The wait to get started is almost over. FC Barcelona are set to make their competitive debut this season on Saturday 16 August, kickoff 7.30pm CEST. The opponents are Mallorca and the venue is the Son Moix stadium, when both teams will fulfil the week 1 LaLiga fixture. It will be the first competitive test for the sides to show the fine form they have been in preseason, with Mallorca winning four out of six, while Barça scored a plethora of goals over their four games.
Good results on matchday one
A positive start is key to gaining confidence from day one. This is why the blaugranes will give everything to get the first win of the season. However, they are facing Mallorca, who tend to do well in gameweek one matches. In fact, both teams usually earn points when setting out on a league campaign. If we look back at previous matchday one fixtures, both Mallorca and Barça have come away with positive results.
The Balearic Islanders have earned four draws in a row and haven’t lost the opening fixture since the 2020/21 season, when they faced Rayo Vallecano in the Segunda División. Barça’s last defeat came back in the 2019/20 season against Athletic Club, and they have had three wins and two draws since.
Past meetings favour the blaugranes
Recent games between Mallorca and Barça at the Son Moix stadium have gone the visitors’ way. The blaugranes have won three and drawn one of the last four in Mallorca. So, another win for Barça will keep the good run going. It’s worth noting that the last meeting was fairly resounding with Hansi Flick’s side running out convincing 1-5 winners against Jagoba Arrasate’s team.
Muriqi and Lamine Yamal lead the respective attacks
This first LaLiga match looks interesting when it comes to the forward lines in both teams. Hansi Flick’s side will have to be mindful of Vedat Muriqi, the leader of the Mallorcans’ attack and their top scorer last season. When it comes to Barça, look no further than Lamine Yamal, as the Catalan scored four goals in preseason and is likely to be looking forward to getting off the mark in competitive action this 2025/26 season.
So, both teams are seeking out their first win of the season to get off to a good start in the league, and everything is set for Barça to get the ball rolling in LaLiga.
NASA seeks student entries for Human Exploration Rover Challenge
by Allen Cone
Washington DC (UPI) Aug 15, 2025
NASA is accepting contest entries from student teams to design, build and test rovers on the moon and Mars.
In the Human Exploration Rover Challenge, students need to make models that are capable of going over a course while completing tasks for future Artemis missions, NASA said in a news release.
In the challenge, teams design projects that sample of soil, water and air over a half-mile course with a simulated field of asteroid debris, boulders, erosion ruts, crevasses and an ancient streambed.
There are remote-controlled and human-powered divisions.
In the human one, teams will play the role of two astronauts in a lunar vehicle. They must use a custom-built tool to manually collect samples.
In remote-controlled, they will provide pressurized rovers, which will contain the necessary tools to collect and test samples onboard.
“NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge creates opportunities for students to develop the skills they need to be successful STEM professionals,” Vemitra Alexander, the activity lead for the challenge at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., said. “This challenge will help students see themselves in the mission and give them the hands-on experience needed to advance technology and become the workforce of tomorrow.”
Entries will be accepted until Sept. 15 and the 32nd annual winners will be announced at an in-person event April 9-11, 2026, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center near NASA Marshall.
Since the program began in 1994, more than 15,000 have participated in the Rover Challenge.
Many students now work at NASA or in the aerospace industry.
In the 2025 contest, more than 500 students participated, representing 35 colleges and universities, 38 high schools, and two middle schools in 20 states, Puerto Rico and 16 nations.
“Last year, we saw a lot of success with the debut of our remote-controlled division and the addition of middle school teams,” Alexander said. “We’re looking forward to building on both our remote-controlled and human-powered divisions with new challenges for the students, including rover automation.”
The Artemis II is scheduled to reach the moon no earlier than April 26, and a crewed Artemis III is planned for mid-2027 aboard the Orion spacecraft.
The last time humans landed on the moon was 1972 on Apollo 17.
Updated Aug. 16 with further details for the full schedule of what’s coming when plus more analysis.
In less than four weeks, all will be revealed about the iPhone 17 series. That’s because on Tuesday, Sept. 9, Apple will hold its keynote unveiling the new hardware, I believe. Now, a new date has been added to the mix. You can read the full schedule here but it’s also laid out in detail below. Meanwhile, an invite to the keynote has appeared — but it’s almost certainly fake. More on that below.
It looks like this year’s iPhone unveiling will be on Tuesday, Sept. 9.
Getty Images
It’s also worth remembering that the iPhone won’t be the only product announced at the keynote. Apple is almost certain to introduce two new Apple Watches (Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3), and maybe even a new version of AirPods Pro. All will be announced at the same time and will almost certainly have the same release date.
ForbesApple iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro Prices Cut In New Offers Before iPhone 17 ReleaseBy David Phelan
Apple iPhone 17 Release Date: The New Entry In The Schedule
Mark Gurman’s Bloomberg Power On newsletter is always full of interesting nuggets. In the latest issue, he mentioned something that has so far been absent from release date schedules. Among all the talk of the keynote date, the onsale date and even the date for when the keynote date will be unveiled (all of which are below, with timings down to the minute), there has been scant talk of the release for iOS 26.
More than in recent years, the new software has captured the public’s imagination this year. Although iOS 26 will be pre-installed on the iPhone 17 series, it will also work on iPhones all the way back to the iPhone 11. So, when will it go on general release?
Gurman commented that the new software is “pretty smooth”, and has since said on X that the latest, sixth developer beta is “ridiculously snappy”. So much so that “it’s clear that we’re pretty close to the release of the final, public versions,” he said.
I believe it’s possible to pin the release down further than “the first half of September,” as Gurman comments.
Last year, iOS 18 went on general release on Monday, Sept. 16, exactly a week after the keynote and four days before the Friday, Sept. 20 onsale date of the iPhone 16 series.
I believe this year’s general release for iOS 26 will follow a near-identical schedule, and will be available from around 10 a.m. Pacific on either Monday, Sept. 15 or just possibly Tuesday, Sept. 16.
I favor the Monday because excitement in the new software is so high Apple will want it out as soon as it can, plus, it seems in good shape already.
That’s the day to mark in your diary, unless Apple contradicts the iOS 26 release date, which it will likely announce on the day of the keynote. I’ll update this post as soon as the details are confirmed.
ForbesApple iPhone 17 Pro And iPhone 17 Pro Max Are 4 Weeks Away: Everything We Know So FarBy David Phelan
iPhone 17 Release Date: The Full Schedule
As for the rest of the schedule, here are the most important dates. I’ll also update this post as soon as any are confirmed officially.
First up is the announcement of the keynote. This is likely to be around 8 a.m Pacific, on Tuesday, Aug. 26. This is when invites are sent out by email to selected members of the press and special guests. The exact time is subject to an hour or so’s leeway, and it’s even possible that the invites will go out a day before. Check back here for details as soon as it’s gone live.
There’s already been one “leak” of the invite — you can see it here. Nothing is impossible but to my mind there’s not a shred of doubt: it’s a fake. The time and date are accurate, and the place, but the rest of it is wholly unconvincing. Apple is a stickler for detail, but I’m not sure I believe it needs 87 drafts of an invite.
The next big piece of the puzzle will be the keynote itself. The time will be 10 a.m. Pacific, as this is always Apple’s chosen time for Cupertino unveilings. I believe it will be on Tuesday, Sept. 9 and the possibility of a date change now seems vanishingly small.
Here’s the rest of the schedule. Pre-orders opening is the next event and, if previous timetables apply, will be at 8 a.m. Pacific, Friday Sept. 12.
After that, the first reviews will appear. There’s a bit of latitude here but I believe it will either be Tuesday, Sept. 16 or Wednesday, Sept. 17. As for the timing, that’s likely to be 6 a.m. Pacific, 9 a.m. Eastern, 2 p.m U.K, though it could be later.
Note that whichever date is not when iPhone reviews appear, that day will almost definitely be used for Apple Watch reviews. If there is a third marquee product, such as new AirPods Pro, the review date will be Thursday, Sept. 18, at the same time. Apple recognizes that sticking to the same time each day makes sense.
Finally, the big day itself is the onsale date: it looks to be Friday, Sept. 19 at 7.a.m. wherever you are (so first photos of people leaving Apple Stores clutching iPhones will come from Australia and New Zealand, with Europe later and U.S. after that.
More analysis is reaching us on a near-daily basis. Happily, everything still points to the dates in the schedule above. Few commentaries mention the times, but I’m sure that the timings are correct unless Apple changes from its tried-and-true process (If it ain’t broke…).
Ryan Christoffel at 9to5Mac has useful analysis that specifies what happened when in recent years to help specify the release date. “Regardless of the exact day of the week the iPhone 17 announcement falls on, pre-orders should begin that Friday, with the official release date the following Friday,” he reports.
ForbesApple iPhone 17 Series: What The New Designs Will Look LikeBy David Phelan
The Whites completed another training session at Real Madrid City ahead of next Tuesday’s LaLiga opener at the Bernabeu against Osasuna (9 pm CEST).
The session got underway with strength and stretching exercises in the gym and a tactical video session inside the facilities. The players then took to the pitch to do some exercises without the ball: strength, power and resistance series. And then with the ball: transitions and driving series with finishing. To finish, Xabi Alonso‘s players played 10 vs 10 games.
Bellingham, Camavinga, Mendy and Endrick continued with their recovery programmes.
Courteney Cox enjoys day out with daughter at Disneyland
Courteney Cox traded the spotlight for fairy-tale fun as she spent quality time with her daughter Coco Riley Arquette during their day out at Disneyland.
The Friends star stepped out with her daughter, whom she shares with her former husband David Arquette, for the outing at the California theme park on Friday, August 15.
For their fun-filled outing, the Scream actress kept it effortlessly chic in an oversized white top, black pants, and sandals. She completed the look with a black hat and stylish sunglasses.
Meanwhile, her 21-year-old daughter exuded a playful vibe in a white tank top paired with a vibrant pink maxi skirt.
Twinning with her mom, she kept it simple by accessorising only with sunglasses.
It seems like the daughter is on a break from college, and the mother-daughter duo is making the most of the summer with fun outings.
Cox has previously opened up about how much she misses her daughter, Coco, when she’s away at school.
“It’s weird because people get upset the first year your kid goes off to school and I was like, ‘What’s the big deal?’” the 61-year-old actress revealed at the Inc. 5000 45th Annual Conference & Gala in October 2024. “She doesn’t talk to me anyway, she’s always in her room.”
“Then she comes home after her irst year in college and she was all mature and talking more. And I mean, she’s incredible. She’s a really special, smart, funny kid. But then I was like, I don’t want you to go back to college. The second year was harder for me,” Cox reflected on how her feelings about being an empty nester have evolved over time.
A recent study reveals a concerning link between insufficient sleep and increased health risks. Sleeping less than six hours nightly can significantly elevate the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer, particularly for individuals with pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. Prioritizing adequate sleep is crucial for overall health and longevity.
Do you get enough sleep every day? Adequate sleep is anywhere between 7 to 9 hours every night. If you are unable to get enough sleep consistently, you might be at a huge risk of chronic diseases and even early death. Yes, that’s right. Lack of sleep can not only give you mental fatigue, but also harmfully affect your physical health, and lead to early death A 2019 study found that sleeping less than six hours can increase the risk of diseases and even early death. The findings of the study are published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.Poor sleep linked to increased risk of cancer and early death
The researchers found that middle-aged people who have conditions such as high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease face a higher risk of cancer and early death if they sleep less than six hours a day.“Our study suggests that achieving normal sleep may be protective for some people with these health conditions and risks. However, further research is needed to examine whether improving and increasing sleep through medical or behavioral therapies can reduce risk of early death” Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, Ph.D., lead author and associate professor at Pennsylvania State College of Medicine and sleep psychologist at the Sleep Research & Treatment Center of the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania, said in a statement. The study
To understand the link between poor sleep quality and risk of chronic diseases and even early death, the researchers analyzed data of more than 1,600 adults (20 to 74 years old, more than half women) from the Penn State Adult Cohort. The participants were categorized into two groups: those with stage 2 high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes, and those with heart disease or stroke. They were studied in the sleep laboratory (1991-1998) for one night. The researchers then tracked their cause of death up to the end of 2016.The findings
The study findings were striking. They found that of the 512 people who passed away, one-third died of heart disease or stroke, and one-fourth died due to cancer. Participants with hypertension or diabetes who slept less than 6 hours had twice the increased risk of dying from heart disease or stroke. Those with heart disease or stroke who slept less than six hours had three times the risk of dying from cancer. The risk of early death for people with high blood pressure or diabetes was negligible if they slept for more than 6 hours.
Sleeping less than 5 hours a day increases heart disease risk by 74%, warns new study
Expert opinion According to the researchers, poor sleep is detrimental to health, increases the risk of many diseases, and also leads to early death. “Short sleep duration should be included as a useful risk factor to predict the long-term outcomes of people with these health conditions and as a target of primary and specialized clinical practices. I’d like to see policy changes so that sleep consultations and sleep studies become a more integral part of our healthcare systems. Better identification of people with specific sleep issues would potentially lead to improved prevention, more complete treatment approaches, better long-term outcomes, and less healthcare usage,” Fernandez-Mendoza said.
Coco Jones could not control her emotions as she wrapped up filming for Bel-Air.
The 27-year-old actress, who has played the role of Hilary Banks on the classic sitcom since 2022, opened up about filming the final episodes of Bel-Air on Friday in an interview with Variety.
“It was so emotional,” Coco told the outlet. “Because I’m very much not a crybaby at work.”
“I’m like, I don’t feel things at work, I clock in, thank you,” she added.
Coco further told the publication that saying goodbye to Hilary wasn’t an easy for her.
“[W]hen they were like ‘that’s a picture wrap on Coco Jones,’ it felt like all the last four years slapped me in the face and all the highs of being Hilary and all the time where I had to push myself because I would get off set and go right to the studio because I wanted music to be ready so I had to do all the things, I felt like it just slapped me,” she explained.
“It’s kind of like you had a baby. That was the hardest thing ever. I’m so happy, thank you so much and wow, I really, really pushed myself to the limit,” added Coco.
For those unversed, Bel-Air was renewed for a fourth and final season last year. The new season is expected to be released in late 2025 or early 2026 on Peacock.
Barça kick off the defence of their La Liga title in 2025/26 away at RCD Mallorca in their first official fixture of the season. The game is on Saturday at the Estadi Son Moix with kick off at 7.30pm CEST. Hansi Flick’s team will be looking for a win to get their league campaign off to the best possible start.
After success for the German coach in the league in his first season in charge in 2024/25, the blaugranes will be looking to maintain their grip on the title. The first test comes against a Mallorca side coached by Jagoba Arrasate who finished in a creditable 10th place last season, just four points off qualifying for European Football.
Flick has named his players for the trip to the Balearics, the full list is as follows: Iñaki Peña, Balde, Araujo, Cubarsí, Gavi, Ferran, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Joan García, Rashford, Christensen, Fermín, M. Casadó, Olmo, F. De Jong, Kounde, Eric, Jofre, Dro, A. Fernandez, Guillermo, Kochen.
Grace Chambers, 97, has become Europe’s oldest parkrunner to reach the 250 run milestone
Grace Chambers, aged 97, has become Europe’s oldest Parkrunner to reach the 250 run milestone.
She has just completed the 5k run at Ormeau Park in south Belfast.
Grace had a stent fitted four weeks ago but that didn’t stop her taking part in the run on Saturday.
She only took up running aged 88 and said she has no plans to stop anytime soon.
Grace at her 250th Parkrun on Saturday
For many people, never mind an 88-year-old recovering from serious, invasive surgery, running is not top of the to-do list.
But Grace’s Parkrun journey began when a staff member on her rehabilitation team, who volunteered at Ormeau Parkrun, suggested she might enjoy coming along.
With a bit of encouragement from one of her daughters, Grace went to do her first Parkrun in 2016 and said she became the talk of the event.
“Everyone kept saying: ‘This woman in her 80s has turned up thinking she can do a parkrun.’ Well I certainly showed them,” she said, laughing.
Ormeau Parkrun
Grace and her friend Sue sitting on ‘Grace’s Bench’ which marks the finish line at Ormeau Parkrun
Grace became a regular at the community event and broke numerous records for runners in her age category in her first year.
“I just love it, all the people you meet, it’s just wonderful – people from all over Northern Ireland come and mix at Parkrun and you wouldn’t have had people from all the communities mixing like that when I was growing up,” she said.
The former teacher, who professed a love of mountain hiking and golf, said not even the suspension of Parkruns in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic slowed her down.
“I just went down and did it myself anyway,” she said.
Grace recorded all of her times and got her daughter to send them all to Parkrun afterwards.
Ormeau Parkrun
Grace said it’s the friends she made at Parkrun, like Cathy, who keep her going
“I’ve probably done a lot more than 250 Parkruns, but the ones during Covid don’t count,” she added.
Not even a broken leg, suffered while out walking during the pandemic, stopped her, as she bounced straight back to Parkruns after recovering.
She’s now assisted around the course by her two friends Cathy and Sue.
“I wouldn’t be here without them, they take me to the run each week and go round with me.”
A ‘local legend’ cheered on by Olympians
Ormeau Parkrun
Grace said Dame Kelly Holmes wanted to chat but she had to tell her to hurry up so they would get a good time
Grace now has a bench named after her on the finish line with a a plaque that says “Grace’s Bench, Park runner extraordinaire”.
On a typical week, you’ll find Grace sitting on it after the run posing for photos with her fans.
Lots of people have come to visit Grace over the years including the Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes, who ran alongside her.
“Kelly wanted to talk as we were going round the course so I had to say, come on Kelly, you’re holding me back.”
Grace’s preparations for her 250th run hit a snag when she had a stent fitted four weeks ago, but she only missed one week during her recovery.
“I told the surgeon I was going to test out his work, I’ve got a new valve, why would I not use it,” she said.
Deirdre McConvey, one of the volunteer run directors at Ormeau Parkrun, said Grace has “become a local legend”.
Volunteer run director Deirdre McConvey said Grace was a “local legend” and people queue for selfies
“We’ve had visitors come specially to meet her, nobody smiles broader than Grace.
“Her warmth and friendliness has endeared her to all the regulars who love to cheer her over the finish line, especially on her birthday.
“Her grit and determination are definitely inspiring and sometimes quite humbling.”
Belfast South MP Claire Hanna is also a regular Parkrunner and will be cheering Grace on.
“Congratulations to the inimitable Grace,” she said.
“What an inspiration she is to so many.”
However, Grace doesn’t really understand the fuss over her Parkrun record.
“So what!” she said.
“Many people do much more remarkable things than this, but if it inspires some people to start running then that’s great.
“I just hope I get a good time on Saturday with everyone watching me.”
