6 hours ago
Justin Greaves etched his name into Test cricket history with a sensational spell against Pakistan, becoming the first bowler in recorded Test history to deliver five consecutive wicket-maidens during the opening Test in Tarouba, Trinidad.
The West Indies all-rounder produced a devastating burst on Day 3 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, turning the match on its head after Pakistan appeared well placed in their first innings. Greaves finished with career-best figures of 5/27 from 11 overs, with all five wickets coming in five successive maiden overs without conceding a single run. It was also the 31-year-old's maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Pakistan resumed the day trailing West Indies' first-innings total of 311 and looked to be building a strong reply through Shan Masood and Salman Agha. The pair safely negotiated the opening hour before Shamar Joseph broke the stand by bowling Agha.
What followed was one of the most remarkable spells in recent Test history.
Greaves dismissed centurion Shan Masood for 109 when the Pakistan batter chopped the ball back onto his stumps. He then removed Aamer Jamal with a delivery that jagged back sharply before trapping Ali Usman leg-before for a duck in the very next over.
Pakistan's hopes rested on Mohammad Rizwan, but Greaves forced the wicketkeeper-batter into flashing at a wide delivery, resulting in an edge behind. In the first over after lunch, he completed his five-wicket haul when Mohammad Abbas poked outside off stump and was caught behind.
The astonishing burst triggered a dramatic collapse, with Pakistan losing five wickets for just 15 runs before eventually being bowled out for 282, handing West Indies a first-innings lead of 29.
Greaves' feat surpassed the previous record of four consecutive wicket-maidens, achieved by former England fast bowler Stuart Broad against South Africa in Johannesburg in January 2016.
The spell not only marked Greaves' maiden Test five-for but also ensured his name entered the record books with an achievement never before seen in available Test records.
#greaves
The West Indies all-rounder produced a devastating burst on Day 3 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, turning the match on its head after Pakistan appeared well placed in their first innings. Greaves finished with career-best figures of 5/27 from 11 overs, with all five wickets coming in five successive maiden overs without conceding a single run. It was also the 31-year-old's maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Pakistan resumed the day trailing West Indies' first-innings total of 311 and looked to be building a strong reply through Shan Masood and Salman Agha. The pair safely negotiated the opening hour before Shamar Joseph broke the stand by bowling Agha.
What followed was one of the most remarkable spells in recent Test history.
Greaves dismissed centurion Shan Masood for 109 when the Pakistan batter chopped the ball back onto his stumps. He then removed Aamer Jamal with a delivery that jagged back sharply before trapping Ali Usman leg-before for a duck in the very next over.
Pakistan's hopes rested on Mohammad Rizwan, but Greaves forced the wicketkeeper-batter into flashing at a wide delivery, resulting in an edge behind. In the first over after lunch, he completed his five-wicket haul when Mohammad Abbas poked outside off stump and was caught behind.
The astonishing burst triggered a dramatic collapse, with Pakistan losing five wickets for just 15 runs before eventually being bowled out for 282, handing West Indies a first-innings lead of 29.
Greaves' feat surpassed the previous record of four consecutive wicket-maidens, achieved by former England fast bowler Stuart Broad against South Africa in Johannesburg in January 2016.
The spell not only marked Greaves' maiden Test five-for but also ensured his name entered the record books with an achievement never before seen in available Test records.
#greaves
7 hours ago
Chennai: As India look to usher in a new generation of fast bowlers, Australian great Glenn McGrath believes Prasidh Krishna has all the ingredients to become Jasprit ****** rah's long-term pace partner.
The legendary fast bowler, who is the director of coaching at the MRF Pace Foundation, has closely followed Prasidh's rise and feels the tall Karnataka seamer has transformed his potential into performances.
"I'm a big fan of Prasidh," McGrath said. "If he gets his length right, he's got everything going for him."
"He has really matured. He's tall, bowls in good areas, generates bounce and has genuine pace. Occasionally he's a little short, but apart from that, I think he's the whole package. He's really developed and put his potential into performance," he said.
India have handed opportunities to several young quicks during the recent tours of the UK and Zimbabwe as they prepare for a demanding cycle of white-ball cricket, with the ODI and T20 World Cups to be played in South Africa and Australia-New Zealand respectively. It means India will need a strong pace attack firing on all cylinders, and McGrath believes the transition phase they are going through will not be easy.
"You've got ****** rah, who's a class bowler, and Mohammed Shami, who's world-class as well. Mohammed Siraj has been around for a long time too. You can't just expect to pick up straight where you left off. It's always going to be a transitional period," he said, referring to the Australian team, which will also go through a similar phase.
"Other than Pat ****** mins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, hardly anybody gets a chance... So it's not going to be easy for Australia either."
McGrath also pointed out that ****** rah's unconventional action demands careful workload management.
"The way he powers through those last few steps probably puts more stress on his body than most bowlers. It'll be interesting to see how he manages himself," McGrath said.
While India appear keen to fast-track younger bowlers, McGrath insisted experienced pacers still have an important role to play.
"It's always good to have experience there. Young bowlers learn by playing alongside senior guys. I was fortunate to watch Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes. That's where you really learn. I'd always pick an experienced team over a potential team," he said.
On whether veterans such as Shami or Bhuvneshwar ****** ar could still mount a comeback, McGrath said the decision rested on their bodies, motivation and the selectors.
"If they're prepared to put the work in and their body allows it, then why not? As fast bowlers get older, the work only gets tougher. Ultimately, it's up to them and the selectors."
McGrath also called for a rethink in the way fast bowlers are rehabilitated after injuries, arguing that modern systems often "wrap bowlers in cotton wool" instead of making them physically stronger.
132677427
"The best way is to get stronger. Even when you're in
The legendary fast bowler, who is the director of coaching at the MRF Pace Foundation, has closely followed Prasidh's rise and feels the tall Karnataka seamer has transformed his potential into performances.
"I'm a big fan of Prasidh," McGrath said. "If he gets his length right, he's got everything going for him."
"He has really matured. He's tall, bowls in good areas, generates bounce and has genuine pace. Occasionally he's a little short, but apart from that, I think he's the whole package. He's really developed and put his potential into performance," he said.
India have handed opportunities to several young quicks during the recent tours of the UK and Zimbabwe as they prepare for a demanding cycle of white-ball cricket, with the ODI and T20 World Cups to be played in South Africa and Australia-New Zealand respectively. It means India will need a strong pace attack firing on all cylinders, and McGrath believes the transition phase they are going through will not be easy.
"You've got ****** rah, who's a class bowler, and Mohammed Shami, who's world-class as well. Mohammed Siraj has been around for a long time too. You can't just expect to pick up straight where you left off. It's always going to be a transitional period," he said, referring to the Australian team, which will also go through a similar phase.
"Other than Pat ****** mins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, hardly anybody gets a chance... So it's not going to be easy for Australia either."
McGrath also pointed out that ****** rah's unconventional action demands careful workload management.
"The way he powers through those last few steps probably puts more stress on his body than most bowlers. It'll be interesting to see how he manages himself," McGrath said.
While India appear keen to fast-track younger bowlers, McGrath insisted experienced pacers still have an important role to play.
"It's always good to have experience there. Young bowlers learn by playing alongside senior guys. I was fortunate to watch Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes. That's where you really learn. I'd always pick an experienced team over a potential team," he said.
On whether veterans such as Shami or Bhuvneshwar ****** ar could still mount a comeback, McGrath said the decision rested on their bodies, motivation and the selectors.
"If they're prepared to put the work in and their body allows it, then why not? As fast bowlers get older, the work only gets tougher. Ultimately, it's up to them and the selectors."
McGrath also called for a rethink in the way fast bowlers are rehabilitated after injuries, arguing that modern systems often "wrap bowlers in cotton wool" instead of making them physically stronger.
132677427
"The best way is to get stronger. Even when you're in
9 hours ago
Global equities ended last week little changed in local currency and up 0.6% in sterling terms. This continued the choppy pattern of recent weeks with markets currently down 1.5-2% from their peak in early June. The US underperformed with a gain of 0.3% in sterling terms while the UK and emerging markets were both up around 1.3%.
Meanwhile, government bonds in the US and UK both lost 0.5% with yields re-testing their highs in early May. 10-year UK gilt yields tested 5.1% while US yields reached 4.7%, before retreating a bit.
The war with Iran was centre stage with renewed attacks by both sides and Trump once again upping his threats. The new ingredient this time was that concerns were not limited to the Strait of Hormuz but extended to the Bab El Mandeb Strait with the Houthis exchanging blows with Saudi Arabia and threatening to close the waterway.
The importance of this new chokepoint is two-fold. First, it threatens Saudi's ability to divert via its pipeline a good part of its oil production to the Red Sea rather than the Strait of Hormuz. Second, it poses a threat to container traffic more generally which use the Suez Canal to avoid a long and costly diversion around the African coast.
Oil duly moved back up to $100 per barrel mid-week from a low of close to $70pb all of three weeks ago. But it is back down to $88pb this morning as negotiations between the US and Iran started up once again over the weekend, easing fears of a major escalation. However, this morning, Iran said it is not seeking new peace talks, so the confusion continues.
Even so, the fact remains that Trump appears to have chickened out yet again – be it because the hike in oil prices has pushed US gasoline prices back above $4 per gallon, the rise in US Treasury yields has caused concerns or because, as has been reported, the US lacks the necessary munitions.
#strait #back #sterling
Meanwhile, government bonds in the US and UK both lost 0.5% with yields re-testing their highs in early May. 10-year UK gilt yields tested 5.1% while US yields reached 4.7%, before retreating a bit.
The war with Iran was centre stage with renewed attacks by both sides and Trump once again upping his threats. The new ingredient this time was that concerns were not limited to the Strait of Hormuz but extended to the Bab El Mandeb Strait with the Houthis exchanging blows with Saudi Arabia and threatening to close the waterway.
The importance of this new chokepoint is two-fold. First, it threatens Saudi's ability to divert via its pipeline a good part of its oil production to the Red Sea rather than the Strait of Hormuz. Second, it poses a threat to container traffic more generally which use the Suez Canal to avoid a long and costly diversion around the African coast.
Oil duly moved back up to $100 per barrel mid-week from a low of close to $70pb all of three weeks ago. But it is back down to $88pb this morning as negotiations between the US and Iran started up once again over the weekend, easing fears of a major escalation. However, this morning, Iran said it is not seeking new peace talks, so the confusion continues.
Even so, the fact remains that Trump appears to have chickened out yet again – be it because the hike in oil prices has pushed US gasoline prices back above $4 per gallon, the rise in US Treasury yields has caused concerns or because, as has been reported, the US lacks the necessary munitions.
#strait #back #sterling
10 hours ago
Max Eberl and Bayern Munich have been busy in the summer transfer window through the FIFA World Cup season. As part of the changes to the squad, Bara Sapoko Ndiaye is set to be signed on a long term deal with the club. The Senegalese midfielder is expected to replace out the outgoing veteran and **** tuple champion Leon Goretzka.
Ndiaye had earned his favor from Vincent Kompany and got several opportunities with the first team in the second half of the season. Albeit not as risk taking as the sensational Lennart Karl, Ndiaye proved to be a robust midfielder who could hold his own against high pressing opponents. His awareness, technical skill and physical resilience saw him shuffle the ball smoothly at the back or find an occasional through ball. His one touch short passing is a special highlight of his composure.
Per Kicker's reporter Frank Linkesch, Ndiaye will be behind Joshua Kimmich, Aleksander Pavlović and Tom Bischof in the midfield order. Considering his age and experience, this is a very valuable position for his development. The full details are captured by iMiaSanMia below:
Despite their partnership, money was an important factor in the talks between Bayern and Gambinos Stars over Bara Sapoko Ndiaye. Bayern will pay a fee 'significantly under' €5m for the Senegalese international. Bara will take Leon Goretzka's spot in the squad and will be behind Kimmich, Pavlović and Bischof in the pecking order. Bara is highly rated at the club and was also part of the reason Noël Aséko was sold to Frankfurt. He will begin pre-season training with Bayern in the coming days.
Formed in 2023, Bayern Munich tied up with LAFC to form Red&Gold Football, a joint venture to scout and aid in the development of talents from across the globe. Ndiaye's parent club Gambino Stars a renowned football academy became a partner of the joint venture. Per LAFC, the aim of the partnership is "to provide the top players of The Gambia and other West African nations with a controlled, self-determined path to the top European leagues as well as Major League Soccer (USA)."
#season #sapoko #senegalese #leon
Ndiaye had earned his favor from Vincent Kompany and got several opportunities with the first team in the second half of the season. Albeit not as risk taking as the sensational Lennart Karl, Ndiaye proved to be a robust midfielder who could hold his own against high pressing opponents. His awareness, technical skill and physical resilience saw him shuffle the ball smoothly at the back or find an occasional through ball. His one touch short passing is a special highlight of his composure.
Per Kicker's reporter Frank Linkesch, Ndiaye will be behind Joshua Kimmich, Aleksander Pavlović and Tom Bischof in the midfield order. Considering his age and experience, this is a very valuable position for his development. The full details are captured by iMiaSanMia below:
Despite their partnership, money was an important factor in the talks between Bayern and Gambinos Stars over Bara Sapoko Ndiaye. Bayern will pay a fee 'significantly under' €5m for the Senegalese international. Bara will take Leon Goretzka's spot in the squad and will be behind Kimmich, Pavlović and Bischof in the pecking order. Bara is highly rated at the club and was also part of the reason Noël Aséko was sold to Frankfurt. He will begin pre-season training with Bayern in the coming days.
Formed in 2023, Bayern Munich tied up with LAFC to form Red&Gold Football, a joint venture to scout and aid in the development of talents from across the globe. Ndiaye's parent club Gambino Stars a renowned football academy became a partner of the joint venture. Per LAFC, the aim of the partnership is "to provide the top players of The Gambia and other West African nations with a controlled, self-determined path to the top European leagues as well as Major League Soccer (USA)."
#season #sapoko #senegalese #leon
10 hours ago
Oil prices gave up earlier gains on Friday after reports that Pakistan is trying to broker a return to U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations. China is strongly backing the effort as the conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continue to threaten its energy security and weigh on its economy.
Brent crude for September delivery fell 4.4% to trade at $96.36 per barrel at 1.35 pm ET while WTI crude for September delivery was down 3.6% to change hands at $88.86/bbl.
However, Standard Chartered says the latest pullback may prove temporary as Middle East oil market risk has expanded from one strategic chokepoint to two.
On Monday, Yemen's Houthi militant group imposed a targeted maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, threatening to enforce it by blocking Saudi-linked vessels from transiting the vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The group claimed the blockade was a direct retaliation for a decade-long Saudi containment of Yemen as well as a recent Saudi-backed airstrike targeting Sanaa International Airport.
The threat immediately rattled oil markets, prompting multiple Saudi-linked very large crude carriers (VLCCs) to abandon planned transits through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and instead reroute around Africa's Cape of Good Hope, adding up to two weeks to each voyage. Two days later, the Houthis followed through. The group launched ballistic missiles and drones at two Saudi oil tankers on Thursday, damaging both vessels and igniting fires onboard. Brent crude surged nearly $20 per barrel, briefly climbing above $100.
#brent #september
Brent crude for September delivery fell 4.4% to trade at $96.36 per barrel at 1.35 pm ET while WTI crude for September delivery was down 3.6% to change hands at $88.86/bbl.
However, Standard Chartered says the latest pullback may prove temporary as Middle East oil market risk has expanded from one strategic chokepoint to two.
On Monday, Yemen's Houthi militant group imposed a targeted maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, threatening to enforce it by blocking Saudi-linked vessels from transiting the vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The group claimed the blockade was a direct retaliation for a decade-long Saudi containment of Yemen as well as a recent Saudi-backed airstrike targeting Sanaa International Airport.
The threat immediately rattled oil markets, prompting multiple Saudi-linked very large crude carriers (VLCCs) to abandon planned transits through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and instead reroute around Africa's Cape of Good Hope, adding up to two weeks to each voyage. Two days later, the Houthis followed through. The group launched ballistic missiles and drones at two Saudi oil tankers on Thursday, damaging both vessels and igniting fires onboard. Brent crude surged nearly $20 per barrel, briefly climbing above $100.
#brent #september
15 hours ago
'Briu' is a Cape Verdean Creole word that can mean grit, determination, drive, focus or energy. That's how national team forward Sandra Soares-Martins describes the mood in camp as her side prepares for its first-ever WAFCON match.
But such is the rise of the country's national teams as a whole within the past decade, 'briu' could be used to describe the Cape Verdean Football Federation.
While the men's side were making history competing in a first-ever senior World Cup, the women's team were busy putting the final touches to their preparations to create yet more history for the island nation.
The newly expanded 16-team tournament is underway in Morocco after kicking off Sunday, July 26, following a delay from March.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) expanded the tournament from 12 to 16 teams after qualification ended. Before that decision, Cape Verde secured their place in Morocco by winning two-legged ties against Guinea and Mali.
#morocco #briu #side #ever
But such is the rise of the country's national teams as a whole within the past decade, 'briu' could be used to describe the Cape Verdean Football Federation.
While the men's side were making history competing in a first-ever senior World Cup, the women's team were busy putting the final touches to their preparations to create yet more history for the island nation.
The newly expanded 16-team tournament is underway in Morocco after kicking off Sunday, July 26, following a delay from March.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) expanded the tournament from 12 to 16 teams after qualification ended. Before that decision, Cape Verde secured their place in Morocco by winning two-legged ties against Guinea and Mali.
#morocco #briu #side #ever
15 hours ago
After Leon Goretzka's departure, questions were raised over who would take his spot in the midfield. Following an impressive season on loan at Hannover, many thought Noël Aséko Nkili would be the man for the job. However, the 20-year-old midfielder was sold to Eintracht Frankfurt — leaving many scratching their heads.
It seems as though Bayern had Goretzka's replacement lined up since the start of the year.
Bara Sapoko Ndiaye impressed in his cameo appearances towards the end of Bayern's season. So much so that Die Rekordmeister decided to sign the 18-year-old talent from Gambian academy Gambino Stars Africa permanently.
Bayern Munich Sporting Director Christoph Freund confirmed the signing on Saturday, reports two days later confirming that Ndiaye signed a five-year contract.
Now according to Florian Plettenberg (as captured by iMiaSanMia), we know how much Bayern paid for Ndiaye.
#much
It seems as though Bayern had Goretzka's replacement lined up since the start of the year.
Bara Sapoko Ndiaye impressed in his cameo appearances towards the end of Bayern's season. So much so that Die Rekordmeister decided to sign the 18-year-old talent from Gambian academy Gambino Stars Africa permanently.
Bayern Munich Sporting Director Christoph Freund confirmed the signing on Saturday, reports two days later confirming that Ndiaye signed a five-year contract.
Now according to Florian Plettenberg (as captured by iMiaSanMia), we know how much Bayern paid for Ndiaye.
#much
3 days ago
The inclusive nature of the Commonwealth Games' integrated schedule is helping to change African attitudes towards disability, according to some of the continent's leading para-athletes.
Unlike the Paralympics there is no separate event for para-sports at the Games, meaning medals won by disabled and non-disabled competitors contribute equally to a nation's tally.
The process began in Manchester in 2002, helping to make it the first fully inclusive international multi-sport Games, with para events taking place during the same sessions as non-disabled ones.
"Sport really is a huge pusher for change," swimmer Husnah Kukundakwe, who is Uganda's team captain in Glasgow, told BBC World Service.
"It shows that para-swimming or para-sport just deserves the same kind of recognition, funding, sponsoring."
#inclusive
Unlike the Paralympics there is no separate event for para-sports at the Games, meaning medals won by disabled and non-disabled competitors contribute equally to a nation's tally.
The process began in Manchester in 2002, helping to make it the first fully inclusive international multi-sport Games, with para events taking place during the same sessions as non-disabled ones.
"Sport really is a huge pusher for change," swimmer Husnah Kukundakwe, who is Uganda's team captain in Glasgow, told BBC World Service.
"It shows that para-swimming or para-sport just deserves the same kind of recognition, funding, sponsoring."
#inclusive
3 days ago
The Bayern Munich women's team is back! The FC Bayern Frauen are currently in ****** an on their Allianz Women's Tour. As part of the tour, they will play against ****** anese first division side RB Ōmiya Ardija on Saturday for the first friendly of the season.
FCBayern.com has the details and match preview. The Bavarians will be without Giulia Gwinn, Vanessa Gilles, Sarah Zadrazil, Lena Oberdorf, Sophie Proost, and Anna Klink. Additionally, Bernadette Amani is captaining Ivory Coast at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations.
Head coach José Barcala made special mention of Bayern's ****** anese international Momoko Tanikawa in his pre-game comments: "Our visit is making us realize even more why Momoko is such a great person and great player. It's very enriching to get to know her culture and be here together with her.
"It's also great to see how welcome we are and how smoothly everything's going because the people are so helpful. Tomorrow's friendly against RB Ōmiya Ardija is a very good opportunity for us to keep working on our objectives. We're looking forward to the match and our first test."
Kickoff will be at 4:00 AM EDT, with the match available on FC Bayern TV Plus. You can follow along with more photos and updates from the Allianz Women's Tour at the FC Bayern blog.
#allianz #ardija
FCBayern.com has the details and match preview. The Bavarians will be without Giulia Gwinn, Vanessa Gilles, Sarah Zadrazil, Lena Oberdorf, Sophie Proost, and Anna Klink. Additionally, Bernadette Amani is captaining Ivory Coast at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations.
Head coach José Barcala made special mention of Bayern's ****** anese international Momoko Tanikawa in his pre-game comments: "Our visit is making us realize even more why Momoko is such a great person and great player. It's very enriching to get to know her culture and be here together with her.
"It's also great to see how welcome we are and how smoothly everything's going because the people are so helpful. Tomorrow's friendly against RB Ōmiya Ardija is a very good opportunity for us to keep working on our objectives. We're looking forward to the match and our first test."
Kickoff will be at 4:00 AM EDT, with the match available on FC Bayern TV Plus. You can follow along with more photos and updates from the Allianz Women's Tour at the FC Bayern blog.
#allianz #ardija
4 days ago
Barcelona have confirmed they will take on Al Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy ahead of the start of the 2026-27 campaign.
The Catalans will face the Egyptian side at the Camp Nou on Wednesday 19 August at 8.00pm local time in the club's traditional curtain-raiser.
Al Ahly will become the first Egyptian club – and the first African side – to take part in the Joan Gamper Trophy but have faced Barcelona before.
The two sides first played in a friendly in 1961 and then met again in 2007 as part of Al Ahly's centenary celebrations.
The game comes after Barcelona's pre-season trip to England for a training camp and pre-season friendly against Birmingham City.
#Barcelona #ahly
The Catalans will face the Egyptian side at the Camp Nou on Wednesday 19 August at 8.00pm local time in the club's traditional curtain-raiser.
Al Ahly will become the first Egyptian club – and the first African side – to take part in the Joan Gamper Trophy but have faced Barcelona before.
The two sides first played in a friendly in 1961 and then met again in 2007 as part of Al Ahly's centenary celebrations.
The game comes after Barcelona's pre-season trip to England for a training camp and pre-season friendly against Birmingham City.
#Barcelona #ahly
4 days ago
Jersey's Filip Nowacki won his heat to make the semi-finals of the 100m ******* troke at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The world junior champion came back over the final 10 metres to overtake South Africa's Michael Houlie and clock a time of 59.93 - 0.21 ahead of Houlie.
The time saw the Jerseyman qualify third-fastest for the Friday night's semi-finals behind former Olympic champion Adam Ramsay-Peaty and Australia's Sam Williamson.
Nowacki is aiming to become the first person representing Jersey to win a Commonwealth Games medal since 1990.
He was the only Jersey swimmer to progress out of the heats as Megan Hansford finished fifth in her two heats.
#games #houlie #semi #heats
The world junior champion came back over the final 10 metres to overtake South Africa's Michael Houlie and clock a time of 59.93 - 0.21 ahead of Houlie.
The time saw the Jerseyman qualify third-fastest for the Friday night's semi-finals behind former Olympic champion Adam Ramsay-Peaty and Australia's Sam Williamson.
Nowacki is aiming to become the first person representing Jersey to win a Commonwealth Games medal since 1990.
He was the only Jersey swimmer to progress out of the heats as Megan Hansford finished fifth in her two heats.
#games #houlie #semi #heats
4 days ago
Jersey's Filip Nowacki won his heat to make the semi-finals of the 100m ******* troke at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The world junior champion came back over the final 10 metres to overtake South Africa's Michael Houlie and clock a time of 59.93 - 0.21 ahead of Houlie.
The time saw the Jerseyman qualify third-fastest for the Friday night's semi-finals behind former Olympic champion Adam Peaty and Australia's Sam Williamson.
Nowacki is aiming to become the first person representing Jersey to win a Commonwealth Games medal since 1990.
He was the only Jersey swimmer to progress out of the heats as Megan Hansford finished fifth in her two heats.
#houlie #semi
The world junior champion came back over the final 10 metres to overtake South Africa's Michael Houlie and clock a time of 59.93 - 0.21 ahead of Houlie.
The time saw the Jerseyman qualify third-fastest for the Friday night's semi-finals behind former Olympic champion Adam Peaty and Australia's Sam Williamson.
Nowacki is aiming to become the first person representing Jersey to win a Commonwealth Games medal since 1990.
He was the only Jersey swimmer to progress out of the heats as Megan Hansford finished fifth in her two heats.
#houlie #semi
4 days ago
African countries must open up their power markets in order to court the private investors needed to supply the electricity that AI will demand, a data center executive told Semafor, as a new report warned the continent risks seeing little economic benefit from the technology.
Africa's economy is barely expanding on a per capita basis, and household living standards are stagnant across the continent. With the labor force projected to almost double by 2050, many African governments fear growing unemployment in the next few years. AI, as in other parts of the world, offers an opportunity to drive economic growth. But Africa only hosts about 160 data centers — around 5.5% of the global total — and aging grids in many African countries mean access to power, the key driver of AI infrastructure expansion, is limited.
In Africa, independent power producers typically sell electricity to state utilities under long‑term power purchase agreements. But private‑to‑private supply — in which a private generator sells directly to an industrial or commercial buyer using the grid, a practice that is commonplace across the West — remains rare on the continent.
In an interview, Robert Skjødt, CEO of Raxio, a data center company that operates in six African countries, said that in many nations, regulatory reform was needed to "allow a private supplier of electricity to supply to a private buyer" while using the grid.
The potential upside is significant: The International Monetary Fund, in a paper published on Tuesday, said AI could make sub-Saharan Africa's economy around 4% bigger over the next decade than its baseline projection — but that requires better electricity supply, internet access, and digital skills. Policymakers and business leaders have long warned that Africa's power shortfall in particular, if left unaddressed, would starve energy-hungry data centers of the electricity needed to digitize economies.
#private #african #needed #many
Africa's economy is barely expanding on a per capita basis, and household living standards are stagnant across the continent. With the labor force projected to almost double by 2050, many African governments fear growing unemployment in the next few years. AI, as in other parts of the world, offers an opportunity to drive economic growth. But Africa only hosts about 160 data centers — around 5.5% of the global total — and aging grids in many African countries mean access to power, the key driver of AI infrastructure expansion, is limited.
In Africa, independent power producers typically sell electricity to state utilities under long‑term power purchase agreements. But private‑to‑private supply — in which a private generator sells directly to an industrial or commercial buyer using the grid, a practice that is commonplace across the West — remains rare on the continent.
In an interview, Robert Skjødt, CEO of Raxio, a data center company that operates in six African countries, said that in many nations, regulatory reform was needed to "allow a private supplier of electricity to supply to a private buyer" while using the grid.
The potential upside is significant: The International Monetary Fund, in a paper published on Tuesday, said AI could make sub-Saharan Africa's economy around 4% bigger over the next decade than its baseline projection — but that requires better electricity supply, internet access, and digital skills. Policymakers and business leaders have long warned that Africa's power shortfall in particular, if left unaddressed, would starve energy-hungry data centers of the electricity needed to digitize economies.
#private #african #needed #many
5 days ago
In 1955, Sunderland embarked on an international tour for the first time since the pre-Second World War trip to Spain in 1935.
The North American tour was scheduled to last just under a month and would include nine matches in all, with four against Huddersfield Town, as well as games against Nuremberg, the Montreal All-Stars, the American Soccer League All-Stars and Philadelphia Uhrik Truckers. The venues included Ebbets Field, the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team, as well as stadiums in New York and Detroit in the USA, while Montreal, Winnipeg and Toronto made up the Canadian venues.
As the tour drew to a close on this day 69 years ago, Sunderland were preparing to take on Huddersfield for the fourth and final time. Having beaten them 3 – 2 in New York just under a month earlier, and drawn the other two meetings, Sunderland were looking for the victory that would categorically give them the bragging rights in the four-game series over their fellow First Division rivals.
Detroit was bathed in a searing 86-degree heat as a crowd of more than 7,000 gathered to watch two teams weakened by injury. Huddersfield were without Glazzard, while Sunderland were missing South African Ted Purdon and Ken Chisholm, who had both been amongst the goals.
The game had a little extra spice added even before kick-off. The two sides had played each other the previous day in Toronto in what turned out to be a fiercely competitive encounter.
#american #montreal
The North American tour was scheduled to last just under a month and would include nine matches in all, with four against Huddersfield Town, as well as games against Nuremberg, the Montreal All-Stars, the American Soccer League All-Stars and Philadelphia Uhrik Truckers. The venues included Ebbets Field, the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team, as well as stadiums in New York and Detroit in the USA, while Montreal, Winnipeg and Toronto made up the Canadian venues.
As the tour drew to a close on this day 69 years ago, Sunderland were preparing to take on Huddersfield for the fourth and final time. Having beaten them 3 – 2 in New York just under a month earlier, and drawn the other two meetings, Sunderland were looking for the victory that would categorically give them the bragging rights in the four-game series over their fellow First Division rivals.
Detroit was bathed in a searing 86-degree heat as a crowd of more than 7,000 gathered to watch two teams weakened by injury. Huddersfield were without Glazzard, while Sunderland were missing South African Ted Purdon and Ken Chisholm, who had both been amongst the goals.
The game had a little extra spice added even before kick-off. The two sides had played each other the previous day in Toronto in what turned out to be a fiercely competitive encounter.
#american #montreal
5 days ago
Africa went against the grain of falling global beer production in 2025, data compiled by major hop supplier BarthHaas shows.
In a report issued by BarthHaas yesterday (21 July), BarthHaas said output fell 0.7% last year to just below 1.9bn hectolitres.
Production in each of Europe, the Americas, Asia and Oceania declined in 2025, although more beer was brewed in Africa, BarthHaas said.
Output in Africa, boosted by production in South Africa, grew 2.6% to 166.7 million hectolitres (mhl).
The picture across the Americas was mixed, with output in North America down 1.9% but rising in Central and South America by 1.3% and 1.7% respectively, the data showed.
#output
In a report issued by BarthHaas yesterday (21 July), BarthHaas said output fell 0.7% last year to just below 1.9bn hectolitres.
Production in each of Europe, the Americas, Asia and Oceania declined in 2025, although more beer was brewed in Africa, BarthHaas said.
Output in Africa, boosted by production in South Africa, grew 2.6% to 166.7 million hectolitres (mhl).
The picture across the Americas was mixed, with output in North America down 1.9% but rising in Central and South America by 1.3% and 1.7% respectively, the data showed.
#output
5 days ago
Upslope Capital Management, an investment management company, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Upslope aims to provide attractive, equity-like returns while reducing market risk and keeping low correlation with traditional equity strategies. The portfolio tailed in the speculative mania environment as investors broadly avoided boring, cash-flowing, non-AI stocks. The Fund returned -6.6% (net) in Q2 compared to +14.3% return for the S&P Midcap 400 ETF (MDY) and +10.3% gain for the HFRX Equity Hedge Index. In addition, you can check the Fund's top five holdings to determine its best picks for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Upslope Capital Management highlighted The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC). The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) is a Netherlands-based ice cream company that offers products under the Magnum, Ben & Jerry's, Cornetto, and Wall's brands. On July 21, 2026, The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) closed at $17.88 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $10.96 billion. The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) posted a one-month return of 4.99%, and YTD its shares gained 12.81%.
Upslope Capital Management stated the following regarding The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC): Magnum is a pure-play global ice cream company spun out of Unilever at the end of 2025. It is by far the largest ice cream company in the world (~21% share) with almost double the market share of the #2 player, Froneri (private). Beyond Magnum and Froneri, the largest players hold 2% share at most. Magnum and Froneri are rare for their exclusive focus on ice cream. Key brands owned by Magnum include Ben & Jerry's, Breyer's, Cornetto, Wall's, and of course the flagship Magnum brand. Geographically, Magnum's sales are balanced by region, with nearly 40% each in the Americas and Europe/ANZ, and 25% in Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Emerging Markets are a key growth driver, contributing ~30% of sales.
Magnum initially came on to Upslope's radar as I reviewed out-of-favor consumer staples businesses but sought those with manageable GLP-1 risks due to lower U.S. sales concentration (Magnum is ~25% U.S.). Upslope's key thesis points for Magnum include the following: Dominant, defensive business with significant competitive advantages stemming from ownership of leading global brands (4 of top 5) and complex global frozen supply chain network…" (Click here to read the full text)
#company #management #Share
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Upslope Capital Management highlighted The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC). The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) is a Netherlands-based ice cream company that offers products under the Magnum, Ben & Jerry's, Cornetto, and Wall's brands. On July 21, 2026, The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) closed at $17.88 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $10.96 billion. The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) posted a one-month return of 4.99%, and YTD its shares gained 12.81%.
Upslope Capital Management stated the following regarding The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC): Magnum is a pure-play global ice cream company spun out of Unilever at the end of 2025. It is by far the largest ice cream company in the world (~21% share) with almost double the market share of the #2 player, Froneri (private). Beyond Magnum and Froneri, the largest players hold 2% share at most. Magnum and Froneri are rare for their exclusive focus on ice cream. Key brands owned by Magnum include Ben & Jerry's, Breyer's, Cornetto, Wall's, and of course the flagship Magnum brand. Geographically, Magnum's sales are balanced by region, with nearly 40% each in the Americas and Europe/ANZ, and 25% in Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Emerging Markets are a key growth driver, contributing ~30% of sales.
Magnum initially came on to Upslope's radar as I reviewed out-of-favor consumer staples businesses but sought those with manageable GLP-1 risks due to lower U.S. sales concentration (Magnum is ~25% U.S.). Upslope's key thesis points for Magnum include the following: Dominant, defensive business with significant competitive advantages stemming from ownership of leading global brands (4 of top 5) and complex global frozen supply chain network…" (Click here to read the full text)
#company #management #Share
5 days ago
Hangin' em up?
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight kingpin Kamaru Usman suffered a lopsided unanimous decision loss to former Middleweight roost-ruler Dricus du Plessis in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City last weekend (Sat., July 18, 2026) inside Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
While Usman had a strong fifth round, the former Welterweight champion was not very competitive with Du Plessis for most of the fight. He was rocked several times, struggled to close distance and was unable to consistently take the South African down to implement his wrestling game.
As it turns out, there may have been a pretty significant reason for that.
Usman was apparently compromised.
#plessis
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight kingpin Kamaru Usman suffered a lopsided unanimous decision loss to former Middleweight roost-ruler Dricus du Plessis in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City last weekend (Sat., July 18, 2026) inside Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
While Usman had a strong fifth round, the former Welterweight champion was not very competitive with Du Plessis for most of the fight. He was rocked several times, struggled to close distance and was unable to consistently take the South African down to implement his wrestling game.
As it turns out, there may have been a pretty significant reason for that.
Usman was apparently compromised.
#plessis
5 days ago
King Charles III, the Loch Ness Monster and thousands of athletes and Para-athletes took centre stage as the 2026 Commonwealth Games officially began with the opening ceremony.
King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived into Glasgow's Hydro Arena in Doctor Who's Tardis – a reference to the blue police boxes seen around the city.
After taking their seats alongside new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who was attending his first major engagement since replacing Sir Keir Starmer, athletes from the 74 competing nations and territories entered the arena.
Those from Botswana were the first to emerge, with athletes dressed in the colours of their nations, including Ghana's red, green, yellow and black stripes, South Africa in Springbok-style rugby jerseys, and Barbados in blue and yellow combined with tartan scarves.
One of the louder cheers came for the Falklands Islands – in the news recently following Argentina's victory over England in the football World Cup semi-finals – and another followed when the Samoa team emerged and performed a haka in front of the dignitaries in the Royal Box.
#athletes #king #charles #loch
King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived into Glasgow's Hydro Arena in Doctor Who's Tardis – a reference to the blue police boxes seen around the city.
After taking their seats alongside new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who was attending his first major engagement since replacing Sir Keir Starmer, athletes from the 74 competing nations and territories entered the arena.
Those from Botswana were the first to emerge, with athletes dressed in the colours of their nations, including Ghana's red, green, yellow and black stripes, South Africa in Springbok-style rugby jerseys, and Barbados in blue and yellow combined with tartan scarves.
One of the louder cheers came for the Falklands Islands – in the news recently following Argentina's victory over England in the football World Cup semi-finals – and another followed when the Samoa team emerged and performed a haka in front of the dignitaries in the Royal Box.
#athletes #king #charles #loch
5 days ago
When India begin their three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday, the spotlight will not only be on the result but also on the fresh faces hoping to begin their international journeys.
Over the years, tours of Zimbabwe have evolved into India's preferred platform for testing emerging talent in the shortest format. Rather than fielding full-strength squads, the BCCI has consistently used these bilateral series to reward standout domestic and IPL performers with their maiden T20I caps.
The numbers underline that trend. A total of 22 Indian men's cricketers have made their T20I debuts against Zimbabwe, making the African nation one of India's most frequent proving grounds for future stars.
India's tradition of handing out debuts in Zimbabwe dates back to 2010. During the two-match T20I series, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Naman Ojha all made their debuts in the opening game as India secured a comfortable six-wicket win. Kohli remained unbeaten on 26, Ashwin impressed with figures of 1/22, while Ojha managed two runs. In the following match, Amit Mishra became the fourth debutant of the series and returned figures of 1/21.
That tour also marked another milestone, with Suresh Raina captaining India in T20Is for the first time.
Five years later, India again arrived in Zimbabwe with a youthful squad. The 2015 series featured first T20I caps for Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Stuart Binny, Axar Patel and Sandeep Sharma in the opening game, while Sanju Samson debuted in the second T20I.
Although several batters endured modest starts, Axar Patel stood out with an impressive spell of 3/17. Manish Pandey scored 19, Kedar Jadhav made 9, Stuart Binny contributed 11 and Sandeep Sharma went wicketless. Samson scored 19 off 24 ****** in his maiden appearance.
The same tour also witnessed Ajinkya Rahane making his captaincy debut in both ODIs and T20Is.
India continued the trend in 2016, handing opportunities to another crop of newcomers. KL Rahul, Mandeep Singh, Jaydev Unadkat, Rishi Dhawan and Yuzvendra Chahal all made their T20I debuts in the opening match. It proved a difficult initiation for several players as Zimbabwe posted 170/6. Unadkat, Dhawan and Chahal all endured expensive spells, while Rahul was dismissed for a first-ball duck. Mandeep Singh provided one of the few positives with 31 off 27 ****** , although India lost the match by two runs.
The second T20I brought more debutants. Barinder Sran enjoyed a dream start to his international career, producing figures of 4/10, which remain the best bowling figures by an Indian on T20I debut. Dhawal Kulkarni also debuted in that match and claimed 1/32.
India once again used the Zimbabwe tour in 2024 to blood a fresh batch of youngsters. Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel made their T20I debuts in the opening match of the five-game series. Sai Sudharsan was handed his maiden cap in the second T20I, while Tushar Deshpande made his de
Over the years, tours of Zimbabwe have evolved into India's preferred platform for testing emerging talent in the shortest format. Rather than fielding full-strength squads, the BCCI has consistently used these bilateral series to reward standout domestic and IPL performers with their maiden T20I caps.
The numbers underline that trend. A total of 22 Indian men's cricketers have made their T20I debuts against Zimbabwe, making the African nation one of India's most frequent proving grounds for future stars.
India's tradition of handing out debuts in Zimbabwe dates back to 2010. During the two-match T20I series, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Naman Ojha all made their debuts in the opening game as India secured a comfortable six-wicket win. Kohli remained unbeaten on 26, Ashwin impressed with figures of 1/22, while Ojha managed two runs. In the following match, Amit Mishra became the fourth debutant of the series and returned figures of 1/21.
That tour also marked another milestone, with Suresh Raina captaining India in T20Is for the first time.
Five years later, India again arrived in Zimbabwe with a youthful squad. The 2015 series featured first T20I caps for Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Stuart Binny, Axar Patel and Sandeep Sharma in the opening game, while Sanju Samson debuted in the second T20I.
Although several batters endured modest starts, Axar Patel stood out with an impressive spell of 3/17. Manish Pandey scored 19, Kedar Jadhav made 9, Stuart Binny contributed 11 and Sandeep Sharma went wicketless. Samson scored 19 off 24 ****** in his maiden appearance.
The same tour also witnessed Ajinkya Rahane making his captaincy debut in both ODIs and T20Is.
India continued the trend in 2016, handing opportunities to another crop of newcomers. KL Rahul, Mandeep Singh, Jaydev Unadkat, Rishi Dhawan and Yuzvendra Chahal all made their T20I debuts in the opening match. It proved a difficult initiation for several players as Zimbabwe posted 170/6. Unadkat, Dhawan and Chahal all endured expensive spells, while Rahul was dismissed for a first-ball duck. Mandeep Singh provided one of the few positives with 31 off 27 ****** , although India lost the match by two runs.
The second T20I brought more debutants. Barinder Sran enjoyed a dream start to his international career, producing figures of 4/10, which remain the best bowling figures by an Indian on T20I debut. Dhawal Kulkarni also debuted in that match and claimed 1/32.
India once again used the Zimbabwe tour in 2024 to blood a fresh batch of youngsters. Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel made their T20I debuts in the opening match of the five-game series. Sai Sudharsan was handed his maiden cap in the second T20I, while Tushar Deshpande made his de
5 days ago
When the Youth Olympics begin in Senegal in 100 days' time, it will mark a first on African soil.
For all the global icons and champions the continent has provided across events such as athletics, football and boxing, it has never hosted an Olympic competition.
Dakar 2026, which gets under way on 31 October, is set to change that.
"It is monumental," International Olympic Committee (IOC) official Christophe Dubi told BBC Sport Africa.
"Africa has hosted many international competitions, but this is the first time we have anything labelled with the Olympic rings.
#africa #Youth
For all the global icons and champions the continent has provided across events such as athletics, football and boxing, it has never hosted an Olympic competition.
Dakar 2026, which gets under way on 31 October, is set to change that.
"It is monumental," International Olympic Committee (IOC) official Christophe Dubi told BBC Sport Africa.
"Africa has hosted many international competitions, but this is the first time we have anything labelled with the Olympic rings.
#africa #Youth
5 days ago
Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, the BCCI and some of its office-bearers received major relief after the Appellate Tribunal under SAFEMA set aside a key Enforcement Directorate (ED) penalty in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) case linked to the 2009 Indian Premier League in South Africa.
The case stemmed from the IPL’s relocation to South Africa due to India’s general elections in 2009. The ED had alleged that overseas remittances of around 243 crore ($49.86 million) made to Cricket South Africa for hosting the tournament violated FEMA provisions.
However, a division bench comprising chairman Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and member Rajesh Malhotra ruled that the payments were legitimate operational expenses and qualified as current account transactions, which did not require prior approval from the Reserve Bank of India. The judgment was delivered on July 16.
In its order, the tribunal described Modi as the “chief architect” behind the organisation of IPL-2 in South Africa and held that there was no material to show he was responsible for BCCI’s statutory FEMA compliance. It termed the penalty imposed on him “wholly erroneous” and set it aside.
Welcoming the verdict, Modi said: “The Tribunal has rejected the central premise on which the Enforcement Directorate’s case against me had been built. It held that the principal foreign remittances relating to IPL 2009 in South Africa were current account transactions, not capital account transactions.”
Calling the ruling a vindication after a prolonged legal battle, Modi added: “For over 16 years I have consistently maintained that I acted in good faith, in the best interests of Indian cricket and the IPL, and committed no personal wrongdoing.”
The tribunal also granted relief to the BCCI and State Bank of India, overturning most of the ED’s 2018 penalty order while retaining only minor fines on the BCCI for administrative delays.
#tribunal #penalty #account
The case stemmed from the IPL’s relocation to South Africa due to India’s general elections in 2009. The ED had alleged that overseas remittances of around 243 crore ($49.86 million) made to Cricket South Africa for hosting the tournament violated FEMA provisions.
However, a division bench comprising chairman Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and member Rajesh Malhotra ruled that the payments were legitimate operational expenses and qualified as current account transactions, which did not require prior approval from the Reserve Bank of India. The judgment was delivered on July 16.
In its order, the tribunal described Modi as the “chief architect” behind the organisation of IPL-2 in South Africa and held that there was no material to show he was responsible for BCCI’s statutory FEMA compliance. It termed the penalty imposed on him “wholly erroneous” and set it aside.
Welcoming the verdict, Modi said: “The Tribunal has rejected the central premise on which the Enforcement Directorate’s case against me had been built. It held that the principal foreign remittances relating to IPL 2009 in South Africa were current account transactions, not capital account transactions.”
Calling the ruling a vindication after a prolonged legal battle, Modi added: “For over 16 years I have consistently maintained that I acted in good faith, in the best interests of Indian cricket and the IPL, and committed no personal wrongdoing.”
The tribunal also granted relief to the BCCI and State Bank of India, overturning most of the ED’s 2018 penalty order while retaining only minor fines on the BCCI for administrative delays.
#tribunal #penalty #account
5 days ago
ETF.com President & Director of Research Dave Nadig grabbed some time with John Montgomery, Founder, CEO, and PM at Bridgeway Capital Management, while at the 2026 ICI ETF Conference. Their discussion covered everything from contrarian investing and walking the talk to the company's 50% donation of profits to charities since its inception in the early '90s.
John Montgomery has been running Bridgeway for over three decades, with a simple pitch: deep quantitative research, a focus on smaller, less-liquid stocks that bigger competitors can't touch, and a lean team where everyone knows everyone. But the real differentiator isn't the strategy but instead the why. Bridgeway funnels a share of its profits into a foundation focused on ending genocide and preventing war atrocities, working in sub-Saharan Africa and Ukraine. It's not a marketing gimmick either but instead is baked into the culture from the board room down.
The firm's move from mutual funds to ETFs is its own case study in doing things the hard way for the right reasons. Rather than sidestep the pain with a cheaper clone or share-class workaround, Bridgeway fully converted several strategies, eating short-term costs for long-term tax efficiency and lower fees. Montgomery's philosophy is if a painful transition is coming, do it early and don't wait until you're the last holdout. However, Bridgeway isn't trying to be a trailblazer either in that regard, instead waiting for at least some of the infrastructure to get built by others and jumping in once the operational kinks are worked out.
On the investing side, Montgomery's contrarian streak runs deep. His family literally trims their own personal budget to buy more stock when markets crash, putting the buy low, sell high mentality into practice. That mindset shows up in Bridgeway's small-cap value strategy, which stays disciplined even when the category falls out of favor, helped by a long partnership with Focus Partners Wealth that rebalances into the strategy precisely when everyone else is fleeing it. It's a countercyclical approach that sounds obvious on paper and is brutally hard to live by in practice. It's also the perfect case study for exactly why people need financial advisors in the first place.
Permalink | © Copyright 2026 etf.com. All rights reserved
#bridgeway #everyone #strategy #montgomery
John Montgomery has been running Bridgeway for over three decades, with a simple pitch: deep quantitative research, a focus on smaller, less-liquid stocks that bigger competitors can't touch, and a lean team where everyone knows everyone. But the real differentiator isn't the strategy but instead the why. Bridgeway funnels a share of its profits into a foundation focused on ending genocide and preventing war atrocities, working in sub-Saharan Africa and Ukraine. It's not a marketing gimmick either but instead is baked into the culture from the board room down.
The firm's move from mutual funds to ETFs is its own case study in doing things the hard way for the right reasons. Rather than sidestep the pain with a cheaper clone or share-class workaround, Bridgeway fully converted several strategies, eating short-term costs for long-term tax efficiency and lower fees. Montgomery's philosophy is if a painful transition is coming, do it early and don't wait until you're the last holdout. However, Bridgeway isn't trying to be a trailblazer either in that regard, instead waiting for at least some of the infrastructure to get built by others and jumping in once the operational kinks are worked out.
On the investing side, Montgomery's contrarian streak runs deep. His family literally trims their own personal budget to buy more stock when markets crash, putting the buy low, sell high mentality into practice. That mindset shows up in Bridgeway's small-cap value strategy, which stays disciplined even when the category falls out of favor, helped by a long partnership with Focus Partners Wealth that rebalances into the strategy precisely when everyone else is fleeing it. It's a countercyclical approach that sounds obvious on paper and is brutally hard to live by in practice. It's also the perfect case study for exactly why people need financial advisors in the first place.
Permalink | © Copyright 2026 etf.com. All rights reserved
#bridgeway #everyone #strategy #montgomery
6 days ago
India begin their three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday, arriving with a run of six consecutive defeats in the format hanging over them.
The reigning T20 World Cup champions have not won a match in the shortest format since March, and a heavily rotated squad featuring Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and several uncapped players will look to end that streak in familiar surroundings.
Harare Sports Club is one of the most established venues in African cricket, having hosted international matches since 1992 and staged a run of **** ociate fixtures during the 2025 T20 World Cup qualifying cycle.
As both sides prepare for the opener, the record books at the venue make for fascinating reading.
#match
The reigning T20 World Cup champions have not won a match in the shortest format since March, and a heavily rotated squad featuring Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and several uncapped players will look to end that streak in familiar surroundings.
Harare Sports Club is one of the most established venues in African cricket, having hosted international matches since 1992 and staged a run of **** ociate fixtures during the 2025 T20 World Cup qualifying cycle.
As both sides prepare for the opener, the record books at the venue make for fascinating reading.
#match
6 days ago
Global hunger declined for the third consecutive year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 report.
The new report estimates that 7.8 percent of the world's people were undernourished in 2025.
FAO
The FAO report notes that less than 2.5 percent of people living in the U.S., Canada, Eastern Asia, and Europe are undernourished. Therefore, its calculations chiefly encompass the extent of hunger in developing countries in Africa, Latin America, and the rest of Asia.
Armed conflict and violence remain the primary drivers of acute food insecurity in 12 out of 13 hunger hotspots identified by the World Food Programme and the FAO.
#report #global
The new report estimates that 7.8 percent of the world's people were undernourished in 2025.
FAO
The FAO report notes that less than 2.5 percent of people living in the U.S., Canada, Eastern Asia, and Europe are undernourished. Therefore, its calculations chiefly encompass the extent of hunger in developing countries in Africa, Latin America, and the rest of Asia.
Armed conflict and violence remain the primary drivers of acute food insecurity in 12 out of 13 hunger hotspots identified by the World Food Programme and the FAO.
#report #global
6 days ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department has informed Congress that it plans to move ahead with the potential reopening of the U.S. Embassy in Libya, proposing to allocate nearly $41 million to restore America's formal diplomatic presence in the North African nation after a near 14-year absence.
The department told lawmakers on Monday that the money would cover "a range of security-related activities ***** ociated with plans for the potential phased resumption of embassy operations in Libya," according to a copy of the notification obtained by The ***** ociated Press.
The move to reopen the embassy "is essential to advancing U.S. national security interests," it said. "The United States must remain engaged in regions where near-peer competitors and other adversarial actors are actively expanding their influence."
"Libya's strategic location on the Mediterranean and its role in regional security, energy markets, and migration flows make it vital to U.S. interests," it said. "The country's instability has drawn increased involvement from near-peer competitors, notably Russia, which threatens U.S. and allied objectives in North Africa."
Libyan officials representing both the western and eastern regions of the country that have been in conflict for more than a decade have recently met with top Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the senior adviser for Africa, Massad Boulos.
#africa #associated
The department told lawmakers on Monday that the money would cover "a range of security-related activities ***** ociated with plans for the potential phased resumption of embassy operations in Libya," according to a copy of the notification obtained by The ***** ociated Press.
The move to reopen the embassy "is essential to advancing U.S. national security interests," it said. "The United States must remain engaged in regions where near-peer competitors and other adversarial actors are actively expanding their influence."
"Libya's strategic location on the Mediterranean and its role in regional security, energy markets, and migration flows make it vital to U.S. interests," it said. "The country's instability has drawn increased involvement from near-peer competitors, notably Russia, which threatens U.S. and allied objectives in North Africa."
Libyan officials representing both the western and eastern regions of the country that have been in conflict for more than a decade have recently met with top Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the senior adviser for Africa, Massad Boulos.
#africa #associated
6 days ago
Upslope Capital Management, an investment management company, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Upslope aims to provide attractive, equity-like returns while reducing market risk and keeping low correlation with traditional equity strategies. The portfolio tailed in the speculative mania environment as investors broadly avoided boring, cash-flowing, non-AI stocks. The Fund returned -6.6% (net) in Q2 compared to +14.3% return for the S&P Midcap 400 ETF (MDY) and +10.3% gain for the HFRX Equity Hedge Index. In addition, you can check the Fund's top five holdings to determine its best picks for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Upslope Capital Management highlighted The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC). The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) is a Netherlands-based ice cream company that offers products under the Magnum, Ben & Jerry's, Cornetto, and Wall's brands. On July 21, 2026, The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) closed at $17.88 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $10.96 billion. The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) posted a one-month return of 4.99%, and YTD its shares gained 12.81%.
Upslope Capital Management stated the following regarding The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC): Magnum is a pure-play global ice cream company spun out of Unilever at the end of 2025. It is by far the largest ice cream company in the world (~21% share) with almost double the market share of the #2 player, Froneri (private). Beyond Magnum and Froneri, the largest players hold 2% share at most. Magnum and Froneri are rare for their exclusive focus on ice cream. Key brands owned by Magnum include Ben & Jerry's, Breyer's, Cornetto, Wall's, and of course the flagship Magnum brand. Geographically, Magnum's sales are balanced by region, with nearly 40% each in the Americas and Europe/ANZ, and 25% in Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Emerging Markets are a key growth driver, contributing ~30% of sales.
Magnum initially came on to Upslope's radar as I reviewed out-of-favor consumer staples businesses but sought those with manageable GLP-1 risks due to lower U.S. sales concentration (Magnum is ~25% U.S.). Upslope's key thesis points for Magnum include the following: Dominant, defensive business with significant competitive advantages stemming from ownership of leading global brands (4 of top 5) and complex global frozen supply chain network…" (Click here to read the full text)
#magnum
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Upslope Capital Management highlighted The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC). The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) is a Netherlands-based ice cream company that offers products under the Magnum, Ben & Jerry's, Cornetto, and Wall's brands. On July 21, 2026, The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) closed at $17.88 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $10.96 billion. The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) posted a one-month return of 4.99%, and YTD its shares gained 12.81%.
Upslope Capital Management stated the following regarding The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. (NYSE:MICC): Magnum is a pure-play global ice cream company spun out of Unilever at the end of 2025. It is by far the largest ice cream company in the world (~21% share) with almost double the market share of the #2 player, Froneri (private). Beyond Magnum and Froneri, the largest players hold 2% share at most. Magnum and Froneri are rare for their exclusive focus on ice cream. Key brands owned by Magnum include Ben & Jerry's, Breyer's, Cornetto, Wall's, and of course the flagship Magnum brand. Geographically, Magnum's sales are balanced by region, with nearly 40% each in the Americas and Europe/ANZ, and 25% in Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Emerging Markets are a key growth driver, contributing ~30% of sales.
Magnum initially came on to Upslope's radar as I reviewed out-of-favor consumer staples businesses but sought those with manageable GLP-1 risks due to lower U.S. sales concentration (Magnum is ~25% U.S.). Upslope's key thesis points for Magnum include the following: Dominant, defensive business with significant competitive advantages stemming from ownership of leading global brands (4 of top 5) and complex global frozen supply chain network…" (Click here to read the full text)
#magnum
6 days ago
African football boss Patrice Motsepe offered an emphatic defence of FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday, portraying him as a devoted steward of the game and friend of the continent.
Infantino has faced growing criticism over FIFA's decision to delay a suspension for United States striker Folarin Balogun at the recently concluded World Cup, as well as the introduction of hydration breaks and the prospect of expanding the men's tournament to 64 teams.
"I like his deep love for football, deep committment for football in the world and support for Africa," Motsepe told journalists in Johannesburg.
Motsepe said the Swiss administrator "had remained loyal" to Africa and played a key role in advancing football across the continent.
"Gianni has played a pivotal role in expanding opportunities for African national teams on the global stage," he said, referring to the increase in Africa's allocation by four direct places and an additional playoff berth. The continent was represented by a record 10 teams at this year's tournament co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.
#motsepe #continent #gianni #africa
Infantino has faced growing criticism over FIFA's decision to delay a suspension for United States striker Folarin Balogun at the recently concluded World Cup, as well as the introduction of hydration breaks and the prospect of expanding the men's tournament to 64 teams.
"I like his deep love for football, deep committment for football in the world and support for Africa," Motsepe told journalists in Johannesburg.
Motsepe said the Swiss administrator "had remained loyal" to Africa and played a key role in advancing football across the continent.
"Gianni has played a pivotal role in expanding opportunities for African national teams on the global stage," he said, referring to the increase in Africa's allocation by four direct places and an additional playoff berth. The continent was represented by a record 10 teams at this year's tournament co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.
#motsepe #continent #gianni #africa
6 days ago
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl officials are celebrating 50 years of competition this year and they’re doing it in a big way.
The organization is releasing the top 50 all-time players in I-Bowl history and they’re releasing them in five-player increments. The list was voted on by a local panel of media members, including the Shreveport Times, and I-Bowl representatives.
According to the bowl, this group of 41 through 45 athletes represent the decades of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2020s.
Anderson, a native of South Africa, is regarded as one of the greatest kickers of all time — spending 23 seasons in the NFL. Kicking in the 1979 I-Bowl during Syracuse's 31-7 victory over McNeese State, Anderson had a perfect day — converting his lone field goal attempt from 40 yards and making all four of his extra point attempts. He was named first-team All-American in 1981 before being drafted in the seventh round of the 1982 NFL Draft. In his 23 seasons in the NFL, Anderson was named first-team All-Pro in 1983, made four Pro Bowl appearances and was the NFL's scoring leader in 1998. Anderson is third in NFL history for points scored (2,434), field goals made (538) and games played (353), and he is also fourth in NFL history for extra points made (820).
BIG CHANGE: Radiance Technologies I-Bowl to see leadership transition at the top
#anderson #technologies
The organization is releasing the top 50 all-time players in I-Bowl history and they’re releasing them in five-player increments. The list was voted on by a local panel of media members, including the Shreveport Times, and I-Bowl representatives.
According to the bowl, this group of 41 through 45 athletes represent the decades of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2020s.
Anderson, a native of South Africa, is regarded as one of the greatest kickers of all time — spending 23 seasons in the NFL. Kicking in the 1979 I-Bowl during Syracuse's 31-7 victory over McNeese State, Anderson had a perfect day — converting his lone field goal attempt from 40 yards and making all four of his extra point attempts. He was named first-team All-American in 1981 before being drafted in the seventh round of the 1982 NFL Draft. In his 23 seasons in the NFL, Anderson was named first-team All-Pro in 1983, made four Pro Bowl appearances and was the NFL's scoring leader in 1998. Anderson is third in NFL history for points scored (2,434), field goals made (538) and games played (353), and he is also fourth in NFL history for extra points made (820).
BIG CHANGE: Radiance Technologies I-Bowl to see leadership transition at the top
#anderson #technologies
7 days ago
Little League softball regionals 2026: Full bracket, TV schedule, scores, results for LLSWS U.S. qualifying games originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 Little League softball World Series will take place in August, but there are many deciding games to be played before then. Regional tournaments will kick off this week across the country.
Seven regionals are starting up in the coming days, with host cities ranging from San Bernardino, California, to Bristol, Connecticut. One spot has already been clinched in last week's North Carolina regional, with Johnston County beating out 2024 champions Pitt County for a guaranteed spot in the World Series bracket.
Still, there are seven more spots up for grabs in the United States. There will also be four international teams rounding out the field, representing the Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe-Africa and Latin America regions.
This is just the beginning.
#World #softball
The 2026 Little League softball World Series will take place in August, but there are many deciding games to be played before then. Regional tournaments will kick off this week across the country.
Seven regionals are starting up in the coming days, with host cities ranging from San Bernardino, California, to Bristol, Connecticut. One spot has already been clinched in last week's North Carolina regional, with Johnston County beating out 2024 champions Pitt County for a guaranteed spot in the World Series bracket.
Still, there are seven more spots up for grabs in the United States. There will also be four international teams rounding out the field, representing the Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe-Africa and Latin America regions.
This is just the beginning.
#World #softball
7 days ago
England all-rounder Jacob Bethell has been ruled out of the 2026 edition of The Hundred after sustaining a right knee injury during the recently concluded ODI series against India.
Bethell, who was retained by Birmingham Phoenix for GBP 340,000 ahead of The Hundred's inaugural player auction, had also been appointed captain for the upcoming season. However, an MRI scan conducted on Monday confirmed the extent of the injury, forcing the 22-year-old to withdraw from the tournament. He is set to begin his rehabilitation programme immediately.
The setback comes after a mixed white-ball series against India, where Bethell produced flashes of brilliance despite inconsistent returns. He struck an unbeaten 76 off 46 **** in the second T20I before finishing the ODI series with a composed 91 in the final match.
Birmingham Phoenix head coach Shane Bond admitted the franchise was disappointed to lose both its captain and one of its most influential players but stressed that Bethell's long-term recovery remains the priority.
"We're all incredibly disappointed for Jacob and gutted he won't be able to join us this year. It's frustrating to lose a player of his quality, not least your captain, this close to the tournament, but his long-term fitness has to be the priority. Everyone at the club wishes him the very best with his recovery and we look forward to seeing him back on the field as soon as possible, " Bond said in the official statement released by the franchise.
Bond also confirmed that Donovan Ferreira will take over the captaincy, backing the South African to lead the side.
"In Donovan Ferreira we have a real leader who knows what it takes to go deep into the competition. He's won it before and will be a great person for the younger members of the squad to learn from. We're lucky to have someone of his stature to step into the captaincy," he added.
Reacting to the injury, Bethell expressed his disappointment at missing the tournament, particularly the opportunity to play in front of Birmingham Phoenix supporters at Edgbaston.
"It's frustrating to miss out on The Hundred, especially representing Birmingham Phoenix in front of our supporters at Edgbaston. Unfortunately, I need to take the time to get back to full fitness, " Bethell said in the statement.
Jacob Bethell played a key role for Birmingham Phoenix during The Hundred 2025, featuring in eight matches as a middle-order all-rounder. He scored 122 runs at a strike rate of 143.53 while also picking up three wickets with his left-arm spin, impressing with his finishing ability and versatility. His performances in the tournament proved to be a springboard to international cricket, earning him selection for England's senior white-ball squads later that year.
#captain
Bethell, who was retained by Birmingham Phoenix for GBP 340,000 ahead of The Hundred's inaugural player auction, had also been appointed captain for the upcoming season. However, an MRI scan conducted on Monday confirmed the extent of the injury, forcing the 22-year-old to withdraw from the tournament. He is set to begin his rehabilitation programme immediately.
The setback comes after a mixed white-ball series against India, where Bethell produced flashes of brilliance despite inconsistent returns. He struck an unbeaten 76 off 46 **** in the second T20I before finishing the ODI series with a composed 91 in the final match.
Birmingham Phoenix head coach Shane Bond admitted the franchise was disappointed to lose both its captain and one of its most influential players but stressed that Bethell's long-term recovery remains the priority.
"We're all incredibly disappointed for Jacob and gutted he won't be able to join us this year. It's frustrating to lose a player of his quality, not least your captain, this close to the tournament, but his long-term fitness has to be the priority. Everyone at the club wishes him the very best with his recovery and we look forward to seeing him back on the field as soon as possible, " Bond said in the official statement released by the franchise.
Bond also confirmed that Donovan Ferreira will take over the captaincy, backing the South African to lead the side.
"In Donovan Ferreira we have a real leader who knows what it takes to go deep into the competition. He's won it before and will be a great person for the younger members of the squad to learn from. We're lucky to have someone of his stature to step into the captaincy," he added.
Reacting to the injury, Bethell expressed his disappointment at missing the tournament, particularly the opportunity to play in front of Birmingham Phoenix supporters at Edgbaston.
"It's frustrating to miss out on The Hundred, especially representing Birmingham Phoenix in front of our supporters at Edgbaston. Unfortunately, I need to take the time to get back to full fitness, " Bethell said in the statement.
Jacob Bethell played a key role for Birmingham Phoenix during The Hundred 2025, featuring in eight matches as a middle-order all-rounder. He scored 122 runs at a strike rate of 143.53 while also picking up three wickets with his left-arm spin, impressing with his finishing ability and versatility. His performances in the tournament proved to be a springboard to international cricket, earning him selection for England's senior white-ball squads later that year.
#captain
