A Turkish content creator and former volleyball player, Ceyda Yakova, has tragically passed away in a motorcycle crash near the road in Şile, outside of Istanbul. She was 22.
According to Univision, Ceyda Yakova was alone when she lost control of her motorcycle and crashed into a roadside traffic sign. As a result, she suffered severe injuries and was rushed to a hospital, where she passed away shortly after.
Eyewitnesses said she lost control when her rear wheel slipped during a high-speed turn. It was later revealed that Yakova had parked her motorcycle on the roadside for a short rest before the crash.
The family said they saw footage of the accident. Ceyda's father, Cem Yakova, said it was a relatively gentle bend rather than a steep one, and the motorcycle was moving around 100 kilometers per hour when the wheel hit gravel, causing it to veer suddenly as his daughter collided with the pole. His wife, Melek Yakova, said she did not consider her daughter guilty.
Yakova was buried in the Ayazağa cemetery, close to the Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa mosque, on August 18.

#motorcycle #ceyda

A Pakistani TikTok content creator with 1 million+ followers was shot dead in her car in a city near Islamabad. Several people have been taken into custody in connection with the murder, which also severely injured her teenage sister.
Shamsu Bibi, 28, known as Ayesha Gilamana on social media, was killed in the evening of Aug. 14. Two men on a motorcycle appeared next to her car near a gas station on Grand Trunk Road and opened fire, shooting her in the neck. Her car lost control and collided with another vehicle, causing serious injuries to her 15-year-old sister, who was in the car with her.
According to the complaint by her father, Fazal Sahibzada, his daughter received a call from a man called Kashif, also Kashi, a few minutes before the shooting and was told to go outside immediately. She then went out in a car with her sister and brother, Naimatullah.
As stated by Sahibzada, he learned about the murder quickly and identified his daughter's corpse at the mortuary of a hospital in Taxila. He added that his son witnessed the crime and can recognize the two perpetrators who were about 30 to 35 years old.
According to the complaint, Bibi had sold a piece of land to two men named Kausar and Javed, and they threatened her after she demanded money. He mentioned those men and Kashif in the complaint, which he filed at the Taxila police station on charges of murder, attempted murder, and abetment. Those allegations haven't been confirmed yet, and no one has been convicted.

#complaint #bibi

Running the course in reverse this year added a new element to the iconic Nevada race.
Begin Press Release:
Hero Racing Ducati earns Vegas to Reno victory as Pirelli-equipped teams deliver strong results across the Nevada desert
ATLANTA (August 15, 2026) – Pirelli celebrated another standout performance at the legendary Casey Folks Vegas to Reno off-road race, with Hero Racing Ducati claiming the overall motorcycle victory for the second consecutive year. Pirelli-equipped Johnny Campbell Racing Honda secured a hard-fought second place overall, while the FOHSE LED Ducati team added to the brand's impressive results by capturing the Over 30 Pro class win at the iconic event.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the 2026 Casey Folks Vegas to Reno featured a historic change to one of America's most iconic off-road races. For the first time, competitors tackled the course in reverse, racing nearly 500 miles south from Reno to Las Vegas through Nevada's rugged high desert. The new direction presented teams with an unfamiliar challenge across rocky canyons, mountain ranges, dry lake beds, and fast desert valleys.

#ducati

Amnerican Flat Track has appointed NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace the Grand Marshal of the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track. The Flat Track round will be held August 10 at the South Dakota track, during the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
Wallace made his name in NASCAR racing, winning the 1989 NASCAR Cup Series and earning 55 career Cup Series wins. But he also rides, and will be hosting a charity ride Aug. 15 in Deadwood, S.D., with the proceeds supporting the NASCAR Foundation and Special Olympics of South Dakota.
Begin Press Release:
Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, announced today that NASCAR Hall of Famer and 1989 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Rusty Wallace will serve as Grand Marshal of the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track on Monday, August 10, during the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
An avid motorcyclist, Wallace will also host the Rusty Wallace Charity Ride presented by Harley-Davidson on Friday, August 14, in Deadwood, South Dakota. Proceeds from the ride will benefit The NASCAR Foundation and Special Olympics of South Dakota.

#wallace #august #ride

Dystany Spurlock continues to be a disruptor. The 34-year-old will make her fifth ARCA Menards Series start of the year at Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday.
In March, Spurlock (whose first name is ******* ounced Destiny) became the first Black woman to compete in a NASCAR-sanctioned series when she raced in the ARCA Menards Series East at Hickory Motor Speedway in Hickory, North Carolina. After doing two races in the East series, Spurlock made it to the premier ARCA series in April, when she finished 10th at Kansas Speedway.
Less than a year after Spurlock raced in her second NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle race at IRP, she’ll return to the track, but in a stock car this time.
“To be able to know that I raced over there on the drag strip and now I'm over here on the circle track,” Spurlock told IndyStar, “that means so much to me because I did not know that this would happen so fast within a year’s time.”
Most of Spurlock’s experience before this year came in motorcycle drag racing. She has also raced arena carts and drove in Skip Barber’s Formula 4 series in 2023.

#year #arca #raced #hickory

Dystany Spurlock continues to be a disruptor. The 34-year-old will make her fifth ARCA Menards Series start of the year at Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday.
In March, Spurlock (whose first name is **** ounced Destiny) became the first Black woman to compete in a NASCAR-sanctioned series when she raced in the ARCA Menards Series East at Hickory Motor Speedway in Hickory, North Carolina. After doing two races in the East series, Spurlock made it to the premier ARCA series in April, when she finished 10th at Kansas Speedway.
Less than a year after Spurlock raced in her second NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle race at IRP, she’ll return to the track, but in a stock car this time.
“To be able to know that I raced over there on the drag strip and now I'm over here on the circle track,” Spurlock told IndyStar, “that means so much to me because I did not know that this would happen so fast within a year’s time.”
Most of Spurlock’s experience before this year came in motorcycle drag racing. She has also raced arena carts and drove in Skip Barber’s Formula 4 series in 2023.

#spurlock #series #year #speedway

Peter Gagliardo, an adaptive sports coordinator and peer counselor at Helen Hayes Rehabilitation Hospital, is preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, a feat achieved by only 45 other wheelchair users.
Gagliardo, who has used a wheelchair since a motorcycle accident 20 years ago, said his goal is to show what is possible while living with a disability. He works full time at Helen Hayes, where he helps people return to activities they enjoyed before being injured.
"We're doing everything that you can think of to get people like myself back to doing what they loved before they got injured," Gagliardo said.
One of those people is former patient Freddy Tiburcio, who participates in adaptive sports and recreational activities.
"We do marathons, and all the different activities," Tiburcio said. "Wheelchair softball. Fishing."

#gagliardo #wheelchair #helen

A lack of unanimity among MotoGP manufacturers has dramatically altered the outlook for a proposal led by Aprilia to limit riders to a single bike during Friday and Saturday practice sessions.
Until a couple of grands prix ago, most manufacturers believed that, starting next season, teams would remove one of the two bikes from the front of the garage during practice before reverting to the usual two-bike set-up for both the sprint race and Sunday's grand prix.
However, Motorsport understands that divisions within the Motorcycle Sports Manufacturers **** ociation (MSMA) have forced a rethink on a proposal that had been all but approved. As things stand, the initiative has reached a dead end and now appears highly unlikely to be introduced.
The proposal, initially put forward by Aprilia and backed by Ducati, was presented as a cost-saving measure. Those opposed to the idea, however, believe the real motivation behind the two Italian manufacturers' push is their confidence that they already hold a technical advantage with the all-new 2027 prototypes.
In theory, restricting riders to a single bike during practice would slow development work and make it harder for rivals to close what they see as an existing performance gap.

In a historic celebration of Ducati's 100th Anniversary, MotoAmerica Supersport racer Kayla Yaakov participated in the exclusive Ducati MotoGP Experience at the Misano World Circuit following World Ducati Week 2026. Yaakov made history as the first woman to ride a Ducati MotoGP motorcycle, completing laps on Marc Márquez's Ducati Lenovo Team Desmosedici GP26 as well as Nicolò Bulega's Aruba.it Racing Panigale V4 R WorldSBK bike. Coached by racing legends Casey Stoner and Michele Pirro, the rising American talent fulfilled a lifelong dream while showcasing Ducati's rich racing heritage and commitment to rider development.
The full press release follows below.
Begin press release:
Ducati North America is proud to celebrate MotoAmerica racer Kayla Yaakov's participation in Ducati's exclusive MotoGP Experience following World Ducati Week 2026, where Ducatisti from around the world gathered at the Misano World Circuit to celebrate Ducati's 100th Anniversary. During the experience, Yaakov rode Marc Márquez's Ducati Lenovo Team Desmosedici GP26 and Nicolò Bulega's Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R WorldSBK bikes, becoming the first woman to ride a Ducati MotoGP motorcycle.
Yaakov joined Ducati riders, employees, dealers, and enthusiasts from across the globe for World Ducati Week, the largest gathering of Ducatisti in the world. Held every two years at the Misano World Circuit "Marco Simoncelli," the 2026 edition carried special significance as it celebrated 100 years of Ducati. The event featured racing legends, current MotoGP and WorldSBK riders, track activities, and exclusive experiences that showcased Ducati's racing heritage and passion for performance.

While countries around the world are peacefully coming together and celebrating the global sport of soccer with the World Cup, one Palestinian professional soccer player who dreamed of one day playing in the World Cup lost his life before the birth of his first child while trying to care for his family.
According to multiple outlets, 32-year-old Palestinian professional goalkeeper Saleem al-Ashqar was killed by Israeli fire while trying to secure a cooking gas cylinder for his family in southern Gaza, leaving behind his wife, who was pregnant with their first child.
Al Jazeera reports that al-Ashqar set out on a motorcycle to search for a cooking gas cylinder, but he was shot and killed by Israeli forces in the town of al-Qarara, northeast of Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The Palestine Football ****** ociation shared that al-Ashqar was struck in the abdomen and rushed to the hospital, where he died of his injuries hours later.
"He went out like any other young man, just trying to provide a gas cylinder for his wife and family, but the treacherous bullets of the occupation struck him," his uncle, Captain Farid al-Ashqar, a member of the PFA referees committee who had helped raise Saleem, told Al Jazeera.
Al-Ashqar spent his professional career playing for three clubs in the Gaza Strip, representing Al-Aqsa Sports Club and Al-Masdar Sports Club previously before last playing for Khadamat Khan Younis.

SOUTHWICK — For motocross fans around the world, Southwick will be at the center of their universe at 9 a.m. this Saturday, when the starting gate drops at The Wick 338 for the 45th running of The Crestview Construction Southwick National.
Many of the riders shooting for the holeshot out of the starting gate are some of the sport’s most high-profile superstars in motorcycle racing, including Australian siblings Jett and Hunter Lawrence, second-generation American phenom Haiden Deegan and Spanish world champion Jorge Prado.
Hunter Lawrence, who rides for Honda MRC Progressive, will be fresh off winning the overall in the 450SMX class at the RedBud National on July 4 in Michigan.
His 2-1 effort netted him a second straight win and class-leading third overall victory of the season, according to the Pro Motocross Championship.
Prado finished second at the RedBud in the 450 Class.

Former MotoGP podium finisher Bradley Smith is set to make a special wildcard appearance at his home round during the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone from August 7–9. Racing for the ParkinGO Team in collaboration with Harley-Davidson, the accomplished British rider will pilot a second entry featuring a dedicated Silverstone livery to celebrate the championship's inaugural visit to the United Kingdom. The event marks the fourth round of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, giving British fans a unique opportunity to witness the action firsthand through official Harley-Davidson Ticket Packages and fan experiences.
Begin press release:
The FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup will welcome another internationally recognized name to its grid at Silverstone, as Bradley Smith joins the championship as a wildcard entry for the British round, taking place August 7–9 alongside the MotoGP British Grand Prix. The appearance of one of Britain's most accomplished motorcycle racers adds a home hero to the grid for the championship's first visit to Silverstone, creating new opportunities for British fans, media and the wider Harley-Davidson community.
The former MotoGP podium finisher will race a second entry fielded by ParkinGO Team in collaboration with Harley-Davidson, alongside the team's full-time Bagger World Cup rider Filippo Rovelli. The initiative further strengthens the collaboration between Harley-Davidson and ParkinGO Team while expanding the Italian team's presence to a two-bike line-up for the British round.

Ahead of the highly anticipated Tour de France Grand Départ in Barcelona, motorsport icon Marc Márquez joined forces with cycling superstar Tadej Pogačar for an exclusive training session in Catalonia. Brought together by their shared global ambassador roles for Insta360, the two world champions took to the roads to swap experiences, push their physical limits, and bridge the gap between motorcycle racing and elite cycling. Capturing every moment on camera, this unique meeting highlights a deep mutual respect and a shared passion for life on two wheels, offering fans a rare glimpse into the bond between two of the sporting world's most dedicated athletes. See the video here: https://www.instagram.com/...
Begin press release:
Marc Márquez joined Tadej Pogačar for a training ride on Thursday, taking advantage of Pogačar and his team's presence in Catalonia as they prepare for the upcoming Tour de France.
With the historic Grand Départ of the Tour taking place in Barcelona this year, Pogačar's team has been spending the last few days riding and scouting sections of the route. A huge cycling fan and a regular on these roads as part of his own physical preparation, Marc found time in his schedule to ride alongside one of the biggest names in world cycling.

Marc van der Straten died at his home in Switzerland on July 5, at age 78. If your motorsport diet is heavy on GT3 and Blancpain results, you know his name from a BMW Z4 that tore through the Spa 24 Hours a decade ago. If you follow Grand Prix motorcycle racing, you know it from a Moto2 garage that quietly produced three world champions. What most people on either side of that divide don't realize is that it's the same man, running the same family operation, for the better part of three decades. That's the part of this story worth sitting with — not just the loss of a team owner, but the exit of one of the last people in professional racing who genuinely built something on both two wheels and four.
The timing makes it sting a little more. Seven days before he passed, a Boutsen VDS-run Porsche crossed the line eighth overall at the 79th running of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, an event SRO Motorsports Group itself markets as the biggest GT race on the planet. Van der Straten was, by every account from people who worked with him, still fully engaged with that program. He didn't get a slow fade into retirement. He got one more finish on the board first.
Van der Straten came from the van der Straten-Ponthoz family, tied to the lineage behind Stella Artois, which tells you where the checkbook came from but not why he spent it on race cars. That part came from his father, a onetime racer himself, and it pointed young Marc toward a genuinely strange starting point: the Gillet Vertigo, a low-volume Belgian sports car that most enthusiasts outside the Ardennes have never heard of. Van der Straten ran it in the domestic Belcar series under the Belgian Racing banner before pushing into the international FIA GT Championship by 2005.
Here's the part that's easy to gloss over: the Vertigo program was never eligible to score points toward the actual GT championship, because ******* logation rules require a minimum number of road-going examples to exist before a manufacturer's race car can compete for a ******* le. Gillet never built enough Vertigos to clear that bar. Van der Straten was paying to go racing at the top level with a car that, on paper, couldn't win anything. That's either an expensive hobby or a serious statement about priorities, and by 2008 even he seemed to agree it was time to pivot.
The team rebranded as Marc VDS for 2009 and became a development partner for the Matech-built Ford GT1, which earned it one of twelve entries in the inaugural FIA GT1 World Championship in 2010 — a season that also included a Ford GT1 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a race the team wouldn't finish. The following year told a different story: a Kronos Racing/Marc VDS-entered Lola-Aston Martin LMP1 finished seventh overall at Le Mans with Vanina Ickx, Bas Leinders, and Maxime Martin sharing the car. If that surname looks familiar, yes, Vanina is Jacky Ickx's daughter, which is its own small piece of Belgian racing trivia buried inside a bigger one.

England received a hostile welcome as they arrived at their Mexico City hotel ahead of Sunday night’s World Cup last-16 tie against Mexico.
England had been hoping to keep their location undisclosed after Mexico supporters used loud speakers, horns and motorcycles to try to disturb the sleep of Ecuador’s players before their last-32 tie, which the co-hosts won 2-0 on Wednesday night.
But when England’s coach arrived at their hotel, hundreds of fans were already there, with many booing while others chanted “Mexico”.
At least one supporter within the crowd could be seen holding up an England shirt.
Security has been increased outside the hotel after events earlier in the week, which led to complaints from Ecuador’s football federation.

England were booed as they arrived at their hotel to prepare for their World Cup last-16 game against Mexico - but that will be far from their main issue in Mexico City.
The Three Lions face the tournament co-hosts on Sunday (01:00 BST, Monday), a match which will be shown live on BBC One and iPlayer.
There is increased security at England's hotel after Ecuador, whom Mexico played in the last 32 in Mexico City, lodged a noise complaint with Fifa.
And Thomas Tuchel's side face further threats from the weather, the altitude and reportedly, even spying.
Before the last round Ecuador players were deliberately kept awake by local supporters, who used loudspeakers, horns and motorcycles outside the team hotel late at night.

DAKAR, June 30 (Reuters) - Congolese health authorities are tracing people potentially exposed to Ebola in two provinces not previously affected by the ‌latest outbreak, amid fears the virus could spread further, a health ‌ministry report and a senior health official said.
The outbreak, declared on May 15, has so far infected 1,307 people and killed 377 across the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, according to government data released on Monday.
In Tshopo province, health workers are tracing people who may have been exposed to the body of ‌a pregnant woman who ⁠died of Ebola in Ituri's Niania health zone, according to a health ministry report dated June 29 and reviewed by ⁠Reuters.
The woman fell ill on June 18 and died on June 27, the report said. Her body was transported by motorcycle about 300 km west to the city of Kisangani in neighbouring Tshopo province, where a sample taken at a morgue ‌tested positive for Ebola.
The report said the body's journey through several health zones before the diagnosis was made created a high risk of transmission. Authorities have launched contact-tracing efforts across the province.

The night before Mexico took on Ecuador at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, their fans began a psychological attack on the visitors outside Ecuador 's hotel.
Starting at midnight and continuing into the early hours, dozens of Mexican fans, who organized on social media, gathered outside the Westin Hotel in Mexico City's suburb of Santa Fe, using loudspeakers, horns and motorcycles to make as much noise as possible to disrupt Ecuador's sleep.

Sydney Sweeney has become a household name, seemingly overnight. The actress quickly went from TV stardom after starring on shows like "The Handmaid's Tale," "The White Lotus," and "Euphoria" to becoming a movie star thanks to the box-office success of "The Housemaid" and "Anyone But You." After attending award shows and red carpet premieres dressed to the nines, she also became a style star, appearing front row at various fashion shows and working with brands like Miu Miu, Jimmy Choo, American Eagle, and more.
Over the years, her fashion sense has evolved along with her career, and her shoes have also reflected the progression of her stardom. She has worn shoes from brands like Aquazzura, Roger Vivier, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, and more. Take a look at Sydney Sweeney's shoe style below.
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ESPN’s Jay Williams wants the NBA draft to be about the incoming rookies. But an uncomfortable interaction between him and fellow ****** ysts Richard Jefferson and Kenny Smith became the story on Tuesday night.
Between the draft, Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded to the Heat, and the Knicks winning their first championship in 53 years, there was plenty to discuss on ABC’s broadcast, which is produced by ESPN. But late in the evening, after the telecast showed a clip of Williams when he was drafted by the Bulls in 2002, host Kevin Negandhi asked “why such a big ovation?” for Williams when he was selected second overall. Jefferson joked that fans were cheering because they “didn’t see the future coming.” Smith added that Williams’s “career trajectory would’ve been a lot different if he didn’t like motorcycles.”
The quips were references to a motorcycle accident that prematurely ended Williams’ playing career. The Duke phenom enjoyed a promising rookie year, but played only one season before the accident derailed his career.
Although the comments may have been meant as playful jabs at Williams, they created an awkward moment that the internet quickly seized on.
“For me, it was extremely uncomfortable,” Williams tells Front Office Sports. He says there was “no real tension,” but it was “awkward.”

TomAspinall is preparing for a rematch against CirylGane.

Aspinall (15-3) recently posted a video mocking Gane (14-2)over his reputation for using illegal shots. Aspinall posted a clipshowing Gane hitting opponents with low blows, eye pokes andback-of-the-head shots. Aspinall then shows himself wearing ametallic groin guard and a motorcycle helmet to shield himselfagainst Gane.

"Training for the rematch has begun," Aspinall wrote in the captionof an Instagram post.

Gane has been accused of throwing illegal blows on multipleoccasions. Gane challenged Pereira for the heavyweight ***** le atUFC320 this past October. The fight ended in an unfortunate nocontest after a double eye poke from Gane in the first roundrendered Aspinall unable to continue. With Aspinall sidelined dueto his eye injury, Gane fought AlexPereira for the interim heavyweight ***** le earlier this month.While Gane finished "Poatan" in the second round, the Frenchman hasbeen accused of throwing several back-of-the-head shots in thefinishing sequence. Gane is now expected to challenge Aspinall in atitle unifier when the Englishman returns to action.

The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR) is one of the most undervalued NYSE stocks to invest in. On June 17, the Progressive Corporation reported strong financial results for May, with net income rising to $1.445 billion, a 36% increase compared to the same period last year. Net premiums written grew 6% to $7.027 billion, while net premiums earned increased 10% to $7.361 billion.
The company also saw an improvement in underwriting profitability, with the combined ratio narrowing by 4.8 points to 82.1. These results were supported by growth in customer base, as total policies in force reached ~39.97 million, an 8% increase year-over-year, driven by gains across both personal and commercial lines.
As a leader in the US insurance market, the Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR) continues to provide diverse protection products ranging from personal auto and home insurance to commercial offerings. The company maintains its focus on accessibility through its omnichannel distribution model, including online, mobile, phone, and agent-assisted platforms.
The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR) is an insurance company operating across the US. The company provides insurance for personal vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, RVs, and watercraft. Additionally, it also offers homeowners' and renters' insurance for personal residential properties.
While we acknowledge the potential of PGR as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

Hollywood star Keanu Reeves' reaction, as he watched one of the world's most famous motorcycle races, the Isle of Man's TT, was captured by a fan.
Andy Birchall filmed the now-viral clip while watching the racing from a popular viewing spot at Ago's Leap, where he has been visiting for years.
Birchall said he and his partner were "just watching the start of the race and lo and behold, Keanu Reeves walks in with his entourage".
"I know he's an actor and I know there's got to be a certain degree of that in it, but his reaction was class, absolute class," he added.
This year, several famous faces were spotted during the racing fortnight as production was underway for an Amazon MGM feature film.

Ryan and Troy chat with longtime friend Rennie Scaysbrook about life as a motojournalist, his travels, and adventures, including winning the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and racing in the Isle of Man TT.
Rennie talks about starting his career with Australian Motorcycle News and how he made the move across the ocean to the U.S. to join Cycle News as Road Test Editor. He shares his experience racing at Pikes Peak, and how the momentary thrill of setting a new record time turned to heartbreak with the news of Carlin Dunne. He also talks about racing in the Isle of Man TT, which has its own share of dangers.
We'd like to extend a special thank you to our podcast sponsor, the Honda CRF450R. So good, the only competition is yourself. Learn more about the CRF450R here.

Iran's coach Amir Ghalenoei said on Sunday political tensions and visa issues have damaged his side's preparations for the World Cup but insisted his players will not "pay attention to any of the hype."
Iran have arrived at the tournament under the shadow of a bitter diplomatic row, after the United States -- in military conflict with Iran for months -- refused to issue visas for some team support staff.
They play their opener against New Zealand in Los Angeles on Monday, marking the first time that a World Cup host has hosted a country with which it is at war.
The Iran team bus, accompanied by a police motorcycle escort, was met by a small group of anti-regime protestors at training late Sunday.
Much larger demonstrations are planned outside the stadium by members of the Iranian diaspora opposed to the nation's hardline regime, and there have been threats that the Iran team could walk off the pitch if anti-government banners are displayed.

ESPN’s First Take honored Stacey King after the former Chicago Bulls forward and beloved broadcaster died unexpectedly this week.
The Chicago Bulls reported the devastating news Sunday afternoon. King was just 59 years old, with the cause of death still unknown.
Monday morning on First Take, Stephen A. Smith, Jay Williams, and Chicago natives Shae Cornette and Michael Wilbon remembered what King meant to the city, the Bulls, and their fans.
“He was the nicest, coolest customer in the world,” Cornette said, noting how she viewed him as a larger-than-life figure. “And I’ll tell you this, going back home to Chicago and flipping on a Bulls game and hearing his voice just made me feel at home. ‘Give me the hot sauce!’ I could recount all his catchphrases, and it’s going to be hard to go home and watch a Bulls game without his voice on it this year.”
Jay Williams noted thinking about his own connection to the Bulls can be hard because it was in Chicago where his playing career was derailed by a motorcycle accident. But King was someone he was able to have those difficult conversations with.

President Trump shared an AI-generated video on Truth Social on Saturday — the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy — featuring an auto-tuned chant of "they love Donald Trump" set against AI-generated characters from around the world.
The one-minute clip cycles through depictions of people the song frames as being from Mexico, Italy, the Middle East, Africa, China and India, with each verse ending in the refrain "They love Donald, Donald Trump." One part of the video shows Trump riding a camel; another shows Trump riding a motorcycle in India.
"Everywhere I go, they love Donald Donald Trump," the auto-tuned vocal track repeats. The voice closes out the video singing, "I gotta say, I love Donald Donald Trump. Might be president one day, just like Donald Donald Trump."
The depictions, particularly those representing African and Indigenous people, lean on stereotypical tribal imagery — including face paint, beadwork and feathered headdresses against an American flag backdrop.
Another part of the video shows an AI-generated man with gold grills that say "Trump."

Jason Momoa is known for motorcycles, rugged adventure vehicles, and larger-than-life movie roles. That's exactly why his latest gift to girlfriend Adria Arjona caught so many people off guard.
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Nearly two years after Harley-Davidson said it was rolling back its diversity, equity and inclusion programs, activist Robby Starbuck has fired up his campaign again, accusing the iconic motorcycle company of breaking its promises to root out “wokeness.”
Starbuck, who led a consumer boycott in 2024 over a range of “woke” offenses, from hosting an LGBTQ+ boot camp to supporting gay and transgender equality legislation, called on ride-or-die Harley buyers to switch brands.
"Harley-Davidson said they were dropping all these crazy woke policies I exposed," he said in a video on social media platform X. "I regret to inform you that unfortunately today I am going to have to expose them again.”
Chief among his concerns is the leadership of Artie Starrs, Harley-Davidson’s newly minted CEO who took over in October.
"So after an extremely tumultuous period where your brand was torn down and now is seen as weird, woke and weak, you're gonna bring in a CEO that is gonna, like, project the masculine identity of the brand right? The pro-America identity of the brand. Well, maybe not so much," Starbucks said before calling out Starrs for sponsoring a pride group and an LGBTQ+ golf tournament that raised money for San Francisco Pride when he was running Topgolf and for launching antiracism training for educators while CEO of Pizza Hut.

Italy's Ducati, in a move to expand its customer base, is taking its luxury brand into the business of off-road biking with the Desmo450 and Desmo250 line of motorcycles.
“I grew up riding dirt bikes when I was a kid,” Jason Chinnock, Ducati North America CEO, told Yahoo Finance. “When we were looking at how we expand the Ducati brand ... we saw this as an opportunity to bring a lot of the expertise that we know from a professional and racing level to the market, but in a package that actually reaches out to a whole new group of people.”
Ducati, which is owned by Volkswagen (VOW3.DE), has a