21 hours ago
Jonas Urbig is not treating Bayern Munich's upcoming friendly against Aston Villa as "just another preseason game."
Speaking ahead of the match, the goalkeeper emphasized the mentality expected at Bayern Munich regardless of the occasion.
"When you wear the FC Bayern jersey, you always have to give 100 percent. I do not care whether it is a friendly or a competitive match, a Bundesliga or Champions League game: you approach every encounter in exactly the same way, with the same mindset, the same conviction and the same sense of responsibility. That is why the clash with Aston Villa will be a proper test, and a game in which we want to continue to improve," Urbig told FCBayern.com.
It is the mentality that has defined Bayern Munich for decades. Every match matters, whether it is lifting trophies in May or building toward the season in August. With Vincent Kompany continuing to implement his ideas and more first-team players returning to the squad, Aston Villa represents another valuable opportunity to sharpen performances before competitive action begins.
For Urbig and the rest of the squad, the objective is simple: keep building, keep improving, and maintain the standards at Bayern Munich.
#game #every #friendly
Speaking ahead of the match, the goalkeeper emphasized the mentality expected at Bayern Munich regardless of the occasion.
"When you wear the FC Bayern jersey, you always have to give 100 percent. I do not care whether it is a friendly or a competitive match, a Bundesliga or Champions League game: you approach every encounter in exactly the same way, with the same mindset, the same conviction and the same sense of responsibility. That is why the clash with Aston Villa will be a proper test, and a game in which we want to continue to improve," Urbig told FCBayern.com.
It is the mentality that has defined Bayern Munich for decades. Every match matters, whether it is lifting trophies in May or building toward the season in August. With Vincent Kompany continuing to implement his ideas and more first-team players returning to the squad, Aston Villa represents another valuable opportunity to sharpen performances before competitive action begins.
For Urbig and the rest of the squad, the objective is simple: keep building, keep improving, and maintain the standards at Bayern Munich.
#game #every #friendly
21 hours ago
Through its social media channels, the AFA issued a statement backing Gianni Infantino's leadership during his 10 years at the helm of FIFA.
"On behalf of the Argentine Football ***** ociation (AFA), and its Executive Committee, we address you, dear President, and through you the FIFA leadership, to express our support for the work carried out over the past 10 years, whose main pillars have been the development of football worldwide and institutional strength based on a clear, stable, and transparent governance model," they said.
At the same time, the AFA acknowledged the decision to withdraw "a project that generated more uncertainty than certainty," referring to FIFA Forward Enterprise, and highlighted the "acceptance of the mistakes made in that process."
"Prioritizing governance standards is a fundamental pillar for strengthening good relations between FIFA, its member ***** ociations, and the confederations."
The AFA also highlighted Infantino's leadership and transparent governance model for a profound transformation of FIFA "that opened the doors of the organization to all member ***** ociations and confederations, so that through frank and direct dialogue, all of us together can continue promoting football at all its levels and disciplines."
#fifa #Football #leadership
"On behalf of the Argentine Football ***** ociation (AFA), and its Executive Committee, we address you, dear President, and through you the FIFA leadership, to express our support for the work carried out over the past 10 years, whose main pillars have been the development of football worldwide and institutional strength based on a clear, stable, and transparent governance model," they said.
At the same time, the AFA acknowledged the decision to withdraw "a project that generated more uncertainty than certainty," referring to FIFA Forward Enterprise, and highlighted the "acceptance of the mistakes made in that process."
"Prioritizing governance standards is a fundamental pillar for strengthening good relations between FIFA, its member ***** ociations, and the confederations."
The AFA also highlighted Infantino's leadership and transparent governance model for a profound transformation of FIFA "that opened the doors of the organization to all member ***** ociations and confederations, so that through frank and direct dialogue, all of us together can continue promoting football at all its levels and disciplines."
#fifa #Football #leadership
22 hours ago
Aug 5 (Reuters) - The Dallas and New York Federal Reserve banks plan to launch a pilot survey into the estimated $1.3 trillion private credit market after the end of the third quarter, the New York Fed said in a statement on Wednesday.
Private credit's expansion began as a means of funding private equity groups' buyouts after the 2008 financial crisis saw bank financing dry up. It then swelled into a prime source of debt financing for riskier businesses, drawing in capital from income-hungry investors.
Though still tiny compared with the traditional banking industry, the sector has been dogged by concerns over the quality of lending standards and a lack of transparency.
The survey would segment the market into three sections based on borrower size: an upper middle market with more than $100 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; a middle market between $30 million and $100 million EBITDA; and a lower middle market with less than $30 million EBITDA, the statement said.
Findings of the survey are expected to be published in the first quarter of 2027, it said.
#statement
Private credit's expansion began as a means of funding private equity groups' buyouts after the 2008 financial crisis saw bank financing dry up. It then swelled into a prime source of debt financing for riskier businesses, drawing in capital from income-hungry investors.
Though still tiny compared with the traditional banking industry, the sector has been dogged by concerns over the quality of lending standards and a lack of transparency.
The survey would segment the market into three sections based on borrower size: an upper middle market with more than $100 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; a middle market between $30 million and $100 million EBITDA; and a lower middle market with less than $30 million EBITDA, the statement said.
Findings of the survey are expected to be published in the first quarter of 2027, it said.
#statement
24 hours ago
SpaceX's $18.4B AI capex is a fraction of the $860B rivals plan to spend in 2026, an 80% year-over-year increase.
Amazon commits $220B and Meta up to $145B for AI this year, while ****** eX rents compute capacity to Google and Anthropic instead.
xAI's Grok trails Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini in Apple's App Store rankings, exposing ****** eX's weak enterprise and consumer AI footprint.
Act now: the ****** yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and ****** eX didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Someone, please tell me if I'm wrong. ****** eX (NASDAQ: SPCX) said its capital expenditures were $18.4 billion in the quarter that just ended. Almost all of the spending is going toward AI. By the same token, Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) says it will spend a ton more. Yahoo reports, "Oracle expects capital expenditures of up to $95 billion in fiscal 2027, though it expects repayments from customers for up to $25 billion of that." And that number is small by megatech company standards.
#billion #NASDAQ #oracle #expects
Amazon commits $220B and Meta up to $145B for AI this year, while ****** eX rents compute capacity to Google and Anthropic instead.
xAI's Grok trails Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini in Apple's App Store rankings, exposing ****** eX's weak enterprise and consumer AI footprint.
Act now: the ****** yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and ****** eX didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Someone, please tell me if I'm wrong. ****** eX (NASDAQ: SPCX) said its capital expenditures were $18.4 billion in the quarter that just ended. Almost all of the spending is going toward AI. By the same token, Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) says it will spend a ton more. Yahoo reports, "Oracle expects capital expenditures of up to $95 billion in fiscal 2027, though it expects repayments from customers for up to $25 billion of that." And that number is small by megatech company standards.
#billion #NASDAQ #oracle #expects
1 day ago
In a game of small distinctions, Mateusz Gamrot — who fights this weekend against Quillan Salkilld at the UFC Apex — has a pretty good one in that he beat Arman Tsarukyan back in 2022. This is an excellent feat by industry standards. In the last six years, 10 other men have tried do just that and 10 men have failed. Most recently, Dan Hooker came up woefully short in his attempt. Tsarukyan submitted Hooker in the second round of their fight last November and made it look relatively easy in doing so.
With five straight wins, Tsarukyan is good enough for other fighters to measure their own standards of greatness, which is its own small distinction.
Yet, despite Dana White pinky swearing that Tsarukyan would be next for a ******* le shot if he beat Hooker in Qatar, here we are over eight months later and … guess what?
He still hasn't fought for the ******* le. And it doesn't appear he will anytime soon.
On Wednesday, the UFC announced that Tsarukyan will face Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 in September, in a five-round non-title fight, meaning it's exceedingly unlikely he'll fight for the belt in 2026. Though it's a fine fight — in fact it's crazy good, far more intriguing than a rematch with Charles Oliveira, even if it were for the BMF — it can't help but feel like Arman is forever on the outside looking in. He has been in Dana's doghouse since he backed out of his ******* le chance at the eleventh hour of UFC 311 with an injury, and he didn't do himself any favors by headbutting Hooker during the face-offs in Qatar.
#good #standards
With five straight wins, Tsarukyan is good enough for other fighters to measure their own standards of greatness, which is its own small distinction.
Yet, despite Dana White pinky swearing that Tsarukyan would be next for a ******* le shot if he beat Hooker in Qatar, here we are over eight months later and … guess what?
He still hasn't fought for the ******* le. And it doesn't appear he will anytime soon.
On Wednesday, the UFC announced that Tsarukyan will face Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 in September, in a five-round non-title fight, meaning it's exceedingly unlikely he'll fight for the belt in 2026. Though it's a fine fight — in fact it's crazy good, far more intriguing than a rematch with Charles Oliveira, even if it were for the BMF — it can't help but feel like Arman is forever on the outside looking in. He has been in Dana's doghouse since he backed out of his ******* le chance at the eleventh hour of UFC 311 with an injury, and he didn't do himself any favors by headbutting Hooker during the face-offs in Qatar.
#good #standards
1 day ago
SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI) just posted the best quarter in its history, and the stock fell anyway. Membership hit a record, loan originations hit a record, and tangible book value grew faster than almost anyone expected. Yet shares dropped roughly 9% the day the numbers came out, part of a stretch that has left the stock down nearly 42% this year. The gap between what the business is doing and what the market is doing has rarely been this wide.
The growth engine behind that record quarter keeps compounding. SoFi added 1.1 million new members in FQ2 2026, a record, pushing its base to 15.8 million people, up 35% year over year. What matters more is how it is selling to them: 51% of new products went to existing members, up from 43% the prior quarter and 35% a year earlier, and the average member now uses 1.54 products, up from 1.46 twelve months ago. That is a company getting cheaper to grow, since selling another product to someone already banking with you costs far less than acquiring a stranger.
The balance sheet backs up that growth. Tangible book value jumped 80% year over year to $9.5 billion, or $7.34 per share, while deposits reached $45.5 billion and the total capital ratio sat at 18.8%, comfortably above the 10.5% regulatory minimum. Loan originations hit a record $14.8 billion, up 69%, and the personal loan charge-off rate actually fell 21 basis points even as that book expanded, a sign SoFi is not chasing volume by loosening standards. SoFi's brokerage arm was also among the firms chosen for the record-breaking ***** e Exploration Technologies IPO, and brokerage revenue climbed 141% for the quarter. William Blair's Andrew Jeffrey called the results reason to "aggressively accumulate" the stock, arguing the larger balance sheet efficiently supports management's 20% to 30% long-term return-on-equity target.
Pixabay/Public Domain
None of that explains why the profit outlook didn't move. Management raised full-year adjusted net revenue guidance to $4.75 billion to $4.85 billion, up from $4.66 billion, but left adjusted EBITDA guidance at $1.6 billion and adjusted earnings per share at $0.60. More revenue with no more profit attached is exactly the kind of detail the market prices quickly. CEO Anthony Noto pointed to a shift in the bank's own rate expectations, from two cuts to two hikes this year, as the reason for the caution, alongside a choice to reinvest rather than bank the upside.
#year #record #book #revenue
The growth engine behind that record quarter keeps compounding. SoFi added 1.1 million new members in FQ2 2026, a record, pushing its base to 15.8 million people, up 35% year over year. What matters more is how it is selling to them: 51% of new products went to existing members, up from 43% the prior quarter and 35% a year earlier, and the average member now uses 1.54 products, up from 1.46 twelve months ago. That is a company getting cheaper to grow, since selling another product to someone already banking with you costs far less than acquiring a stranger.
The balance sheet backs up that growth. Tangible book value jumped 80% year over year to $9.5 billion, or $7.34 per share, while deposits reached $45.5 billion and the total capital ratio sat at 18.8%, comfortably above the 10.5% regulatory minimum. Loan originations hit a record $14.8 billion, up 69%, and the personal loan charge-off rate actually fell 21 basis points even as that book expanded, a sign SoFi is not chasing volume by loosening standards. SoFi's brokerage arm was also among the firms chosen for the record-breaking ***** e Exploration Technologies IPO, and brokerage revenue climbed 141% for the quarter. William Blair's Andrew Jeffrey called the results reason to "aggressively accumulate" the stock, arguing the larger balance sheet efficiently supports management's 20% to 30% long-term return-on-equity target.
Pixabay/Public Domain
None of that explains why the profit outlook didn't move. Management raised full-year adjusted net revenue guidance to $4.75 billion to $4.85 billion, up from $4.66 billion, but left adjusted EBITDA guidance at $1.6 billion and adjusted earnings per share at $0.60. More revenue with no more profit attached is exactly the kind of detail the market prices quickly. CEO Anthony Noto pointed to a shift in the bank's own rate expectations, from two cuts to two hikes this year, as the reason for the caution, alongside a choice to reinvest rather than bank the upside.
#year #record #book #revenue
1 day ago
A pageant queen recently crowned Miss North Carolina USA has been stripped of her ****** le after a string of alleged racist posts resurfaced.
Brittany Boltinhouse, 27, was formally dethroned on Wednesday by pageant organizers A Blaize Productions after what it said was "a thorough review of recently surfaced information".
The organization did not disclose what Boltinhouse had allegedly posted but said the decision had been taken after "careful consideration, multiple conversations, and in consultation with the Miss USA Organization".
The organization said it believes "people are capable of growth" and that "grace and accountability can coexist" but the organization must also uphold the standards and values expected of ****** leholders.
Boltinhouse won the ****** le in June and has been preparing to represent North Carolina at the 75th annual Miss USA pageant in Miami later this month.
#organization
Brittany Boltinhouse, 27, was formally dethroned on Wednesday by pageant organizers A Blaize Productions after what it said was "a thorough review of recently surfaced information".
The organization did not disclose what Boltinhouse had allegedly posted but said the decision had been taken after "careful consideration, multiple conversations, and in consultation with the Miss USA Organization".
The organization said it believes "people are capable of growth" and that "grace and accountability can coexist" but the organization must also uphold the standards and values expected of ****** leholders.
Boltinhouse won the ****** le in June and has been preparing to represent North Carolina at the 75th annual Miss USA pageant in Miami later this month.
#organization
1 day ago
Scarlett Johansson wasn't a fan of how celebrities were once expected to dress according to a rigid Hollywood standard.
In a new interview, the actress described those expectations as "unachievable" and said she's glad stars today have the freedom to wear whatever makes them feel confident.
MEGA
Since making her first major red carpet appearance at the 2004 Oscars, Johansson has consistently turned heads with her glamorous fashion choices.
Reflecting on those early years in a video shared by Good Housekeeping, the actress revealed that her style was heavily influenced by Hollywood's rigid expectations for red carpet dressing. She said those fashion standards were ultimately unattainable for many people.
#expectations #scarlett #since
In a new interview, the actress described those expectations as "unachievable" and said she's glad stars today have the freedom to wear whatever makes them feel confident.
MEGA
Since making her first major red carpet appearance at the 2004 Oscars, Johansson has consistently turned heads with her glamorous fashion choices.
Reflecting on those early years in a video shared by Good Housekeeping, the actress revealed that her style was heavily influenced by Hollywood's rigid expectations for red carpet dressing. She said those fashion standards were ultimately unattainable for many people.
#expectations #scarlett #since
1 day ago
Brittany Boltinhouse has been dethroned just weeks after being crowned Miss North Carolina USA.
Miss USA Organization chairman and CEO Thom Brodeur announced Wednesday that Boltinhouse, 27, was stripped of her ******* le after what he described as conduct that violated the organization's standards discovered in a "thorough review of recently surfaced information."
Although Brodeur did not specify the conduct, he said the pageant "does not tolerate racism, ******* phobia, transphobia nor language that strips any person of their dignity — whoever they are."
"This is not a policy written for a press release, it is the floor of what it means to represent this brand," the statement said. "A ******* le here isn't a trinket. It is a position of trust, extended by an organization and accepted by a woman who agrees to carry a standard in public."
He continued: "When that standard is broken, the ******* le cannot continue as though nothing happened. What was brought to us was not a single moment. It reflected conduct over an extended period of time."
#brodeur
Miss USA Organization chairman and CEO Thom Brodeur announced Wednesday that Boltinhouse, 27, was stripped of her ******* le after what he described as conduct that violated the organization's standards discovered in a "thorough review of recently surfaced information."
Although Brodeur did not specify the conduct, he said the pageant "does not tolerate racism, ******* phobia, transphobia nor language that strips any person of their dignity — whoever they are."
"This is not a policy written for a press release, it is the floor of what it means to represent this brand," the statement said. "A ******* le here isn't a trinket. It is a position of trust, extended by an organization and accepted by a woman who agrees to carry a standard in public."
He continued: "When that standard is broken, the ******* le cannot continue as though nothing happened. What was brought to us was not a single moment. It reflected conduct over an extended period of time."
#brodeur
1 day ago
[Getty Images]
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has written "a message of love and admiration" to Christian Norgaard, while also giving Everton fans a preview of what to expect from their new £7m signing.
The 32-year-old midfielder might have only made seven appearances during **** nal's **** le-winning campaign in 2025-26, but Arteta highlighted his work "behind the scenes".
"I am very thankful for what he brought to the club and how he helped us to win," Arteta wrote in his parting message. "It is a message of admiration and love [from me].
"I don't think people have seen what he has done behind the scenes. He is a player that has a unique quality to make others better and maintain a culture to the highest standards.
#love #behind
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has written "a message of love and admiration" to Christian Norgaard, while also giving Everton fans a preview of what to expect from their new £7m signing.
The 32-year-old midfielder might have only made seven appearances during **** nal's **** le-winning campaign in 2025-26, but Arteta highlighted his work "behind the scenes".
"I am very thankful for what he brought to the club and how he helped us to win," Arteta wrote in his parting message. "It is a message of admiration and love [from me].
"I don't think people have seen what he has done behind the scenes. He is a player that has a unique quality to make others better and maintain a culture to the highest standards.
#love #behind
2 days ago
Aston Villa look set to complete a smart piece of business, with Marca reporting that Matteo Ruggeri is on the verge of leaving Atlético Madrid for Villa Park. The broad outline is simple, Villa have reached an agreement with Atlético, and the only thing left is the player's final approval.
The numbers matter. Villa would pay £18 million guaranteed, with a further £6 million in variables. For a left-back who has clearly dropped out of the immediate picture, that is a deal Atlético are ready to take and one Villa seem comfortable backing. There is no mystery here, his future has shifted quickly and decisively.
Ruggeri will not travel with Atlético on their pre-season trip to South Korea, which tells you plenty. Clubs do not make that call unless they expect movement. After talks involving his representatives and Villa, the operation has advanced to the point where his departure now feels like a matter of timing rather than doubt.
He had worked with the main group earlier in pre-season, but once Villa's interest became serious, his situation changed. That usually means the coaching staff and the hierarchy are already planning for life after the player. Juventus and Roma checked on him earlier in the summer, while Liverpool and Newcastle reportedly asked late questions, yet Villa have done the heavy lifting.
From Villa's perspective, this is coherent squad building. Unai Emery wants options, reliability and tactical discipline in wide areas. Ruggeri fits that profile. He is young, he comes from a high-level environment, and the fee is not reckless by Premier League standards.
#left #aston #marca
The numbers matter. Villa would pay £18 million guaranteed, with a further £6 million in variables. For a left-back who has clearly dropped out of the immediate picture, that is a deal Atlético are ready to take and one Villa seem comfortable backing. There is no mystery here, his future has shifted quickly and decisively.
Ruggeri will not travel with Atlético on their pre-season trip to South Korea, which tells you plenty. Clubs do not make that call unless they expect movement. After talks involving his representatives and Villa, the operation has advanced to the point where his departure now feels like a matter of timing rather than doubt.
He had worked with the main group earlier in pre-season, but once Villa's interest became serious, his situation changed. That usually means the coaching staff and the hierarchy are already planning for life after the player. Juventus and Roma checked on him earlier in the summer, while Liverpool and Newcastle reportedly asked late questions, yet Villa have done the heavy lifting.
From Villa's perspective, this is coherent squad building. Unai Emery wants options, reliability and tactical discipline in wide areas. Ruggeri fits that profile. He is young, he comes from a high-level environment, and the fee is not reckless by Premier League standards.
#left #aston #marca
2 days ago
Bayern Munich's basketball division will be undergoing an upgrade on their facilities, which will be shared by the youth football players as per the club's official website:
The future begins now: FC Bayern München eV has applied to the city for permission for the construction of a basketball performance centre at the FC Bayern Campus. President Herbert Hainer recently confirmed the plans for a new headquarters for the FCBB's basketball organisation, which have been in the works for years. With this groundbreaking project, the seven-time German champions aim to bring their sporting infrastructure up to the highest international standards and further expand their youth development programmes. The complex is also designed to include shared ****** es that will be used by FCB footballers from the Campus.
The modern training centre is set to become the home of all FC Bayern Basketball teams in the future: from the EuroLeague team to the second team (ProB South) and the youth teams, with a competition arena to be integrated for the young talents. The entire office will also move from BMW Park to the Campus grounds. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2027, and the project is expected to take about two years to complete.
FC Bayern München eV is the developer of the new training centre and the club is also the sole shareholder of FC Bayern München Basketball GmbH. The project is being carried out by SHA Scheffler Helbich Architekten GmbH; the Dortmund-based firm won the architectural competition and has extensive experience in sports infrastructure projects.
Since returning to the Bundesliga in 2011, the FCBB pros have been playing and training at the basketball arena in Munich's Westpark – now known as BMW Park – which opened in 1972 for the Summer Olympics. The club's steadily growing administrative offices have also been housed there ever since. Even after the team moves into the planned training centre on the campus grounds, BMW Park is set to remain an attractive venue for games and events. The arena has been successfully operated and marketed by the tenant, FCBB, for several years.
#Basketball #campus #park
The future begins now: FC Bayern München eV has applied to the city for permission for the construction of a basketball performance centre at the FC Bayern Campus. President Herbert Hainer recently confirmed the plans for a new headquarters for the FCBB's basketball organisation, which have been in the works for years. With this groundbreaking project, the seven-time German champions aim to bring their sporting infrastructure up to the highest international standards and further expand their youth development programmes. The complex is also designed to include shared ****** es that will be used by FCB footballers from the Campus.
The modern training centre is set to become the home of all FC Bayern Basketball teams in the future: from the EuroLeague team to the second team (ProB South) and the youth teams, with a competition arena to be integrated for the young talents. The entire office will also move from BMW Park to the Campus grounds. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2027, and the project is expected to take about two years to complete.
FC Bayern München eV is the developer of the new training centre and the club is also the sole shareholder of FC Bayern München Basketball GmbH. The project is being carried out by SHA Scheffler Helbich Architekten GmbH; the Dortmund-based firm won the architectural competition and has extensive experience in sports infrastructure projects.
Since returning to the Bundesliga in 2011, the FCBB pros have been playing and training at the basketball arena in Munich's Westpark – now known as BMW Park – which opened in 1972 for the Summer Olympics. The club's steadily growing administrative offices have also been housed there ever since. Even after the team moves into the planned training centre on the campus grounds, BMW Park is set to remain an attractive venue for games and events. The arena has been successfully operated and marketed by the tenant, FCBB, for several years.
#Basketball #campus #park
2 days ago
NEW DELHI: Flustered by the frequent injury breakdowns of players in the Indian team, the medical team at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru is looking to resurrect its fitness programme. TOI understands that the CoE is finally working on standardising base fitness parameters after it emerged that the non-definitive customised fitness tests for players were identified as a core reason for the drop in the overall fitness standards.
The Indian team went through a change in fitness testing drills after Adrian Leroux replaced Soham Desai as the strength and conditioning coach last year. It is learnt that the BCCI medical team, which includes the CoE and the Indian team, has struggled to work in sync to ***** s the fitness of players. Since Leroux took over, it was decided that the Bronco test would be the primary test to judge fitness instead of the Yo-Yo test.
The Bronco test, which is a more agility driven test, didn't have a base parameter till now. TOI has learnt that the BCCI medical team has rolled out a figure of 5.15-5.20 minutes as a base figure to complete the ***** orted drills to be declared fit enough to be selected after the debacle in white-ball tour of Ireland and England. Earlier, the BCCI had set 16.5 as a marker to clear the basic Yo-Yo test. The CoE has also set 9-10 minute mark to complete the 2 km running test which is known as the 2K test.
"The Indian players are not used to the Bronco test. Over the last year, the CoE had set different base parameters for players. It has now emerged that certain senior players were given much comfortable targets to meet to clear fitness tests. The CoE staff had also cleared players like Harshit Rana and Nitish ***** ar Reddy to make sure it was delivering players according to team management's needs," a BCCI source told TOI.
TOI has learnt that the team management and BCCI, led by secretary Devajit Saikia, has questioned Team India physio Kamlesh Jain for the repeated breakdowns and overall dip in the fitness standards. The team management is also not happy with players cramping so frequently even in the favourable English weather.
"Kamlesh has been told that he shouldn't worry about any player's stature and flag anything that he doesn't find satisfactory. It has been seen that the mobility of some of the players in the field has been questionable. Senior batters are struggling to push their running between the wickets as they bat longer. The number of slow fielders has increased," the source said.
It has been observed that regular India players have not been prepared for the new fitness drills. For instance, someone like Mohammed Siraj was recently caught off guard by the sudden fitness tests at CoE before leaving for Sri Lanka.
"It is only now that contracted players have been handed the base parameters of the new tests. The Test regulars were caught off guard by the programme given to them at CoE. The players who are not part of the Test team are now starting t
The Indian team went through a change in fitness testing drills after Adrian Leroux replaced Soham Desai as the strength and conditioning coach last year. It is learnt that the BCCI medical team, which includes the CoE and the Indian team, has struggled to work in sync to ***** s the fitness of players. Since Leroux took over, it was decided that the Bronco test would be the primary test to judge fitness instead of the Yo-Yo test.
The Bronco test, which is a more agility driven test, didn't have a base parameter till now. TOI has learnt that the BCCI medical team has rolled out a figure of 5.15-5.20 minutes as a base figure to complete the ***** orted drills to be declared fit enough to be selected after the debacle in white-ball tour of Ireland and England. Earlier, the BCCI had set 16.5 as a marker to clear the basic Yo-Yo test. The CoE has also set 9-10 minute mark to complete the 2 km running test which is known as the 2K test.
"The Indian players are not used to the Bronco test. Over the last year, the CoE had set different base parameters for players. It has now emerged that certain senior players were given much comfortable targets to meet to clear fitness tests. The CoE staff had also cleared players like Harshit Rana and Nitish ***** ar Reddy to make sure it was delivering players according to team management's needs," a BCCI source told TOI.
TOI has learnt that the team management and BCCI, led by secretary Devajit Saikia, has questioned Team India physio Kamlesh Jain for the repeated breakdowns and overall dip in the fitness standards. The team management is also not happy with players cramping so frequently even in the favourable English weather.
"Kamlesh has been told that he shouldn't worry about any player's stature and flag anything that he doesn't find satisfactory. It has been seen that the mobility of some of the players in the field has been questionable. Senior batters are struggling to push their running between the wickets as they bat longer. The number of slow fielders has increased," the source said.
It has been observed that regular India players have not been prepared for the new fitness drills. For instance, someone like Mohammed Siraj was recently caught off guard by the sudden fitness tests at CoE before leaving for Sri Lanka.
"It is only now that contracted players have been handed the base parameters of the new tests. The Test regulars were caught off guard by the programme given to them at CoE. The players who are not part of the Test team are now starting t
2 days ago
Donald Trump has created a way for Wall Street to pay to win. Trump Media & Technology Group's premium data product released its new subscription service for earlier access to Truth Social posts for $100,000 a month. According to reports, five Wall Street firms have already signed up for the service, gaining access to Truth Social posts milliseconds before the general public.
"I'll be blunt," Gian Luca Clementi, an economics professor at NYU Stern School of Business, told Fortune. "This is insider trading by definition."
Because Trump owns roughly 41% of the company's shares, he stands to directly profit from the new recurring revenue stream. At five subscribers alone, the service would generate about $500,000 in monthly revenue, or $6 million annually.
That figure is modest by the standards Trump has set since returning to the White House. His 2025 financial disclosure showed his businesses generated more than $2 billion in personal income last year—nearly quadruple his 2024 total—with the bulk flowing from ventures that sit directly at the intersection of his office and his balance sheet. He earned roughly $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency alone, including $635 million in royalties from his $TRUMP meme coin and more than $500 million from World Liberty Financial, the crypto venture run by his sons.
Notably, Trump signed legislation promoting stablecoins just months after World Liberty launched its own—a policy-to-profit pipeline structurally similar to what Truth API now does with his social media posts. He has also collected millions from Trump-branded Bibles, sneakers, and watches, and Melania Trump secured a reported $28 million deal with Jeff Bezos for a documentary. Truth API is the latest mechanism in an established playbook.
#service #posts #street #World
"I'll be blunt," Gian Luca Clementi, an economics professor at NYU Stern School of Business, told Fortune. "This is insider trading by definition."
Because Trump owns roughly 41% of the company's shares, he stands to directly profit from the new recurring revenue stream. At five subscribers alone, the service would generate about $500,000 in monthly revenue, or $6 million annually.
That figure is modest by the standards Trump has set since returning to the White House. His 2025 financial disclosure showed his businesses generated more than $2 billion in personal income last year—nearly quadruple his 2024 total—with the bulk flowing from ventures that sit directly at the intersection of his office and his balance sheet. He earned roughly $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency alone, including $635 million in royalties from his $TRUMP meme coin and more than $500 million from World Liberty Financial, the crypto venture run by his sons.
Notably, Trump signed legislation promoting stablecoins just months after World Liberty launched its own—a policy-to-profit pipeline structurally similar to what Truth API now does with his social media posts. He has also collected millions from Trump-branded Bibles, sneakers, and watches, and Melania Trump secured a reported $28 million deal with Jeff Bezos for a documentary. Truth API is the latest mechanism in an established playbook.
#service #posts #street #World
2 days ago
Memory bandwidth and GPU processing power have been a key hardware bottleneck for AI infrastructure advancement. As server designs move to high-density DDR5 standards and High Bandwidth Memory configurations to support AI workloads, specialized memory interface designers like Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ:RMBS) are key to data center design. That said, as semiconductor companies pivot their business models from high-margin IP licensing to direct chip manufacture, investors have started to evaluate gross margin trends and capital intensity instead of just top-line growth.
Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ:RMBS) displayed significant top-line performance on July 27, generating the highest quarterly revenue in the company's history for Q2 2026. Total revenue increased by 20% year-over-year and 15% sequentially to $207.4 million, exceeding the ****** yst forecast of $198.3 million. The product revenue segment, which includes memory interface chips related directly to server and AI data center installations, increased 22% year-over-year to $99.2 million, owing to the rollout of complete DDR5 9600 chipsets and growing server-memory content.
Management supported this momentum with optimistic third-quarter 2026 guidance that projected revenue between $210 million and $216 million, and GAAP diluted EPS of $0.59 to $0.67. This outlook was further bolstered by recent operational achievements, including the early commercial adoption of its DDR5 9600 chipsets and a significant HBM IP design win with a Tier-1 hyperscaler.
Despite record revenue and strong forward guidance, Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ:RMBS) shares fell as much as 20% in the sessions following the earnings announcement, with gross margin developments and evolving financial profiles driving institutional selling. Product gross margin landed in the low-60% area during the quarter, within management's 60% to 65% long-term target, though drifting toward the lower end due to product mix variations and supply chain cost pressures. More significantly, the trailing-twelve-month net margin decreased from 35.5% in the previous year to 31.7%.
Valuation multiples bring further scrutiny to these margin worries. Even after the 20% decline, Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ:RMBS) trades at a high forward price-to-earnings multiple of 24.27x. This marks a considerable premium to more mainstream AI semiconductor leaders like Broadcom (19.92x) and NVIDIA (20x). Trading at such a premium multiple leaves no room for execution delays or continued margin erosion, explaining why the market punished the company even with headline gains.
#memory #year #high
Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ:RMBS) displayed significant top-line performance on July 27, generating the highest quarterly revenue in the company's history for Q2 2026. Total revenue increased by 20% year-over-year and 15% sequentially to $207.4 million, exceeding the ****** yst forecast of $198.3 million. The product revenue segment, which includes memory interface chips related directly to server and AI data center installations, increased 22% year-over-year to $99.2 million, owing to the rollout of complete DDR5 9600 chipsets and growing server-memory content.
Management supported this momentum with optimistic third-quarter 2026 guidance that projected revenue between $210 million and $216 million, and GAAP diluted EPS of $0.59 to $0.67. This outlook was further bolstered by recent operational achievements, including the early commercial adoption of its DDR5 9600 chipsets and a significant HBM IP design win with a Tier-1 hyperscaler.
Despite record revenue and strong forward guidance, Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ:RMBS) shares fell as much as 20% in the sessions following the earnings announcement, with gross margin developments and evolving financial profiles driving institutional selling. Product gross margin landed in the low-60% area during the quarter, within management's 60% to 65% long-term target, though drifting toward the lower end due to product mix variations and supply chain cost pressures. More significantly, the trailing-twelve-month net margin decreased from 35.5% in the previous year to 31.7%.
Valuation multiples bring further scrutiny to these margin worries. Even after the 20% decline, Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ:RMBS) trades at a high forward price-to-earnings multiple of 24.27x. This marks a considerable premium to more mainstream AI semiconductor leaders like Broadcom (19.92x) and NVIDIA (20x). Trading at such a premium multiple leaves no room for execution delays or continued margin erosion, explaining why the market punished the company even with headline gains.
#memory #year #high
2 days ago
Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
A housing market crash happens when home values plummet due to a lack of demand for or an oversupply of homes. The factors leading to a housing market crash are varied, ranging from economic recessions to high mortgage rates that make it less affordable to buy a home. A housing crash can have upsides (low home prices) and downsides (losing built-up equity and tighter finances).
So, what's ahead for the housing market in 2026?
➡ Read more: Want to buy a house in 2026? Here's what you need to know.
Generally, experts don't foresee a housing market crash in 2026. If anything, they see a greater sense of normalcy following multiple years of twists and turns.
"We're not heading toward a housing crash; we're in a market correction defined by stability, not volatility," Hoby Hanna, CEO of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, said via email. "Today's housing environment is fundamentally different from 2008. Homeowners have record levels of equity, lending standards are sound, and inventory remains constrained. What we're seeing now is a normalization, not a collapse, as the market adjusts to new economic realities. For buyers and sellers, this is a market filled with opportunity and resilience, not instability or uncertainty."
#crash #economic
A housing market crash happens when home values plummet due to a lack of demand for or an oversupply of homes. The factors leading to a housing market crash are varied, ranging from economic recessions to high mortgage rates that make it less affordable to buy a home. A housing crash can have upsides (low home prices) and downsides (losing built-up equity and tighter finances).
So, what's ahead for the housing market in 2026?
➡ Read more: Want to buy a house in 2026? Here's what you need to know.
Generally, experts don't foresee a housing market crash in 2026. If anything, they see a greater sense of normalcy following multiple years of twists and turns.
"We're not heading toward a housing crash; we're in a market correction defined by stability, not volatility," Hoby Hanna, CEO of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, said via email. "Today's housing environment is fundamentally different from 2008. Homeowners have record levels of equity, lending standards are sound, and inventory remains constrained. What we're seeing now is a normalization, not a collapse, as the market adjusts to new economic realities. For buyers and sellers, this is a market filled with opportunity and resilience, not instability or uncertainty."
#crash #economic
2 days ago
Donald Trump has created a way for Wall Street to pay to win. Trump Media & Technology Group's premium data product released its new subscription service for earlier access to Truth Social posts for $100,000 a month. According to reports, five Wall Street firms have already signed up for the service, gaining access to Truth Social posts milliseconds before the general public.
"I'll be blunt," Gian Luca Clementi, an economics professor at NYU Stern School of Business, told Fortune. "This is insider trading by definition."
Because Trump owns roughly 41% of the company's shares, he stands to directly profit from the new recurring revenue stream. At five subscribers alone, the service would generate about $500,000 in monthly revenue, or $6 million annually.
That figure is modest by the standards Trump has set since returning to the White House. His 2025 financial disclosure showed his businesses generated more than $2 billion in personal income last year—nearly quadruple his 2024 total—with the bulk flowing from ventures that sit directly at the intersection of his office and his balance sheet. He earned roughly $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency alone, including $635 million in royalties from his $TRUMP meme coin and more than $500 million from World Liberty Financial, the crypto venture run by his sons.
Notably, Trump signed legislation promoting stablecoins just months after World Liberty launched its own—a policy-to-profit pipeline structurally similar to what Truth API now does with his social media posts. He has also collected millions from Trump-branded Bibles, sneakers, and watches, and Melania Trump secured a reported $28 million deal with Jeff Bezos for a documentary. Truth API is the latest mechanism in an established playbook.
#Trump #truth #posts
"I'll be blunt," Gian Luca Clementi, an economics professor at NYU Stern School of Business, told Fortune. "This is insider trading by definition."
Because Trump owns roughly 41% of the company's shares, he stands to directly profit from the new recurring revenue stream. At five subscribers alone, the service would generate about $500,000 in monthly revenue, or $6 million annually.
That figure is modest by the standards Trump has set since returning to the White House. His 2025 financial disclosure showed his businesses generated more than $2 billion in personal income last year—nearly quadruple his 2024 total—with the bulk flowing from ventures that sit directly at the intersection of his office and his balance sheet. He earned roughly $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency alone, including $635 million in royalties from his $TRUMP meme coin and more than $500 million from World Liberty Financial, the crypto venture run by his sons.
Notably, Trump signed legislation promoting stablecoins just months after World Liberty launched its own—a policy-to-profit pipeline structurally similar to what Truth API now does with his social media posts. He has also collected millions from Trump-branded Bibles, sneakers, and watches, and Melania Trump secured a reported $28 million deal with Jeff Bezos for a documentary. Truth API is the latest mechanism in an established playbook.
#Trump #truth #posts
2 days ago
Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
A housing market crash happens when home values plummet due to a lack of demand for or an oversupply of homes. The factors leading to a housing market crash are varied, ranging from economic recessions to high mortgage rates that make it less affordable to buy a home. A housing crash can have upsides (low home prices) and downsides (losing built-up equity and tighter finances).
So, what's ahead for the housing market in 2026?
➡ Read more: Want to buy a house in 2026? Here's what you need to know.
Generally, experts don't foresee a housing market crash in 2026. If anything, they see a greater sense of normalcy following multiple years of twists and turns.
"We're not heading toward a housing crash; we're in a market correction defined by stability, not volatility," Hoby Hanna, CEO of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, said via email. "Today's housing environment is fundamentally different from 2008. Homeowners have record levels of equity, lending standards are sound, and inventory remains constrained. What we're seeing now is a normalization, not a collapse, as the market adjusts to new economic realities. For buyers and sellers, this is a market filled with opportunity and resilience, not instability or uncertainty."
#hanna #Equity
A housing market crash happens when home values plummet due to a lack of demand for or an oversupply of homes. The factors leading to a housing market crash are varied, ranging from economic recessions to high mortgage rates that make it less affordable to buy a home. A housing crash can have upsides (low home prices) and downsides (losing built-up equity and tighter finances).
So, what's ahead for the housing market in 2026?
➡ Read more: Want to buy a house in 2026? Here's what you need to know.
Generally, experts don't foresee a housing market crash in 2026. If anything, they see a greater sense of normalcy following multiple years of twists and turns.
"We're not heading toward a housing crash; we're in a market correction defined by stability, not volatility," Hoby Hanna, CEO of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, said via email. "Today's housing environment is fundamentally different from 2008. Homeowners have record levels of equity, lending standards are sound, and inventory remains constrained. What we're seeing now is a normalization, not a collapse, as the market adjusts to new economic realities. For buyers and sellers, this is a market filled with opportunity and resilience, not instability or uncertainty."
#hanna #Equity
3 days ago
Chelsea are **** sing whether to step up their interest in Diogo Costa, with the Porto and Portugal goalkeeper increasingly viewed as a serious target for Xabi Alonso during this summer window. According to Mirror, the Chelsea head coach sees the 26-year-old as a potentially decisive addition as he reshapes key areas of his squad.
The thinking is clear. Chelsea have invested heavily in attacking talent, most notably with the arrival of Morgan Rogers for a British record £117million, and attention is now turning to the spine of the side. In that context, Costa stands out as one of the most established goalkeepers available on the market, with a strong reputation at both club and international level.
Photo IMAGO
Costa's situation is relatively straightforward by elite-market standards. He remains tied to Porto on a long-term deal, but that contract includes a €60million release clause. That figure is substantial for a goalkeeper, yet it also provides certainty, which clubs value when time is tight and priorities are fixed.
For Chelsea, that matters. Recruitment at Stamford Bridge has often involved long negotiations, layered structures and competition from rival clubs. A fixed clause creates a direct mechanism if they decide Costa is the right fit. The key question is whether Chelsea judge him to be worth moving for immediately, or whether they continue weighing alternative options before making a final call.
#whether
The thinking is clear. Chelsea have invested heavily in attacking talent, most notably with the arrival of Morgan Rogers for a British record £117million, and attention is now turning to the spine of the side. In that context, Costa stands out as one of the most established goalkeepers available on the market, with a strong reputation at both club and international level.
Photo IMAGO
Costa's situation is relatively straightforward by elite-market standards. He remains tied to Porto on a long-term deal, but that contract includes a €60million release clause. That figure is substantial for a goalkeeper, yet it also provides certainty, which clubs value when time is tight and priorities are fixed.
For Chelsea, that matters. Recruitment at Stamford Bridge has often involved long negotiations, layered structures and competition from rival clubs. A fixed clause creates a direct mechanism if they decide Costa is the right fit. The key question is whether Chelsea judge him to be worth moving for immediately, or whether they continue weighing alternative options before making a final call.
#whether
3 days ago
(Corrects paragraph 8 to say Zaluzhnyi was dismissed as Ukraine's top commander in 2024, not last year)
Aug 3 (Reuters) - Ukraine's former top military commander, now ambassador to Britain, was quoted as saying on Monday that there was no prospect of the country joining NATO, an aspiration entrenched in the constitution.
Valery Zaluzhnyi, quoted by media outlet Evropeiska Pravda, told a meeting of Ukrainian ambassadors that Ukraine in no way met the military standards needed to join the alliance.
"I know NATO really well. For about 12 years, I personally worked on making sure we met NATO standards, and every year I heard tales about how we would join NATO any day now," Evropeiska Pravda quoted him as telling the meeting.
"Unfortunately, we will never actually join."
#zaluzhnyi #pravda
Aug 3 (Reuters) - Ukraine's former top military commander, now ambassador to Britain, was quoted as saying on Monday that there was no prospect of the country joining NATO, an aspiration entrenched in the constitution.
Valery Zaluzhnyi, quoted by media outlet Evropeiska Pravda, told a meeting of Ukrainian ambassadors that Ukraine in no way met the military standards needed to join the alliance.
"I know NATO really well. For about 12 years, I personally worked on making sure we met NATO standards, and every year I heard tales about how we would join NATO any day now," Evropeiska Pravda quoted him as telling the meeting.
"Unfortunately, we will never actually join."
#zaluzhnyi #pravda
3 days ago
Donald Trump has created a way for Wall Street to pay to win. Trump Media & Technology Group's premium data product released its new subscription service for earlier access to Truth Social posts for $100,000 a month. According to reports, five Wall Street firms have already signed up for the service, gaining access to Truth Social posts milliseconds before the general public.
"I'll be blunt," Gian Luca Clementi, an economics professor at NYU Stern School of Business, told Fortune. "This is insider trading by definition."
Because Trump owns roughly 41% of the company's shares, he stands to directly profit from the new recurring revenue stream. At five subscribers alone, the service would generate about $500,000 in monthly revenue, or $6 million annually.
That figure is modest by the standards Trump has set since returning to the White House. His 2025 financial disclosure showed his businesses generated more than $2 billion in personal income last year—nearly quadruple his 2024 total—with the bulk flowing from ventures that sit directly at the intersection of his office and his balance sheet. He earned roughly $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency alone, including $635 million in royalties from his $TRUMP meme coin and more than $500 million from World Liberty Financial, the crypto venture run by his sons.
Notably, Trump signed legislation promoting stablecoins just months after World Liberty launched its own—a policy-to-profit pipeline structurally similar to what Truth API now does with his social media posts. He has also collected millions from Trump-branded Bibles, sneakers, and watches, and Melania Trump secured a reported $28 million deal with Jeff Bezos for a documentary. Truth API is the latest mechanism in an established playbook.
#posts
"I'll be blunt," Gian Luca Clementi, an economics professor at NYU Stern School of Business, told Fortune. "This is insider trading by definition."
Because Trump owns roughly 41% of the company's shares, he stands to directly profit from the new recurring revenue stream. At five subscribers alone, the service would generate about $500,000 in monthly revenue, or $6 million annually.
That figure is modest by the standards Trump has set since returning to the White House. His 2025 financial disclosure showed his businesses generated more than $2 billion in personal income last year—nearly quadruple his 2024 total—with the bulk flowing from ventures that sit directly at the intersection of his office and his balance sheet. He earned roughly $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency alone, including $635 million in royalties from his $TRUMP meme coin and more than $500 million from World Liberty Financial, the crypto venture run by his sons.
Notably, Trump signed legislation promoting stablecoins just months after World Liberty launched its own—a policy-to-profit pipeline structurally similar to what Truth API now does with his social media posts. He has also collected millions from Trump-branded Bibles, sneakers, and watches, and Melania Trump secured a reported $28 million deal with Jeff Bezos for a documentary. Truth API is the latest mechanism in an established playbook.
#posts
3 days ago
Scottie Scheffler has experienced a really strange season on the PGA Tour in 2026.
Scheffler has only won once so far this season, and has failed to lift a major trophy.
By the world number one's standards, that simply has to go down as a failure, whichever way you look at it.
In spite of that, Scottie Scheffler has absolutely dominated almost every key statistical category on the PGA Tour this season.
Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images
#getty
Scheffler has only won once so far this season, and has failed to lift a major trophy.
By the world number one's standards, that simply has to go down as a failure, whichever way you look at it.
In spite of that, Scottie Scheffler has absolutely dominated almost every key statistical category on the PGA Tour this season.
Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images
#getty
3 days ago
Arsenal's summer has reached that familiar point when silence can sound louder than noise. A week that felt relatively still may yet prove hugely significant, a pause before decisions of great consequence. According to The Athletic, the club's ambitions are now trained on two names of elite pedigree, Bruno Guimaraes and Vinicius Junior, targets who would alter the look, feel and authority of Mikel Arteta's squad.
There is something instructive in the calibre of the names involved. **** nal are no longer scanning merely for depth, or rummaging around the margins of the market. They are trying to sit at football's top table. The source report states clearly that "Bruno Guimaraes and Vinicius Junior are **** nal's top targets to strengthen midfield and attack respectively." That sentence alone tells its own story about where **** nal believe they are, and where they intend to go next.
Photo IMAGO
For a club who have spent several seasons rebuilding standards, sharpening recruitment and developing a side capable of contesting the biggest honours, this is the moment when squad evolution meets institutional confidence. **** nal are seeking upgrades that would not simply improve the XI, but elevate the club's stature across Europe.
The more immediate intrigue surrounds Guimaraes. **** nal's interest in the Newcastle midfielder has lingered long enough to become one of the defining sagas of the summer, and the latest indications suggest movement may finally be close. The Athletic reports that "Sources at **** nal and Newcastle suggest that the protracted pursuit of Guimaraes is now entering its end game." That is a loaded phrase, one that implies the process is advancing beyond admiration and towards resolution.
#guimaraes #arsenal #summer #names
There is something instructive in the calibre of the names involved. **** nal are no longer scanning merely for depth, or rummaging around the margins of the market. They are trying to sit at football's top table. The source report states clearly that "Bruno Guimaraes and Vinicius Junior are **** nal's top targets to strengthen midfield and attack respectively." That sentence alone tells its own story about where **** nal believe they are, and where they intend to go next.
Photo IMAGO
For a club who have spent several seasons rebuilding standards, sharpening recruitment and developing a side capable of contesting the biggest honours, this is the moment when squad evolution meets institutional confidence. **** nal are seeking upgrades that would not simply improve the XI, but elevate the club's stature across Europe.
The more immediate intrigue surrounds Guimaraes. **** nal's interest in the Newcastle midfielder has lingered long enough to become one of the defining sagas of the summer, and the latest indications suggest movement may finally be close. The Athletic reports that "Sources at **** nal and Newcastle suggest that the protracted pursuit of Guimaraes is now entering its end game." That is a loaded phrase, one that implies the process is advancing beyond admiration and towards resolution.
#guimaraes #arsenal #summer #names
3 days ago
Leeds Rhinos veteran Kallum Watkins has extended his deal through to the end of next season.
The 35-year-old centre, who made his 350th Super League appearance in last Friday's win over Toulouse Olympique, rejoined the Rhinos from Salford in April last year.
The England international started his career with Leeds and made his debut for the club against Celtic Crusaders in April 2008, aged 17.
"Kallum is exactly the type of player every coach wants in their squad," head coach Brad Arthur told the club website.
"His standards are outstanding and he leads through his actions every single day.
#leeds
The 35-year-old centre, who made his 350th Super League appearance in last Friday's win over Toulouse Olympique, rejoined the Rhinos from Salford in April last year.
The England international started his career with Leeds and made his debut for the club against Celtic Crusaders in April 2008, aged 17.
"Kallum is exactly the type of player every coach wants in their squad," head coach Brad Arthur told the club website.
"His standards are outstanding and he leads through his actions every single day.
#leeds
5 days ago
Kevin Gausman was absolutely on the list of pitchers available at the trade deadline despite having a down year by the starting hurler's standards, but with the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East cellar, it was almost certain he'd be dealt by Monday.
And he was. The veteran starting pitcher is off to the Chicago Cubs, who could definitely use an upgrade to their rotation. The return? A couple of prospects outside their top-10 farmhands.
So who won this deal? And what are the details? As always, we've got all of that information for you including grades to hand out for both sides. Let's discuss.
Cubs get: RHP Kevin Gausman
Blue Jays get: SS Ty Southisene and OF Brett Bateman
#east
And he was. The veteran starting pitcher is off to the Chicago Cubs, who could definitely use an upgrade to their rotation. The return? A couple of prospects outside their top-10 farmhands.
So who won this deal? And what are the details? As always, we've got all of that information for you including grades to hand out for both sides. Let's discuss.
Cubs get: RHP Kevin Gausman
Blue Jays get: SS Ty Southisene and OF Brett Bateman
#east
5 days ago
This article from SI.com's NBA Draft page takes a look at Duke big man Patrick Ngongba and what he needs to work on.
They're correct to say that, while he's a good athlete, he's not elite. However, intelligence is a more valuable ******* et than raw athleticism. Look at some guys who have carved out nice NBA careers despite limited athleticism, at least by NBA standards: Jared McCain, Jalen Brunson, and Luka Doncic, to name a few. Now look how many great athletes have washed out of the league or failed to live up to expectations.
Never bet against smart players.
Ngongba needs to prove he can stay healthy, but ******* uming he can do that, he has a lot to offer, and not just post play: "Ngongba will have to be much better to overcome his age, and potentially even add some skills not yet seen. Though it's not out of the question the NBA values his play-making big archetype, and ancillary skills, enough to take a shot on him in the late-lottery.
"Regardless, he should be a locked-in first-round selection with even limited improvement."
#needs #duke
They're correct to say that, while he's a good athlete, he's not elite. However, intelligence is a more valuable ******* et than raw athleticism. Look at some guys who have carved out nice NBA careers despite limited athleticism, at least by NBA standards: Jared McCain, Jalen Brunson, and Luka Doncic, to name a few. Now look how many great athletes have washed out of the league or failed to live up to expectations.
Never bet against smart players.
Ngongba needs to prove he can stay healthy, but ******* uming he can do that, he has a lot to offer, and not just post play: "Ngongba will have to be much better to overcome his age, and potentially even add some skills not yet seen. Though it's not out of the question the NBA values his play-making big archetype, and ancillary skills, enough to take a shot on him in the late-lottery.
"Regardless, he should be a locked-in first-round selection with even limited improvement."
#needs #duke
6 days ago
New statewide heat safety requirements for University Interscholastic League (UIL) member schools have officially taken effect, marking one of the most significant changes to outdoor athletic and marching band safety standards in recent years.
Beginning Saturday, August 1, all UIL member schools must use Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) measurements—not just the traditional heat index—to determine whether outdoor practices can safely continue. The new standards apply to athletics and marching band activities and are designed to better account for the combined effects of temperature, humidity, wind, and solar radiation.
The new requirements, approved earlier this year by the UIL Legislative Council, became mandatory for the 2026–27 school year on Aug. 1. According to the official UIL Rule Changes, schools must now follow required heat safety procedures instead of previous recommendations.
Under the updated rules, schools are required to:
Measure WBGT before outdoor practices begin.
#outdoor #wbgt #requirements #marching
Beginning Saturday, August 1, all UIL member schools must use Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) measurements—not just the traditional heat index—to determine whether outdoor practices can safely continue. The new standards apply to athletics and marching band activities and are designed to better account for the combined effects of temperature, humidity, wind, and solar radiation.
The new requirements, approved earlier this year by the UIL Legislative Council, became mandatory for the 2026–27 school year on Aug. 1. According to the official UIL Rule Changes, schools must now follow required heat safety procedures instead of previous recommendations.
Under the updated rules, schools are required to:
Measure WBGT before outdoor practices begin.
#outdoor #wbgt #requirements #marching
6 days ago
At the All-Star Break's conclusion, I wrote on expectations, and their virtue as an exercise with this franchise towards a more hopeful future near and far. These Seattle Mariners, 3.0 games back of the AL West and the third Wild Card spot alike, have earned little and less belief. They've played poorly, wasted chances, and frittered opportunities to cleanse their palates. Much has rightly been made of the necessity for the core players to perform at or near the standards they've set for several years. But Seattle is giving up massive production on the fringes, and they've forced themselves into an uncomfortable, desperate position.
It is time for them to call up Michael Arroyo.
Seattle needs right-handed hitting, and with J.P. Crawford sidelined at least for several weeks, there is no easy solution at third base. Brendan Donovan returns on Tuesday to rotate around the field, but it's hard to look at the lineup as constructed and see anywhere for him to play more frequently than the hot corner. Arroyo has played some third base, but it's realistically not where he could be thrown in, although his defense is less egregious and more limited if asked to play second base or corner outfield. But they need his bat, because the Mariners need to take some risks, and rotating Weston Wilson, Victor Robles, Rob Refsnyder, Leo Rivas, and Mitch Garver through to take flaccid swing after flaccid swing is a Wile. E. Coyote kind of road that the Mariners have been slamming into the wall of all summer. The Rainiers' roster is stocked with similar players who've struggled to set themselves apart this year and over many years, from Connor Joe to Patrick Wisdom to Stuart Fairchild, along with injured options like Ryan Bliss and Brennen Davis. With Luke Raley seemingly ailing, the M's have to be more aggressive to rev up their offense before it's too late.
View Link
Arroyo is a 21 year old Colombian ~utilityman whose profile made him the most-heralded hitting prospect from his burgeoning baseball nation since Colombia's first and greatest star: SS Edgar Renteria. The 5'10, compact youngster has never been at the top of Seattle's prospect list, but has hit his way into top-100 status nationally over the past couple seasons, with an approach I first wrote about in the winter before the 2024 season. Following a strong debut at age 18 with the Low-A Modesto Nuts, I said this of Arroyo:
#arroyo #Seattle #wrote
It is time for them to call up Michael Arroyo.
Seattle needs right-handed hitting, and with J.P. Crawford sidelined at least for several weeks, there is no easy solution at third base. Brendan Donovan returns on Tuesday to rotate around the field, but it's hard to look at the lineup as constructed and see anywhere for him to play more frequently than the hot corner. Arroyo has played some third base, but it's realistically not where he could be thrown in, although his defense is less egregious and more limited if asked to play second base or corner outfield. But they need his bat, because the Mariners need to take some risks, and rotating Weston Wilson, Victor Robles, Rob Refsnyder, Leo Rivas, and Mitch Garver through to take flaccid swing after flaccid swing is a Wile. E. Coyote kind of road that the Mariners have been slamming into the wall of all summer. The Rainiers' roster is stocked with similar players who've struggled to set themselves apart this year and over many years, from Connor Joe to Patrick Wisdom to Stuart Fairchild, along with injured options like Ryan Bliss and Brennen Davis. With Luke Raley seemingly ailing, the M's have to be more aggressive to rev up their offense before it's too late.
View Link
Arroyo is a 21 year old Colombian ~utilityman whose profile made him the most-heralded hitting prospect from his burgeoning baseball nation since Colombia's first and greatest star: SS Edgar Renteria. The 5'10, compact youngster has never been at the top of Seattle's prospect list, but has hit his way into top-100 status nationally over the past couple seasons, with an approach I first wrote about in the winter before the 2024 season. Following a strong debut at age 18 with the Low-A Modesto Nuts, I said this of Arroyo:
#arroyo #Seattle #wrote
6 days ago
Ricky Pearsall's 2026 season is over before it even started. The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver will undergo season-ending surgery to treat a PCL injury that's nagged him since the 2025 campaign, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
After bursting out the gate with 16 catches and 281 yards in his first three games of 2025, Pearsall suffered the PCL injury and was never the same. The former first-round pick missed eight games with the injury and looked hampered upon his return, leading to more receiving work for Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle.
PCL injuries are notoriously difficult to play through because they lead to knee instability, according to Harvard Health. Brock Bowers and Drake London also dealt with PCL injuries in 2025 and didn't exactly play up to their elite standards while recovering.
Pearsall is a massive loss for the 49ers, who are hoping to make a deep playoff push after the rival Seattle Seahawks blasted them 41-6 in the Divisional Round last postseason.
Brandon Aiyuk is still away from the team as he's lobbying for a trade to the Washington Commanders, plus Jauan Jennings is now on the Minnesota Vikings. However, the 49ers added reinforcements in longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneer Mike Evans and second-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling. Here's a look at how the unit could shake out this season.
#injury #according #first
After bursting out the gate with 16 catches and 281 yards in his first three games of 2025, Pearsall suffered the PCL injury and was never the same. The former first-round pick missed eight games with the injury and looked hampered upon his return, leading to more receiving work for Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle.
PCL injuries are notoriously difficult to play through because they lead to knee instability, according to Harvard Health. Brock Bowers and Drake London also dealt with PCL injuries in 2025 and didn't exactly play up to their elite standards while recovering.
Pearsall is a massive loss for the 49ers, who are hoping to make a deep playoff push after the rival Seattle Seahawks blasted them 41-6 in the Divisional Round last postseason.
Brandon Aiyuk is still away from the team as he's lobbying for a trade to the Washington Commanders, plus Jauan Jennings is now on the Minnesota Vikings. However, the 49ers added reinforcements in longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneer Mike Evans and second-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling. Here's a look at how the unit could shake out this season.
#injury #according #first
7 days ago
Kimberly Guilfoyle's latest diplomatic stop is drawing attention for what she wore, not what she said.
The 57-year-old U.S. ambassador to Greece visited the Ormylia Monastery in Halkidiki on Thursday, July 30, according to a report from Greek City Times.
For the visit, she wore a fitted turquoise knee-length dress with a plunging neckline and pointed-toe stilettos. In a photo taken with a group of monks and nuns, who were covered from head to toe except for their faces and hands, Guilfoyle's outfit stood in stark contrast to the monastery's modest dress standards, making her appear notably underdressed.
Instagram/Kimberly Guilfoyle
"I was deeply moved to visit the Ormylia Foundation and Monastery this week," Guilfoyle said, per the outlet. "I met with their dedicated volunteers, including Abbot Elisaios, Dr. Doumas, Brother Charlie, and the remarkable Reverend Mother Nikodimi and her sisters. Their work healing bodies through the Medical Center's life-saving screenings and nurturing souls through faith is a beautiful example of compassion in action. I am grateful for the partnership between the United States and this extraordinary community."
#monastery
The 57-year-old U.S. ambassador to Greece visited the Ormylia Monastery in Halkidiki on Thursday, July 30, according to a report from Greek City Times.
For the visit, she wore a fitted turquoise knee-length dress with a plunging neckline and pointed-toe stilettos. In a photo taken with a group of monks and nuns, who were covered from head to toe except for their faces and hands, Guilfoyle's outfit stood in stark contrast to the monastery's modest dress standards, making her appear notably underdressed.
Instagram/Kimberly Guilfoyle
"I was deeply moved to visit the Ormylia Foundation and Monastery this week," Guilfoyle said, per the outlet. "I met with their dedicated volunteers, including Abbot Elisaios, Dr. Doumas, Brother Charlie, and the remarkable Reverend Mother Nikodimi and her sisters. Their work healing bodies through the Medical Center's life-saving screenings and nurturing souls through faith is a beautiful example of compassion in action. I am grateful for the partnership between the United States and this extraordinary community."
#monastery