivers etching the terrain are a beloved feature of the rapidly growing region. But last weeks flooding was an agonizing reminder of the dangers they pose.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NATURE.COMWill algorithms choose your next lab colleague?Nature, Published online: 09 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02071-2AI tools have been slow to enter academic recruitment but recent developments could change that.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.NATURE.COMDaily briefing: Stress can make you sick, and scientists are learning whyNature, Published online: 08 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02175-9Scientists are grappling with the connections between stress and health. Plus, the science that underlies escalating heatwaves and a rabies vaccine that can be spread through licks.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMCaicedo suffers late ankle injury in Chelsea winChelsea midfielder Moiss Caicedo hurt his left ankle during second-half injury time in Tuesday's 2-0 win over Fluminense in the semifinals of the Club World Cup.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMMPs approve Premier League, EFL regulatorMPs voted in favour of establishing a professional football regulator under a "Football Governance Bill" that would see clubs handed operating licences.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMGykeres: Amorim's tactics 'suited me perfectly'Sporting CP forward Viktor Gykeres has said the style of play under his former coach Ruben Amorim "suited me perfectly."0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMTeams can 'win' home advantage in UCLUEFA's decision means teams that finish between third and sixth in the league phase cannot get home priority in the Champions League semifinals.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews
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WWW.ESPN.COMNew East tiers: How injuries, offseason movement reshaped the conferenceFrom injured superstars to play-in teams making major splashes, Chris Herring runs down every team's outlook for 2025-26.0 Comments 0 Shares 3 Views 0 Reviews