Jul. 30—The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which came to a close in mid-July, featured a Mexican men's national team that included Alaska's own Obed Vargas Jr.
The memories his family made watching him play on the world's biggest stage for the first time will last them a lifetime, even after Mexico's team was eliminated in the round of 16.
"This was a very, very special moment for me, for my family," Obed Vargas Sr. said. "I've been in love with the sport since I was a kid, and this is actually my first World Cup ever that I'm able to actually attend in a live game."
Attending a World Cup game in his home country of Mexico fulfilled a long-held dream, but the fact that his eldest son was on the Mexican national team made the experience even more special.
"It was an incredible experience," Vargas said. "The first time we saw our son in the Azteca Stadium and singing the national anthem, it was very, very special. The fans ... rooting for the team and for Mexico. It was something that I never experienced before in my entire life."

#team #vargas

Anchor Ryan Clark was fired from ESPN during a live broadcast of his NFL Live show.
Recently, anchor Ryan Clark, 46, was fired from ESPN during a live broadcast of his NFL Live show. Many critiqued ESPN's decision to fire Clark mid-show, but the network defended its decision, citing fears that Clark would find out the news through the grapevine. In an episode of The Pivot Podcast post-firing, Clark claims he adjusted who he was to keep his job at ESPN, specifically stating that he felt he couldn't be "too Black."
ESPN declined an official comment regarding these claims, directing Forbes to a memo Chairman Jimmy Pitaro sent to employees on July 21 that stated the following: "Over the past several months, we've made significant progress integrating the NFL ***** ets that we acquired into ESPN. Throughout this process, we have taken the time to carefully evaluate our collective teams, resources and organizational structure to best position us for the future. As a result, we had to make some difficult decisions about job impacts that we will be communicating today. While most of the job impacts are tied to the acquisition, we will also notify colleagues in other parts of the company today that their positions have been impacted. We are committed to treating employees with compassion and respect and to providing support as they navigate this transition. Even in moments like these, the strength of ESPN comes from our people, our teamwork and our shared mission to serve sports fans."
In 2019, actor Gabrielle Union, who was a judge on the TV show America's Got Talent was told her hair was "too Black."
Clark is not unique in his experiences. Workplaces that make Black employees feel like they must tone down their Blackness are a persistent experience across different fields and industries. In 2019, it was reported that actor Gabrielle Union, who was a judge on the TV show America's Got Talent: The Champions, was told her hair was "too Black." That same year, actor Reagan Gomez-Preston alleged in a series of tweets that while filming for That 70s Show, she had to tone down her Blackness and was humiliated by a white male director who critiqued every scene, making remarks asking her for "less sass."

#espn #show #ryan

Multiple reports suggest that the Boston Red Sox are in the market for a long-term shortstop, and Jon Heyman named them the likeliest landing spot for Zach Neto during a livestream for Bleacher Report.
The Red Sox traded for Curtis Mead recently, and he is under contract through 2030. He will miss a chunk of time with a wrist injury, but figures to be the everyday second baseman when healthy. That leaves the Red Sox with Marcelo Mayer and Trevor Story as options to be the starting shortstop when they are healthy. Adding a long-term shortstop at the trade deadline could complicate things for their futures.
Not to mention, the Red Sox's top prospect, Franklin Arias, could be ready to debut very soon. Still, the Red Sox have checked in on CJ Abrams, Jeremy Peña, Otto Lopez and Neto. They seem to be determined to add a shortstop with some control, meaning they may be giving up on Story and Mayer.
Neto strikes out a ton, but has serious power. He has 19 homers this year and has 68 home runs in the last three seasons. He could take over as the everyday shortstop, and Mayer or Story could slide over to second base while Mead is out.
Looking for the perfect gift for a baseball player in your life? Check out our brand new baseball lifestyle brand!

#shortstop #mayer #story #long

Cardi B is clearing up speculation about her body after fans questioned whether she recently had her **** injections dissolved. During a candid Instagram Live, the Grammy-winning rapper addressed ongoing conversations about her appearance, revealing that she already underwent a **** ocks reduction procedure in January 2024 and has no plans to have additional surgery anytime soon.
The "I Like It" hitmaker, who has long been open about her cosmetic procedures, reminded fans that she's never hidden her plastic surgery journey. "A lot of y'all keep telling me to go get my a** reduced," Cardi said during the livestream. "I don't need to go get my a** reduced, news flash, I did get my a** reduced."
The "I Like It" hitmaker, who has long been open about her cosmetic procedures, reminded fans that she's never hidden her plastic surgery journey. (GC Images)
Cardi, 33, explained that while many people **** ume she recently changed her appearance, the procedure actually happened more than two years ago. According to the rapper, she had the silicone-based biopolymer injections she received in her early 20s "reduced" rather than completely removed.
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#cardi #reduced #surgery

TMZ founder Harvey Levin defended Dr. Anthony Fauci against a right-wing "witch hunt" after congressional Republicans grilled him about private diary entries from the COVID era that were leaked by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Monday.
Opening his nearly five-minute statement saying he rarely uses TMZ to "vent personal feelings," Levin told viewers, "Watching Anthony Fauci before a congressional hearing taking the Fifth Amendment is just one of the most heartbreaking things I have seen in government in my lifetime."
While Levin said he did have problems with the way that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "handled COVID," he added that he didn't think it was done "maliciously" but out of an abundance of caution.
Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost.
He went on to call Fauci, who served as the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 to 2022 before stepping into the role of chief medical adviser to the president in 2021, an "amazing public servant" for decades, noting how the work he did during the AIDS crisis of the late 80s and early 90s "really saved lives."

#fauci #covid #republicans

Curtis Brown and his wife Kim's 2-year-old son Haze drowned in the family's pool in Clovis, California
The couple, also parents to four other children, welcomed Haze after a challenging C-section delivery
Police confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident
Former Brigham Young University football star Curtis Brown and his wife are mourning the loss of their toddler son.
The couple's 2-year-old son Haze drowned in the family's swimming pool in Clovis, Calif., on Sunday, July 26, according to the New York Post. A family member noticed that the toddler was unresponsive in the pool and called first responders.

#curtis #brown #wife #year

Ryan Reynolds is a big name in Hollywood. He's Deadpool. He owns the football club Wrexham A.F.C, and with the docuseries Welcome to Wrexham, has made the team one of the most successful sports stories in the past few years. And yet these days, people keep trying to make his career about his wife, Blake Lively, and her recent issues with It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.
The return of Deadpool, and Reynolds appearing as the character at the Marvel panel at 2026's San Diego Comic Con, is, according to The Daily Mail, proof that Reynolds isn't as affected by the scandal as some expected and maybe even hoped.
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Blake Lively Reportedly Losing 'VIP Treatment' by Hollywood After Taylor Swift Fallout
Justin Baldoni Just Reignited His Legal Battle With Blake Lively After Report She's 'Furious' Over His 'Victim' Video

#hollywood #baldoni

Alan Ritchson is drawing fire from Fox News after slamming the president. A war of words has broken out between a popular action star and one of cable news's sharpest personalities. After the actor unloaded on the president during a podcast, a Fox host devoted airtime to picking apart his mindset. The exchange is now fueling debate over politics, celebrity, and where the two collide.
Fox News host Greg Gutfeld responded to Reacher star Alan Ritchson's criticism of President Donald Trump by claiming the actor is being "eaten alive" by resentment. On an episode of The Five, he broke down Ritchson's state of mind after the star's fiery podcast appearance.
The Alan Ritchson Trump comments came on the Monday, July 27, episode of Dax Shepard's "Armchair Expert" podcast, where Ritchson criticized Trump over the Jeffrey Epstein files and other issues.
Gutfeld tried to frame the remarks as having "nothing to do with politics," adding that the Reacher star "wasn't joking." He argued, "It says absolutely nothing about Donald Trump, but it says too much about him."
The Fox News Alan Ritchson segment saw the host steer the conversation away from partisanship. He likened the actor's alleged resentment to "taking a poison and waiting for the other person to die," calling it a "powerful contrast" for someone so physically fit. He also mocked that "no amount of squats and bench presses" would fix it.

#Trump #podcast #reacher #donald

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Figuring out when you can afford to retire often comes down to determining whether your ******* ets will produce enough annual income to support your lifestyle and spending needs.
With $500,000 in a Roth IRA and $2,000 in combined monthly Social Security and pension payments, you may be able to afford to retire at age 62. However, that will mean living on approximately $44,000 per year. Some retirees may be satisfied with this level of income, but it may not support you adequately if you plan to do a lot of traveling or live in a high-cost area.
Before making the decision to stop working at 62, you'll also need to develop a plan for paying for health insurance since you won't be eligible for Medicare until age 65.
If you need help deciding when to retire, connect with a financial advisor and have them build you an income plan based on your unique financial situation.

#afford

Our **** ysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here.
Here's a rather, um, fun diary entry from the annals of our AI-addled market: South Korea memory chip maker SK Hynix posted a 557% increase in operating profit for its most recent quarter on Wednesday. But rather than sending the once-hot stock to the moon, the print led to a mass sell-off that dragged South Korea's Kospi down with it.
SK Hynix said revenue rose to about $55 billion, up 257% from the same quarter a year prior. Net profits skyrocketed about 1,242%. Still, those eye-popping numbers weren't enough for investors addicted to four-digit growth in the chip sector.
South Korea-listed SK Hynix shares fell about 10% on Wednesday, and are down nearly 50% over the last month. The company's U.S.-listed ADRs, which first started trading on the Nasdaq on July 10, are down about 22%. When the East Coast wakes up, it's set to be a rout.
In other words, SK Hynix grew like that and still missed **** yst expectations. **** ysts penciled in about $44 billion in operating profit. SK Hynix delivered $41.6 billion — real money, just not enough to satisfy a market pricing in miracles.

#analysts #Stock #rather

China has started producing domestic immersion deep-ultraviolet lithography tools, Reuters reported on July 28. State-backed Shanghai Aishengna Electronic Technology Group plans to deliver machines to Semiconductor Manufacturing International, Hua Hong Semiconductor and memory producer ChangXin Memory Technologies. Production is expected to remain small, at roughly five systems in 2026 and about 20 in 2027.
The news struck ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML) through direct product substitution. Export controls already block the company from selling its most advanced extreme-ultraviolet systems into China, leaving DUV scanners as the main lithography category available there. ASML said China generated 29%, or about €9.5 billion, of 2025 net sales; Reuters Breakingviews noted that this revenue was ***** ociated with DUV machines and services. A domestic machine that passes production qualification could replace specific future ASML scanner orders and reduce Chinese fabs' dependence on ASML service, even if those fabs still prefer its performance.
"Viable" remains the unresolved word. Reuters reported that the Chinese systems still trail ASML in performance and reliability and require further testing. Chipmakers require overlay accuracy, yield, throughput and uptime in sustained high-volume production. Planned output is also modest beside ASML's installed base. The development raises a strategic risk to future China sales, but it does not show that ASML's tools have been replaced.
Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) is connected through a named competitor and a manufacturing bottleneck. CXMT, one of the intended tool recipients, competes in DRAM. If locally serviceable immersion DUV equipment eventually lets CXMT qualify and add reliable commodity-memory output despite tighter foreign-tool restrictions, the additional bits could pressure industry pricing and Micron's margins. That is a supply-curve risk, not evidence that the new tools can already produce competitive high-bandwidth memory for leading AI accelerators.
Micron's current results push against the most bearish interpretation. For its fiscal third quarter ended May 28, the company reported $41.46 billion of revenue and said data center revenue exceeded $25 billion. Management also said DRAM and NAND demand continued to exceed industry supply. China's DUV progress can influence the future supply curve without invalidating those current conditions.

#production #systems #revenue

The biopharma sector is in the middle of a transformation in which macroeconomic pressures and policy developments actively dictate corporate dealmaking. As leading pharmaceutical companies prepare for a $300 billion patent cliff in the second half of the decade, capital allocation has switched sharply toward restocking commercial pipelines with low-risk, high-conviction clinical ******* ets. At the same time, implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act has changed the relative attractiveness of drug options. Since small-molecule drugs are subject to government price negotiations earlier in their lifecycle compared to large-molecule biologics, commercial buyers are shifting premium valuations to large-molecule immunology platforms.
Against this macro context, argenx SE (NASDAQ:ARGX) entered a definitive all-cash agreement on July 27 to acquire clinical-stage biotech Forte Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:FBRX) for $77 per share, valuing the company at over $2.2 billion. At first glance, the $77 offer represents a 40% premium to Forte's closing price prior to the announcement. However, the underlying deal economics demonstrate argenx's readiness to pay a premium for clinical validation: when compared to Forte's volume-weighted average pricing following its successful Phase 1b vitiligo readout on July 9, the purchase price represents an 86% premium.
The target ******* et, Forte's FB102, is a first-in-class anti-CD122 antibody that has shown clinical efficacy in vitiligo and celiac disease. In a 24-week experiment, FB102 showed a significant 29.6% mean improvement on the Facial Vitiligo Area Scoring Index, separating from placebo by day 64.
Argenx's ability to carry out a $2.2 billion cash deal stems from its strong financial condition. The company's Q1 2026 financial report showed global product net sales of $1.3 billion, a 63% increase year-over-year, as well as a quarterly net profit of $366 million and a strong balance sheet with $4.9 billion in cash and financial ******* ets. This commercial momentum is almost exclusively driven by Vyvgart, the company's blockbuster FcRn-blocking medication, which is now seeing its 17th straight quarter of growth.
That said, the explosive top-line trajectory poses a major concentration risk. According to CEO Karen Massey's "Vision 2030" framework, which targets 50,000 patients and ten designated indications worldwide, argenx SE (NASDAQ:ARGX) needs a supplementary second leg in immunology. FB102 offers that diversification by delivering a unique CD122 mechanism into unserved autoimmune indications without jeopardizing its core FcRn business.

#premium #price

Scale AI announced Thursday that its board of directors has appointed Francis deSouza as chief executive officer, effective Aug. 10, 2026. At Google Cloud, deSouza held the roles of chief operating officer and president of security products before taking on the CEO position at Scale.
Before joining Google Cloud, deSouza served as president and CEO of Illumina, a publicly traded genomics company, where the company's revenue grew to more than $4.5 billion and its operations expanded across more than 150 countries, Scale said. His earlier career included a stint as president of products and services at Symantec, and he founded two startups that Microsoft and Symantec each went on to acquire. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT.
deSouza replaces Jason Droege, who has led Scale as interim CEO since June 2025. Droege will work with deSouza over the coming months to ****** ist with the transition, the company said.
"Scale sits at a rare intersection of frontier model development and real-world deployment, and the opportunity for continued growth and success is enormous," deSouza said in a statement. "My focus will be getting Scale's solutions into more businesses and governments, delivering the best data for AI labs, and showing our value through provable outcomes."
Scale AI founder Alexandr ****** , who now serves as chairman of the board, said in a statement that deSouza "has led and scaled complex, technical businesses, and understands what it takes to serve both enterprises and governments at the highest level of trust and reliability."

#scale

July 22 and 23 proved to be one of the most significant 48-hour periods of 2026's artificial intelligence trade, showing a clear flaw in how public equity markets reward massive capital spending. Both Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) and Alphabet published second-quarter financial results after the market closed on July 22, with both reporting negative quarterly free cash flow due to significant AI infrastructure investments. However, the market distinguished between spending connected to visible near-term margin conversion and spending ***** ociated with core margin compression and an indefinite payout period. While Alphabet had a modest reversal, Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) fell as much as 15% intraday, marking one of the company's worst single-day falls in history.
On the surface, Tesla's top-line headline numbers were strong, with second-quarter revenue reaching a record $28.24 billion, a 26% year-over-year increase that comfortably exceeded Wall Street consensus projections of $25.55 billion to $25.71 billion. Vehicle deliveries set a quarterly high of 480,126 units, while automotive revenue increased 23% to $20.52 billion. Auxiliary areas grew even faster, with Energy Generation and Storage up 13% to $3.14 billion and Services up 50% to a record $4.58 billion.
However, underneath these top-line gains lies considerable margin deterioration. Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.33, roughly a third lower than the consensus forecast of $0.51 to $0.53, while GAAP operating income fell 57% year-over-year to $398 million, implying an operating margin of 1.4% versus slightly over 4% posted both in last quarter and the same quarter last year.
This profitability compression was directly related to Tesla's core vehicle price strategy. Total gross margin fell to 16.8%, down from 17.2% a year ago and well below ***** ysts' expectations of 19.4%. Tesla's decision to introduce lower-cost variants of the Model 3 and Model Y while discontinuing its higher-margin Model S and Model X flagship vehicles reduced average selling prices throughout the fleet. This structural decline in average selling price, combined with a rapid contraction in high-margin regulatory credit revenue, severely harmed profitability while fixed overhead increased.
An enormous spike in spending added to the core vehicle pricing pressures. Operating expenses increased by 47% year-over-year to $4.35 billion, while capital expenditures nearly doubled to $5.80 billion, resulting in a $1.10 billion negative free cash flow balance. This substantial cash burn represents significant expenditures in AI compute infrastructure, custom semiconductor development, battery material manufacture, and production capacity for the Cybercab and Optimus humanoid robots.

#vehicle #operating

How bold do you think the Red Sox are going to be this trade deadline? The team is no doubt in a tricky situation, with a playoff berth currently in hand, but a roster that likely presents too many challenges to genuinely contend. But one ESPN insider isn't mincing words: "They are going big," says Jeff Passan. "Maybe that means getting Zach Neto from the Angels. They could try to convince Houston to move Jeremy Pena, even as the Astros try to win now, or wheedle [CJ] Abrams from Washington. The best opportunity, though, could be [Otto] Lopez, the Marlins' All-Star shortstop." (Jeff Passan, ESPN)
Lopez is having a fine season, but the shortstop that really gets the mouth watering is Bobby Witt, Jr. Is he a total pipedream? "Acquiring Witt, Kansas City's 26-year-old All-Star shortstop, would require a haul, and yes, I'd have to imagine the Royals asking price starts with Anthony and Arias. Starters Payton Tolle and Eyanson would probably also be part of the Royals' asking price." (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
Otto Lopez may or may not be the answer in the middle of the diamond, but there is little question that the Red Sox need to beef up the offense. "There's been a through-line among teams that have advanced in the playoffs and particularly among those that have won: the ability to mash… Since 2020, 24 teams have reached the League Championship Series … On average, those teams have ranked sixth among all teams in regular-season runs, with 13 of the 24 ranking in MLB's top five in runs per game, and 19 finishing in the top 10." (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
There is a slight chance that Curtis Mead will be around to help out that offense at some point this season. After returning to Boston, a specialist ruled out the need for surgery to repair his fractured wrist. "One source said that Mead was given a 'tentative' timeline of 6-8 weeks. The regular season ends eight weeks from Sunday, on September 27." (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
Having enough offense to take an early lead could be particularly valuable for this team because, thanks to the emergence of Tyron Guerrero, the Red Sox bullpen is suddenly shortening games for the opposition. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)

#season #espn #passan

Cardi B is addressing speculation about having her **** injections reversed.
In a recent clip on Instagram Live, Cardi admitted that she had surgery back in January 2024 to have the injections "reduced." Known for her blunt honesty about her love life and everything else, Cardi shared what procedures she had.
"A lot of y'all keep telling me to go get my a** reduced," Cardi explained. "I don't need to go get my a** reduced, news flash, I did get my a** reduced."
Cardi also said that she "can't just go and lipo my **** because my skin is kinda loose."
"That's why my a** shakes so much," she said.
"So if I just go and get a lipo reduction, that is the easy way, my a could drop," Cardi continued. "So I would have to cut myself. And I'm not cutting myself. I'm not sitting down for four months. I'm outside, like I said. I like my body how it looks right now. I'm comfortable in my skin."

#cardi #skin #live

Albeit likely the most recognizable, Carly Simon is certainly not the only famous, or talented, person in her family.
The "You're So Vain" singer is the daughter of Richard L. Simon — the "Simon" in legacy publisher Simon & Schuster, which he co-founded with M. Lincoln Shuster in 1924 — and Andrea Heinemann, a civil rights activist and singer. She followed in her mother's musical footsteps in the early 1960s, starting a music group with her sister Lucy Simon as the Simon Sisters, and now, so have her children gone on to follow in her own.
In July 2026, the singer-songwriter, 83, in a statement to **** O!, revealed that she had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, as well as and basal cell carcinoma, over the past few years. "So many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence, asking how I am and what I have been doing," she began. "The truth is, I've been learning how to live with Parkinson's disease."
Learn all about Carly's two kids below, but first, her relationship with their father, fellow musician James Taylor.
1/5

#singer #schuster

New York City's pied-à-terre tax was designed to extract money from second-home owners wealthy enough not to live in the city full-time. A side effect no one planned for: it's pushing middle-class and working homeowners, people who already live in their houses, into estate-planning conversations they've never had before, at hourly rates they've never had to pay, for advice the wealthy have had access to for generations.
The rush of publicity accompanying the mayor's office highlighting a list of over 680,000 New York properties that could theoretically be subject to a new tax has inadvertently advertised how public most property data is. And it's advertised the benefits of seeking some totally legal privacy, or risk inadvertent doxxing, courtesy of Gracie Mansion.
"The wealthy and the ultra-high-net-worth have been in this game for a long time," said Myles Fischer, a partner who co-leads the Trusts and Estates practice group at Harris Beach Murtha. "The rest are sort of catching up." And that isn't cheap. Many middle-class and blue-collar homeowners are "being forced into a situation where they have to sit down with lawyers" to get planning advice that families with means secured years ago. After all, he added, "it's not that you have to be a rich person to have something worth protecting. We see it from across the board."
The trigger, in this case, was a public records disclosure. When the DOF released its supplemental pied-à-terre ****** sment file, the coverage focused on the penthouses and the LLCs holding them. But the unfiltered file swept in far more than luxury properties—it included modest homes in Bayside, single-family houses in Staten Island, properties whose owners may have had no idea their name, address, and ****** sed value were sitting in a publicly searchable dataset. Many still don't.
Fischer wasn't surprised by the reaction. "Anonymity is desirable when it can be achieved," he said, "but anonymity is also typically only one piece of the pie, so to speak. It's part of the tax plan, part of the estate plan, part of the ****** et protection, limitation-on-liability sort of pie." Privacy, in other words, is the door. The estate planning is what's behind it.

#wealthy #york

NEW DELHI: Ajinkya Rahane on Thursday announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing the curtain down on a career that spanned more than a decade. The veteran batter took to Instagram to share the news through an emotional video message. Rahane struggled to hold back his tears as he bid farewell to international cricket, thanking fans for their constant support throughout his journey.

The right-handed batter made his India debut against England in 2011 and went on to play 85 Tests, 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is. His last appearance for India came during the 2023 Test series against the West Indies.

Rahane signed off his Test career with 5,077 runs at an average of 38.46, including 12 centuries and 26 half-centuries. In 90 ODIs, he scored 2,962 runs at 35.26, with three centuries and 24 fifties, while he made 375 runs in 20 T20Is.

"The reality of life is that everything has a beginning, and everything has an end. When that time comes, you simply have to respect it and move forward. I always relied on timing in my batting, and I've always understood its important," Rahane said in a video message on his Instagram account.
"Today, I feel the timing is right for me to move on and announce my requirement from international cricket, and all formats," he added in the clip that was captioned "Cap number 278, signing off".

One of the defining moments of Rahane's career came during India's historic 2020-21 Test series win in Australia. Standing in as captain for Virat Kohli, he led an injury-hit Indian side to a memorable 2-1 series victory.

"From those early days, travelling from Dombivali as a young boy, just to practice, I gave this game everything I had. Every single day, every innings, every opportunity I got to bat, the dream was always to wear the India cap," he said in his farewell message.

Rahane also said that although his international career has ended, he will continue to remain involved with the game.

"I lived by one single rule, only support my country and my team ahead of myself. I played this game with complete honesty, and I always believe that if your intent is right, the game will always take care of you," Rahane said.

"Since the time I made my debut as a First-Class cricketer, Indian cricket has grown tremendously and I feel so proud to have been a part of over the last 20 years.

"While my chapter, as an Indian cricketer, comes to an end, my journey with the game doesn't. I look forward to helping the next generation, sharing the values, the sport has taught me, and giving back to the game that has given me everything," he said.

Ending on an emotional note, Rahane reflected on the lessons cricket had taught him, saying that while his name means "unbeatable", the sport has shown him the value of accepting defeat.

"There have been many wins and losses along the way, but the sheer joy of playing cricket, being part of different teams, and creating lifelong memories, that has been the greatest sati

The 2026 Little League Softball World Series will feature eight regional champions from across the United States and four international teams. The tournament will kick off at the Stallings Stadium at Elm Street Park in Greenville, North Carolina on August 2 and will crown a new champion on August 9.
The United States will be represented by a diverse group of teams from coast to coast. The Central Region will be represented by Daviess County Little League from Kentucky, while the Mid-Atlantic's hopes rest with Toms River Little League from New Jersey. The New England Region will send Bristol Girls Softball Little League from Connecticut.
The North Carolina Region is represented by Johnston County Little League, while the Northwest Region sends Snohomish Little League from Washington. The Southeast Region is represented by Lake Mary Little League from Florida, and the Southwest Region fields Greater Helotes Little League from Texas.
Completing the lineup for the United States is Live Oak Little League from California, representing the West Region.
On the international stage, the tournament will feature top teams from **** an, Canada, Italy, and Puerto Rico.

#league

The Columbus Blue Jackets are the latest team to eliminate separate radio and television broadcasts, moving to a unified broadcast across platforms for the 2026-27 National Hockey League season.
Blue Jackets television broadcasters Steve Mears and Jody Shelley will continue in their current roles for the simulcast broadcast. Radio play-by-play announcer Bob McElligott, who has been with the Blue Jackets for the past 17 years, did not have his contract renewed.
Dylan Tyrer, who has been a radio host for the past seven years, will remain in that role.
"Bob McElligott has made significant contributions to the Blue Jackets organization on the air and in the community over the past 17 years," said Blue Jackets Vice President of Business Intelligence and Broadcasting Marc Gregory. "Bob's voice was at the heart of many of our club's unforgettable moments and helped shape memories that will live on for years to come. We sincerely thank him and wish him nothing but success moving forward."
The Blue Jackets are one of seven NHL teams seeking a new television home following the shutdown of the FanDuel Sports Networks. The team has not yet announced where its television broadcasts will air during the 2026-27 season, though it has announced that the broadcasts will be produced by NHL Productions. Radio broadcasts will remain on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus.

#jackets #television #broadcasts #past

Andoni Iraola says he hopes to have four Liverpool players back involved for the first time this pre-season when his side take on Leeds on Sunday.
The Reds beat Wrexham 1-0 in their latest pre-season friendly in New York, thanks to a Rio Ngumoha goal.
Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Jeremy Jacquet were among those not involved again, but Iraola says he is hoping to have them all play a part later this week.
Y"es, my idea is for Ryan [Gravenberch], for Florian [Wirtz], for Alex [Isak], for even Jeremy Jacquet to have their first minutes against Leeds," he said.
"We'll see how many minutes they can play but we have to start slowly, slowly integrating more of the senior players that have had less training sessions. I think they should be ready on the weekend to have their first minutes."

#iraola

Kaishu Sano has been linked with a move away from Mainz 05, with Liverpool and ****** nal among the clubs reportedly monitoring the 25-year-old defensive midfielder.
Speaking to Bild, Mainz sporting director Christian Heidel gave his thoughts on the growing interest in the ****** anese international.
"We don't have to sell Kaishu and can afford to keep him. If he stays, there will be a lot of happy people in the team, at the club, and around it," Heidel said.
However, he admitted that Mainz would have to consider a sale if an offer that was too good to refuse arrived.
"It's always the same at Mainz 05. If an offer comes in that leaves us gasping for air, we have to think about it," Heidel said.

#kaishu

A New Orleans Saints fan favorite is heading elsewhere. Taysom Hill, the do-it-all athlete who played everything from quarterback to special teams, announced Wednesday night he's leaving the Saints after nine seasons.
Hill developed into one of the NFL's most exciting and unique players under longtime Saints coach Sean Payton, making starts at quarterback, tight end and fullback while also playing snaps at wide receiver and running back. He finishes his Saints career 7-2 as a starting QB, and over 118 games he recorded 2,426 and 12 touchdowns passing plus 3,585 yards and 45 touchdowns rushing and receiving.
Kellen Moore took over the Saints in 2025 and Hill's role diminished significantly, so this move doesn't come at a complete shock.
In a statement shared on social media, Hill thanked New Orleans for its support and said he's "still working through what comes next" in regard to his career.
"I had always heard, 'If you love New Orleans, New Orleans will love you back,'" Hill's statement read. "That could not have been more true. You exceeded every expectation I had of what it would be like to live and play in a city. The passion, loyalty, and support you showed my family and me over these nine seasons were truly one of a kind."

#orleans #nine

Former San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees will officially be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH, as a member of the class of 2026 on August 8. Sean Payton, former Saint and Brees' longtime head coach in the Crescent City, was recently announced as the presenter for No. 9 at the enshrinement ceremony.
Although Brees and Payton had their own backgrounds in the NFL before joining forces in New Orleans in 2006, the QB-HC combo cemented their professional legacies within the Superdome at the heart of the Big Easy, delivering a rebirth to Saints football and aiding in the rebuild of a then-broken city.
Following a 3-13 season and a 2005 campaign that saw zero home games played inside of New Orleans following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the city and team required a refresh and found just what Louisiana needed in a first-year head coach and a young gunslinger coming off of a brutal shoulder injury. These guys would grow, progress, and build what would become one of the most prolific offenses in modern league history.
The partnership between Brees and Payton quickly sparked a fire for the black and gold while providing a sense of hope for those still suffering from the tragic natural disaster just a year removed. In the pairing's inaugural season in New Orleans, the Saints finished with an 11-5 overall record and made a run to the NFC Conference Championship game. Although the team would ultimately fall short of reaching the ultimate goal of playing in and winning the city's first Super Bowl, this season was simply a foreshadowing of greater things to come.
New Orleans would go on to miss the postseason in both 2007 and 2008 before a magical year in which pigs learned to fly.

#city

[Getty Images]
We asked for your views on the news that manager Eddie Howe is set to leave the club with immediate effect after almost five years in charge.
Here are some of your comments:
Ben: Eddie Howe gave Newcastle its spark back - hauling the club out of the relegation scrap, delivering that unforgettable Champions League return, rebuilding players who looked finished, and serving up some of the most fearless football St James' Park has seen in years. His time was full of graft, pride and proper memories, and whatever comes next, he's earned every bit of respect in Newcastle. Local hero.
Roger: This is a total disaster. For years Eddie Howe has been the cool headed master tactician and inspiration of the club's success. He will be difficult to replace. Right now Newcastle look like a serious relegation prospect.

#newcastle #getty

Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images
Contrary to the other reports from France on Tuesday, Fabrice Hawkins of RMC Sport claims Bradley Barcola hasn't reached a contract agreement with Liverpool.
Yet Hawkins adds that Barcola has made Liverpool his priority if he leaves Paris Saint-Germain, so it seems such an agreement would be largely a formality.
Mario Cortegana had reported for The Athletic this week that **** nal have shown interest in Barcola, but the Gunners are prioritising a possible move for Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid.
Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

#hawkins

NEW DELHI: As India enter a critical phase in their bid to stay alive in the World Test Championship (WTC) race, Jasprit **** rah and Shubman Gill are taking a cautious approach to regaining full fitness ahead of the two-Test series in Sri Lanka starting Aug 15.

TOI understands that **** rah will begin gradually increasing his bowling workload after suffering an impact injury during the ODI series in England, while Gill has sought help from specialists outside the BCCI for his chronic neck problem.

It is learnt that **** rah developed swelling in his knee before the final ODI at Lord's on June 19 but the medical team is confident he will be ready for the first Test in Galle. The selectors picked him for the Sri Lanka tour subject to fitness. The focus is now on preparing him to endure the rigours of Test cricket.

Bumrah has played little longer-format cricket since the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati last Nov. He has featured only in T20 cricket, apart from two ODIs in England last month. **** rah is currently at the Centre of Excellence (CoE).

"Bumrah will start bowling this week and his workload will be gradually increased. He needs to get used to bowling longer spells again. The medical team at CoE will be closely monitoring it, and the initial reports are that he should be good to start the first Test. These two Test matches are very important for India. Dropping even one Test here will put immense pressure on the team to qualify for the WTC final next year. That's why the team management wants **** rah to be available in prime shape for the series," a BCCI source told TOI.

As for Gill, it is learnt that he has been consulting specialists to address the neck pain that first flared up during his first innings in the opening Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens. The problem eventually ruled him out of the rest of the series, which India lost 0-2. He also missed an IPL match because of the recurring pain.

"Gill has been battling the neck pain for some time. It flares up every now and then, especially when he bats for a longer period. He has been consulting specialists outside BCCI for treatment and he is much better now. It's an ongoing process. India felt his absence in that South Africa series. That's why he has taken a cautious approach in addressing the chronic issue," the source said.
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Sudharsan set to resume batting next week

Sai Sudharsan, India's No. 3 batter in Tests, has also been selected subject to fitness. He is recovering from a hamstring injury and will resume batting at the CoE next week. The BCCI medical team has shared a positive report regarding his availability for the first Test.

#test #first #south #africa

After a record summer spend last season of £450m, Liverpool were disappointing on the pitch.
Ultimately, that led to the sacking of Arne Slot at the end of the campaign. Senior players like Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate all left on free transfers too.
It has been a summer of change at Liverpool with Michael Edwards stepping down as FSG's CEO of football, primarily because plans of multi-club ownership were abandoned.
Meanwhile, Richard Hughes, Liverpool's sporting director, is linked with a move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. There is certainly a question of stability.
"Transition and change is inevitable in football. In our case, with a new coach coming in, there's real excitement around Andoni's [Iraola] mindset and philosophy that supporters will really enjoy," says CEO Billy Hogan.

#summer #change #salah

Ryan and I are back, a little later than usual this week, due to a myriad of scheduling issues. But rest **** ured it's still the same high quality content you've been looking for. I'm now recording on my new laptop which I think has helped the sound from my end, but I'll leave that for others to confirm.
On this episode of the podcast we start out talking about the Purdue men's basketball trip to Canada and why we aren't too impressed or worried about anyone. Here's a hint, these games don't matter and are more about just seeing some live action rather than playing against each other for the next three months.
Then, we head into the football season to look at the week two opponent Wake Forest. They ended their 2025 season covered in Duke's Mayo, and glory, after winning their bowl game. Purdue meanwhile finished their 2025 season getting beaten down by their rival. Quite the difference. Can Purdue find a way to flip the script this season? Ryan and I discuss.
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#week