Following an impressive second quarter FY27, Navan Inc. (NASDAQ:NAVN) announced its acquisition of BoomPop, an AI-powered meetings and events platform that has been recognized by Inc. as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America. Launched in 2023, BoomPop offers end-to-end event management solutions to enterprises, by leveraging artificial intelligence capabilities. Its offerings cover the entire spectrum of event management procedures including venue selection, vendor sourcing, contractual agreement, payments, and more. For Navan, this deal build on an existing alliance between the two entities, which was announced earlier in February. It marks the company's strategic push to expand its footprint across the meetings and events segment, where a large chunk of the spending is still done outside managed platforms.
LStockStudio/Shutterstock.com
The BoomPop acquisition follows a persistent enterprise market momentum reported by the company in its second quarter results, allowing Navan to enter into collaborative agreements with several leading companies during the quarter. These included Enbridge, Ingersoll Rand, ****** mins, and Evotec. Navan also concluded the deal to acquire Smartrips, a well-reputed travel management business, with the aim of bolstering its presence across a rapidly-growing Latin American market.
Notably, Navan registered adjusted net income of $14 million during the second quarter compared to an $8 million loss in Q2 FY26. It came at the back of year-over-year growth figures of 39% and 35% for subscription revenue and usage revenue, respectively.
Through full integration of BoomPop's staff and technology, Navan intends to expand its current meetings and events operations, accelerate its product development timeline, and satisfy growing customer interest. The company aims to deliver a more seamless experience covering travel, expense, meetings, and events.

#navan

SpaceX (SPCX), which made a sensational debut on the bourses in June 2026, has been trading relatively sideways since then, although it remains above its initial public offering price (IPO) of $135 per share. This is surprising, considering the company is led by CEO Elon Musk, one of the most volatile and polarizing figures in corporate history whose penchant for making headlines is infamous.
However, on Sept. 21, SPCX stock could get a much-needed boost. Let's take a closer look.
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#however

On September 1, Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) completed its £850 million acquisition of UK-based AMS, from OMERS Private Equity. The deal combines two well-reputed brands, resulting in a highly well-rounded solutions provider and a leading business within the global talent and organizational consulting **** e. It offers a broader market reach to Korn Ferry, along with more extensive coverage spanning several new industries.
Copyright: baranq / 123RF Stock Photo
AMS acquisition extends Korn Ferry's existing growth trajectory, which was highlighted in the company's recently announced first quarter results. It was the sixth back-to-back quarter of topline growth, which augments the durability of Korn Ferry's fundamental business model. The company also delivered a 9% growth in its adjusted diluted EPS of $1.43, relative to the same period last year.
The AMS deal results in several strategic benefits for Korn Ferry. Based on its long-standing client relationships, AMS offers robust operational strength, along with prospects of consistent, recurring income. Such relationships also enable the company to deliver technology-led solutions at scale.
Financing of this transaction involved a mix of existing cash, share issuance and borrowings. At closing, Korn Ferry paid approximately £473 million and $326 million in cash, covering consideration to the sellers, repayment of AMS indebtedness and other transaction obligations, and issued 3,118,628 Korn Ferry shares to the sellers.

#business

AMD and Intel compete for processor customers, but they have a common interest in making developers comfortable staying with x86. A September 2 GCC commit added initial support for their AI Compute Extensions, or ACE, bringing that shared strategy into a widely used compiler's development code.
For Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), the potential payoff is broader software adoption. The immediate event is much narrower: compiler infrastructure, followed by instruction-support commits. It is not evidence that compatible processors have shipped or that GCC 17 is a finished release.
The x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group's April whitepaper describes a common matrix-acceleration architecture shaped by both companies. Matrix multiplication is central to many AI workloads. A shared instruction interface could reduce the effort needed to target those operations across future processors.
That matters commercially because buyers consider the software work required to use hardware, alongside its price and performance. If developers can support both suppliers more easily, a processor purchase may depend more on execution and less on maintaining separate software paths.
For Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), the bull case is an easier route for compatible future CPUs into AI-related workloads. The risk is that a shared standard also improves the rival's appeal. Compiler support alone cannot demonstrate AMD's eventual performance advantage, customer adoption or incremental profit.

#Intel

Travis Kelce passed Jason Witten on Monday night, thanks largely to a massive catch he brought down during the Kansas City Chiefs' season-opening win over the Denver Broncos.
Kelce caught a short pass from Patrick Mahomes midway through the third quarter of their 31-10 win at Arrowhead Stadium, and absolutely took off as fast as he could. After shedding one tackle, he had so much room to work with that he nearly made it all the way to the end zone. Finally, he was brought down inside the 5 yard line.
Naturally, Kelce was hyped.
The 36-year-old, who is listed at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, nearly hit 17 mph at his peak during that run, too. In total, Kelce made it 59 yards on that catch. That eventually led to a field goal, which put the Chiefs up 24-10 at the time.
They added one more touchdown and rolled the rest of the way to secure the 21-point win.

#made #jason

FC Barcelona have begun the process of renewing defender Gerard Martín's contract, per multiple reports. The 24-year-old footballer has risen through the ranks and become an important part of manager Hansi Flick's set-up.
Barça are said to be looking to tie him up for longer, with a bigger release clause and a higher salary. There is reportedly no hurry on either side, as he has a contract until 2028. There is a sense of optimism surrounding the negotations, as the team is happy with his performances and the player wants to stay.
Barça reportedly see him continuing to be a key part of the squad and possibly even improving as time goes on. A Barcelona native, Martín was a product of UE Cornellà's academy before going to Barcelona's B team. Reports say he's happy to stay with his hometown club.
So far, there have been no concrete negotiations or even a set date for a meeting on the matter. All that has been reported are preliminary conversations.
A left-back by training, he has broken through as a center-back under Flick. With Ronald Araujo on loan to Liverpool FC, Barça are set to use Martín often this season alongside Pau Cubarsí. There was talk of a potential center-back signing, though none came. Andreas Christensen has split duties as the other center-back to start this season. Barça also has Eric Garcia, though he often plays as a full-back.

#back #Barcelona #part #team

The heavyweight division will have to move on without Tom Aspinall for now. The Englishman recently announced that he is vacating the 265lbs **** le after another incident caused further damage to his right eye. Aspinall has been sidelined for nearly a year after suffering a double eye poke at the hands of Ciryl Gane at UFC 321.
He was diagnosed with the rare bilateral traumatic Brown's syndrome and has since undergone triple eye surgery. Eddie Hearn recently revealed that Aspinall needed more time for additional tests before he could be considered 100% healthy. However, the prolonged recovery timeline became increasingly frustrating.
The former champion took to Instagram and penned a lengthy post explaining the circumstances behind his decision. Shortly after, Josh Hokit seized the opportunity to stake his claim to the now-vacant **** le.
The 10-0 heavyweight had recently rejected Alex Pereira's call for a rematch with Gane, who currently holds the interim **** le. Instead, Hokit pitched two blockbuster headliners for UFC 334 later this year, with himself facing Gane for the heavyweight gold and Pereira taking on Sergei Pavlovich.
Now that Aspinall has vacated the belt, Gane is seemingly expected to be upgraded to undisputed champion. However, staying true to his original plan, Hokit has doubled down on facing the Frenchman for the championship next.

#aspinall #heavyweight #year

Brian Ortega is hurt – in more ways than one.
Hours after the promotion announced his withdrawal from UFC 331, Ortega (16-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) shed light on why he pulled out of his scheduled main card bout vs. Renato Moicano just five days prior to Saturday's event at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
As speculated, Ortega suffered a nasty gash over his right eye in training, requiring stitches and resulting in significant swelling. Ortega shares photos of the injury, as well as video from the aftermath of it happening in training.
"This one hurts," Ortega wrote on Instagram. "I have to pull out of the fight because of the stitches in my eye. I'm on weight, I've been training my ******* off, and this has honestly been one of the best camps I've ever had. I was really looking forward to fighting at home in Los Angeles in front of my family, friends, and everyone who's been supporting me.
"My next fight is in soon, so I'm getting right back to training. We've brought some new people into camp and I'm excited to show you guys a new side of me. Thank you to everyone who's been supporting me through all of this. I'll see you guys in November."

#angeles #i 've #right #stitches

As we have seen the past two years, a 12-team playoff is forgiving when it comes to early season losses. An early stumble does not have to result in panic as the expanded field allows for a mulligan or two – or three.
The above serves as ample reason as to why fans in Columbus and Eugene should turn the page and look ahead at what's next. While we are at it, what to make of a couple of other Big Ten teams after two weeks?
While Arch Manning rallied the Longhorns from a 23-3 deficit after three quarters to stun Ohio State and replace the Buckeyes atop the polls, Ryan Day's team is not about to disappear from the playoff conversation. There is much sting for sure in blowing a 20-point lead, but the larger picture is one that must be in focus because everything remains on the table.
Besides, fans in Columbus, perhaps more than any fan base in the country, know what it is like to have their team rebound following a most disappointing setback. See the 2024 loss against "The Team Up North" and what happened after that.
Those same fans likely desired to see their team keep its foot on the Longhorns' throat instead of letting up. Facing a fourth-and-four from the UT 39-yard line on the first series of the second half and with a 20-3 lead, Day elected to punt instead of attempting to keep the drive alive. The decision was made despite the outstanding first halves enjoyed by QB Julian Sayin (12-for-16, 192 yards) and receiver Jeremiah Smith (6-110). It is easy to Monday morning quarterback, though it is also easy to see the Buckeyes managed less 100 yards on only 22 plays the remainder of the game.

#fans #playoff #early

Dejounte Murray believes that Russell Westbrook is the greatest point guard of all time originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Russell Westbrook shocked the basketball world when he announced his retirement in the summer of 2026. That ended one of the best careers of the modern era, especially for a point guard. Unfortunately for Westbrook, he did not win a championship, but it seems his legacy is doing well amongst his peers.
Dejounte Murray is a standout point guard over the past few years, and he is never shy about giving his thoughts. This time, he made sure to give the Oklahoma City Thunder legend his flowers, to the point that he is calling the 2017 MVP the greatest point guard of all time.
Throughout his career, Murray has looked up to a lot of players. Now that he is with the New Orleans Pelicans, Murray has integrated plenty of lessons he's learned from a lot of top-tier point guards in the league's history. For him, Westbrook is at the peak of the position he plays.
Westbrook has an all-time legacy, but a lot of people would argue that he is not better than some players like Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Stephen Curry, who are considered by many as the greatest point guards in NBA history.

#time

By Jason Lange
WASHINGTON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's public approval rating rose from a record low, while Americans voiced growing support for Democrats gaining power in the U.S. Congress in ‌a Reuters/Ipsos poll taken in the days after the Republican Party's first-ever midterm convention last week.
The ‌four-day poll showed 63% of Americans - including four in 10 Republicans and nine in 10 Democrats - disapproved of Trump's offer made in his convention speech that he would ensure all Americans get a $5,000 dividend if Republicans retain control of the U.S. Congress in November's midterm elections.
The survey gathered responses from 1,143 Americans nationwide and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points in either direction.
Some 35% of Americans give Trump a thumbs up for his performance in the White House, ‌up from 33% in an August ⁠28 to 31 Reuters/Ipsos poll, the lowest of his political career.

#ipsos #convention

Browns' head coach Todd Monken channeled his inner Dan Hurley in today's postgame press conference. After the Browns were thoroughly beaten and flat-out embarrassed by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Monken sent out a warning to the rest of the league.
In his opening statement, Monken said, "You better get us now," in reference to the Browns potentially not having much skill on their roster this year. Now, I am usually all for a coach having confidence and, more importantly, being vocal about it, but this may not have been the time or place for this.
The Browns were zero percent competitive on Sunday.
They showed a little bit of life for four plays on offense before they were totally incompetent on that side of the football, only to be coupled with a horrific performance on defense to boot.
If that game today were played 100 times, the Jaguars would win 99 of them, and that's simply thanks to the law of averages. The Browns were horrible today, and frankly, there is not all that much to be optimistic about going forward.

#Browns #coach #much #hurley

The college football world watched one specific matchup in Week 2 that had been circled on the calendar since last year. Ohio State and Texas had a score to settle after the Buckeyes embarrassed the Longhorns in last season's College Football Playoff. Texas got its revenge with a thrilling, historic comeback that helped this highly anticipated contest live up to the hype.
However, just as notable was the behavior of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian after the game.
Following Texas' dramatic victory, ESPN's Holly Rowe approached Sarkisian for an instant reaction interview. Sarkisian, however, blew off Rowe and walked away from the interview.
MORE: Steve Sarkisian sends defiant message after leading Texas past Ohio State in historic stunner
Two prominent ESPN ****** ysts, Stephen A. Smith and Paul Finebaum, ripped Sarkisian for treating one of the best sideline reporters in the business that way. Stephen A. Smith addressed the situation on First Take.

#Football

One-time NBA All-Star Dejounte Murray had a bold take about Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook made headlines in the summer after he announced his retirement from the NBA. After playing 18 seasons, the nine-time All-Star decided to start a new chapter in his life. He's considered to be one of the best point guards of all time.
According to Murray, however, Westbrook should be considered the greatest point guard. Although he respects other great guards, the New Orleans Pelicans guard recognized the nine-time All-NBA's passion and tenacity when he's on the floor.
Murray brought this up in an interview with ClutchPoints' Tomer Azarly.
"His work ethic, his passion for the game, and the way he plays the game, that's how the game is supposed to be played," Murray said.

#westbrook #game #nine #guards

The Chiefs needed 1 yard on a fourth-down play at their own 40. They got 60.
Kansas City's prize offseason acquisition, Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker, got loose around the right side after Broncos cornerback Riley Moss missed the tackle. Safety Brandon Jones was the only defender who had a chance to stop Walker after that and appeared to have the angle.
He didn't.
Walker has 16 carries for 149 yards and a touchdown in his Chiefs' debut, the second-most yards of his career. He had 23 carries for 167 yards and two touchdowns in his sixth career game, which was against the Chargers.
Walker is 4-for-4 on third-and-1 or fourth-and-1 tonight.

#walker #kenneth

Why Fever-Lynx doubleheader could decide WNBA's No. 1 seed originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Minnesota Lynx have spent most of the 2026 season looking like the WNBA's team to beat. Finishing the job will not be simple. Minnesota returns from the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup break with a league-best 31-9 record. The Lynx have already clinched a playoff berth, but they have not secured the No. 1 seed or home-court advantage throughout the postseason.
Golden State sits only two games behind Minnesota at 29-11. The Lynx own the head-to-head tiebreaker, giving them control of the race, but their final four games are considerably more difficult than the Valkyries' remaining schedule.
Minnesota hosts the New York Liberty on Friday before visiting the eliminated Connecticut Sun. The season then could be decided by two games against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever over three days. The Lynx visit Indiana on Sept. 22 and host the Fever in the regular-season finale Sept. 24.
The playoff math is straightforward.

#minnesota #playoff

The Denver Broncos drive was derailed by a really bad holding call on Pat Bryant. The hold was just the Kansas City Chiefs player falling down, but that's how it goes in today's NFL. They would punt it back to the Chiefs after gaining most of the yards back.
Denver's defense would come up big on the Chiefs' next drive with Malcolm Roach tipping a third down pass near midfield to force another punt.
Starting from their own 12 yard line, Bo Nix and the Broncos offense opened things up with a checkdown to Adam Trautman for a six yard gain and a quick toss outside to Pat Bryant was an easy first down but he took his eye off the ball just long enough to drop it. On third down and four, Nix hit Jaylen Waddle finally but was immediately hit and tackled a yard short of the first down marker.
After a short two yard run for the Chiefs, Que Robinson exploded off the edge and nearly sacked Patrick Mahomes who threw the ball into the dirt to avoid the sack. On third and eight, Mahomes was pressured again and somehow picked his way through the line and gained just enough for the first down. That would be all they would get and would be punting a few plays later.
A nice punt return by Marvin Mims Jr. finally got the Broncos starting position outside of the 20 yard line for a change. An end around by Troy Franklin picked up five, then an outstanding spin move by RJ Harvey picked up four yards. On third and one, Nix from an empty backfield was immediately pressured and had to scramble to throw it away for yet another punt.

#first

The Jacksonville Jaguars are hosting a month-long celebration for Hispanic Heritage Month throughout September, launching community outreach programs and student-athlete recognition under the banner "Somos DUUUVAL."
The initiative addresses the growth of the Hispanic and Latino community in Northeast Florida through youth sports, literacy outreach, and leadership initiatives.
Adriel Rocha, the Jaguars vice president of community impact and youth development, emphasized the initiative's focus on community service and culture. "Hispanic Heritage Month is a reminder of the rich culture, contributions and leadership of the Hispanic community and through Somos DUUUVAL, the Jaguars strive to celebrate and strengthen that spirit in Jacksonville," Rocha said. "Through a month-long series of initiatives for the Hispanic community, we are harnessing the power of service to strengthen connections and make a lasting difference in this community."
As part of the initiative, Jaguars PREP, the foundation's youth programming branch, partnered with Ticketmaster and Farah & Farah to host two youth football camps focused on athletics and leadership skills.
Nearly 350 students in third through fifth grades at BridgePrep Academy and Englewood Elementary School are participating.

#hispanic #month #heritage #somos

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (wrist) suffered fractured wrist in the Week 1 game against the Indianapolis Colts, and he is expected to miss several weeks.
Lane was to have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury, and a timetable would then be set for his return. Test results are still pending. He managed one reception for 11 yards on three targets before he was knocked from the game.
SOURCE: RavensWire - Glenn Erby
Why it Matters: With Lane sidelined, and Zay Flowers leaving the game early due to a hamstring injury, the Ravens were down to Rashod Bateman, Chris Moore and LaJohntay Wester as the only healthy receivers Sunday. Devontez Walker was sidelined due to a groin injury, but he could play in Week 2, and rookie fourth-round pick Elijah Sarratt is also a possibility. He was a healthy inactive.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ja'Kobi Lane awaits MRI results

#game #wrist #sidelined #healthy

Texas football news: Arch Manning can't hide reaction to Rowe-Sarkisian question appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Texas took a massive victory over Ohio State on Saturday. They were down 20 points heading into the fourth quarter, but Arch Manning led Texas to the comeback, putting up 21 points in the fourth quarter. After the game, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian was too excited to celebrate to even talk to Holly Rowe in the postgame interview.
The internet had its way with the interaction between Rowe and Sarkisian after the game. The initial interaction between Rowe and Sarkisian was very brief, with Sark throwing up the hook 'em horns sign and leaving quickly.
Then AI had its way, making a video of Sark slapping Rowe instead of just walking away. Now, Arch Manning is talking about the AI edits, per Evan Vieth of Inside Texas.
"I've seen a few AI edits of stuff, but that's about it. I saw the AI edit of Sark's interview. You all seen that one? That's a good one. Of him slapping Holly Rowe? Yeah, it's hilarious," Manning said.

#clutchpoints #holly

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pop superstar Taylor Swift was back at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night, and sitting alongside Tom Cruise, to watch new husband Travis Kelce and his Kansas City Chiefs open the NFL season against the Denver Broncos.
It was the first time Swift has seen Kelce play since they were married over the summer.
The 14-time Grammy Award winner decided to skip the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, though it wasn't necessarily a big surprise. Even though "The Eras Tour: The Final Show" was nominated for outstanding variety special (pre-recorded), the category winner already was announced at the Creative Arts Emmys earlier this month, with "The Muppet Show" taking top honors.
The Emmys had fun with the possibility of Swift's attendance, airing a recorded bit where the "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" cast, led by host Mariska Hargitay, is trying to figure out whether she will be there. Swift herself appears at the end, though not as herself.
"Maybe she'll do one those cool, pre-taped sketch things to support the host," Swift's character says.

#emmys #time

Zane Smith escaped with no serious injuries following a violent crash in Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway. The driver of the No. 38 suffered a brake failure in the closing laps of Stage 2, causing him to spin out and slam driver's side first into the outside retaining wall in turn 1.
As Smith climbed from his car, it was evident he was in pain. The 27-year-old was slow to get out of his battered Front Row Motorsports Ford and was leaning on two NASCAR safety workers as they helped him into the ambulance to take him to the infield care center.
Thankfully, Smith took to social media on Monday with a positive update on his condition.
Immediately after Smith careened with the outside wall following the brake failure, his spotter, Ryan Blanchard, tried to summon his driver over the radio to check on his condition.
"We lost brakes here. Let me know if you're OK. Really big hit. Talk to me when you can, please. Let me know if you're OK," he said.

#brake #failure #wall

New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson is getting the star treatment again after making an Emmys appearance with a "Law and Order: SVU" star.
The NBA champion cannot get away from the spotlight after helping guide New York to success in 2026. Brunson and the Knicks won the team's first championship in over 53 years after beating the San Antonio Spurs.
Meanwhile, Brunson's attention for the evening is shifting to the Emmys alongside Mariska Hargitay of the "Law and Order" franchise. Hargitay is a well-known Knicks superfan and attended many games throughout the team's championship run.
The two have become good friends since Brunson's move to the Knicks in 2022. Now, they're appearing on primetime award shows together.
MORE: Sydney Sweeney claps back with subtle message after backlash for suggestive ad

#york

Hits were at a premium with both sides combining for seven, and the Dodgers made the most of theirs, out-homering the Reds two-to-one and relying on Tarik Skubal's best performance as a Dodger to secure a 4-1 win. While Reds starter Nick Lodolo was responsible for all four runs in his seven innings, it doesn't necessarily reflect just how effectively he held down this potent Dodgers lineup for large periods of the game—especially dealing with such an ungrateful task.
It didn't take more than a couple of hitters to find out, or at least get a glimpse of the type of performance Skubal was about to bring to the mound. Facing Cincinnati's most dangerous hitter, Elly De La Cruz, Skubal was down 3-0 in the count following two bad misses, remembering that De La Cruz took him deep last week. The Dodgers' starter not only got back in the count and punched out De La Cruz, but almost as impressively, he did so in a manner of simply imposing his will that few starting pitchers can even hope to accomplish. Skubal threw three straight heaters, none of them particularly dotted, two up and one down, almost as if indicating that today he'd do as he pleased and the Reds were mere spectators to it.
That initial at-bat against De La Cruz was also indicative of the approach that Skubal would carry into this game. Whether due to a lack of feel for a particular off-speed pitch or, more likely, from an adjustment after seeing the Reds' swings against the four-seamer, Skubal went to that pitch far more often than he normally does—throwing it 44 percent of the time across seven scoreless innings, needing just 90 pitches to do so.
The first and only time the Reds managed to put multiple players on base against Skubal came in the fifth inning, when Juan Brito singled, and J.J. Bleday walked, later moving to second and third on a wild pitch. In a nine-pitch at-bat, Hector Rodríguez would go down on a four-seam fastball, this one up and well outside the zone. In fact, each of Skubal's first seven punchouts came on heaters.
Offensively, the Dodgers made the most of their rare hits count, securing just three in seven innings against a dialed-in Nick Lodolo. Unfortunately for the Reds starter, both of the hits he allowed were home runs, first a solo shot to Kyle Tucker in the second and, a couple of innings later, a two-run bomb to Teoscar Hernández.

#hits

Fourteen years ago, Ken Jouppi, who had operated a charter airplane business in Alaska since the 1970s, agreed to fly a passenger from Fairbanks to Beaver, one of the state's dry jurisdictions. The passenger's luggage included 72 cans of Budweiser and Bud Light, which she planned to share with her husband on his birthday. Although most of the beer was boxed, a six-pack "was packed only in a grocery bag and would have been in plain view to Jouppi as he was loading the airplane," the Alaska Supreme Court noted last year.
State troopers discovered the beer before the plane took off, and Jouppi was convicted of a misdemeanor. The trial court, which concluded that Jouppi had been "willfully blind" to the six-pack, sentenced him to three days in jail and a $1,500 fine. But state law mandated another punishment that was 63 times as severe: forfeiture of Jouppi's $95,000 airplane. Although that penalty seemed grossly disproportionate, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that it did not violate the Eighth Amendment's ban on excessive fines.
In July, responding to a petition filed by the Institute for Justice, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review that decision. It will hear oral argument in Jouppi v. Alaska on December 1. In a brief supporting Jouppi's appeal that it filed last week, the Cato Institute argues that the Alaska Supreme Court erred by failing to consider the gravity of his conduct and the financial consequences of the forfeiture. Both of those factors, Cato attorney Matthew Cavedon says, have been central to the common-law understanding of excessive fines for eight centuries.
"The Eighth Amendment was designed to prevent this kind of abuse by limiting excessive fines," Cavedon writes. "Long before the United States was founded, the common law protected people from extreme monetary penalties. But the Alaska Supreme Court's view is that challenges to excessive fines 'should rarely succeed.' This dismissive view led it to conclude that there is nothing excessive about the forfeiture of an airplane worth 'only 9.5 times the maximum fine'—and over 60 times the fine actually imposed. The decision below cannot be reconciled with this Court's precedent or the Excessive Fines Clause's original meaning."
In weighing the proportionality of the airplane forfeiture, the Alaska Supreme Court thought the relevant consideration was the harm caused by excessive drinking. "Alcohol abuse in rural Alaska leads to increased crime; disorders, such as alcoholism; conditions, such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder; and death, imposing substantial costs on public health and the administration of justice," Justice Jude Pate wrote in the majority opinion. "Within this context, it is clear that the illegal importation of even a six-pack of beer causes grave societal harm."

#court #excessive #jouppi

Here's what we know after Monday's press conference in New York to announce the new MMA promotion backed by Strikeforce founder and former Bellator president Scott ******* er:
— It will be called Ki MMA, which looks like K-1 on paper but is ******* ounced like "key," which led to at least one accidental pun in just the first half-hour or so of conversation among the executives.
— Its fights will take place in a modified boxing ring, with such an abundance of tightly ******* ed ropes that should help us finally figure out if it's possible to use this set up without fighters getting tangled or falling through.
— It will focus on tournament-based competition, beginning with a 32-man featherweight tournament in 2027, that will draw fighters from four different continents — North America, South America, Europe and Asia — leading to a world grand prix final, where the eventual champion will have to win two fights in one night.
What we didn't find out was who will be in this tournament or where we'll be able to watch it. Those are typically two pretty important factors in determining whether or not fight fans will get on board, but I guess we're taking things one step at a time.

#bellator

Sept 13 (Reuters) - The head of Russia's state nuclear energy corporation accused Ukraine on Sunday of attacking diesel fuel trucks, killing ‌two Russian servicemen and deliberately jeopardising safety at the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia ‌nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
Alexei Likhachev said the attack took place on Friday and also resulted in injuries to other Russian soldiers.
The Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe's largest with six reactors, was seized by Russian forces in the early weeks of the Ukraine war that broke out in February 2022. Each side has regularly ‌accused the other of actions ⁠that endanger safety at the plant and increase the risk of a nuclear accident.
Likhachev issued a statement saying Ukrainian ⁠forces had launched "a series of combined strikes" on Friday on fuel trucks which deliver diesel to the station.
"The strikes hit very close to the perimeter of the station's site," he said.

#russian #nuclear #Friday

Two races into NASCAR's new Chase, the championship standings are already showing how quickly things can change.
Kyle Larson left Darlington 49 points behind Denny Hamlin. One win at Gateway later, he sits second, just nine points back.
Ryan Blaney experienced the opposite. He entered Gateway 16 points behind Hamlin before a brake failure ended his race in 35th. Now he trails by 33.
Next comes Bristol Motor Speedway, and there is no reset waiting on the other side.
Under NASCAR's previous playoff format, drivers raced through elimination rounds with points resets along the way. The 2026 Chase is different. After the initial reseeding, all 10 races count toward the same championship total.

#points #championship

A police response to reports of a man chasing a woman spiraled into a deadly confrontation when an unrelated knife-wielding man charged an officer through a crowded seaside park in California, chilling new bodycam video shows.
The tense encounter unfolded Aug. 22 as Santa Monica Police Department officers investigated a report of a man chasing a woman near the Broadway stairs, according to a newly released critical incident briefing.
The man killed in the confrontation was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner as 44-year-old Michael Rodriguez.
Bodycam Shows Los Angeles County Deputy Stabbed Seconds After Arriving At Knife Attack
Bodycam video shows Michael Rodriguez approaching a Santa Monica police officer with a knife raised in Palisades Park Aug. 22, 2026.

#police #knife

It looks like the Denver Broncos were this close to seeing their 2025 season take an eye-popping turn. On Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees had considered coming out of retirement to join the Broncos in the postseason last year.
Per Schefter, Brees had conversations with the team's then-offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and offensive ****** istant Pete Carmichael about the quarterback potentially playing in the AFC championship. The Broncos had lost starting QB Bo Nix to a broken ankle in the final plays of the divisional win over the Buffalo Bills, leaving an opening at QB1 that was being filled by backup Jarrett Stidham.
The 47-year-old Brees said that he wanted to work out first to see how his body was doing, but "discomfort" in Brees' wrist led him to turn down the offer, per Schefter.
Lombardi and Carmichael, along with Broncos head coach Sean Payton, all worked with Brees during his time with the New Orleans Saints. However, Payton only heard about the plot to entice Brees back to the NFL this offseason, with the plan leaving him "both fascinated and flabbergasted," per Schefter
However, Denver maybe could have used Brees in the ****** le game, as the team lost 10-7 to the New England Patiotrs; Stidham made crucial mistakes in the loss.

#brees