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  • Newcastle United 0 Atlético Madrid 2

    Newcastle United 0 Atlético Madrid 2

    After a goalless first-half at St. James’ Park, with Newcastle arguably creating the better chances in front of goal, Julián Alvarez’s close-range strike broke the deadlock for the La Liga outfit, who finished in third place of the Spanish top-flight last season.

    Antoine Griezmann’s stabbed finish shortly after the hour mark doubled the visitors’ lead as United missed out on retaining the trophy for a third successive year, with Anthony Gordon also withdrawn in the closing stages after pulling up with a leg issue.

    Following a 2-2 draw against RCD Espanyol the previous day, head coach Eddie Howe elected for a new starting XI as Anthony Elanga was handed his first Magpies start on home soil following the Sweden international’s summer arrival from Nottingham Forest.

    The visitors created the opening opportunities in front of goal as Atleti defender Dávid Hancko drove a fierce first-time effort from distance wide of the right-hand post before Alvarez, formerly of Manchester City, directed an attempt from the edge of the penalty area over Nick Pope’s crossbar.

    Newcastle were fortunate not to fall behind shortly after as Giuliano Simeone latched onto Álex Baena’s lofted pass in behind the Magpies defence but the Argentine winger, son of Atlético head coach Diego, dragged a low effort across the penalty area.

    With over 51,500 fans in attendance for United’s final pre-season fixture, Pope produced an important stop to prevent Matteo Ruggeri from opening the scoring as the Italian defender’s fierce drive towards the front post was blocked by the 33-year-old shot-stopper.

    Kieran Trippier, who joined the Magpies from Atlético in January 2022, went close to scoring against his former club as the right-back’s low free-kick on the edge of the box was pushed away by goalkeeper Jan Oblak before Joelinton’s glancing header from Harvey Barnes’ teasing delivery from the left flank flew inches wide of the right-hand post.

    Joelinton, who celebrates his 29th birthday on Thursday, saw his header from Trippier’s inviting free-kick on the right flank directed wide of the left-hand post before the Brazilian was denied minutes later as another header, this time from Harrison Ashby’s lofted cross into the box, was held by Oblak.

    In the 50th minute, Newcastle fell behind as Alvarez converted for Atleti as, following Baena’s dangerous pass, the unmarked Argentine was situated at the back post to turn the ball into an empty net inside the six-yard area.

    Newcastle were delivered a further blow in the 63rd minute as Griezmann, one of multiple substitutions by the Spanish side minutes prior, extended Atlético’s advantage as the French forward latched onto Alexander Sørloth’s pass inside the box before cleverly poking the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.

    The Magpies, who will kick off their 2025/26 Premier League campaign next weekend when facing an away trip to Aston Villa on Saturday, 16th August (kick-off 12:30pm BST), will be hopeful Gordon is available for United’s league opener despite the Liverpool-born winger hobbling off the field in the closing stages, pulling up whilst chasing a loose ball.

    Teenage full-back Leo Shahar, who joined the Magpies from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer of 2023, was handed his first-team debut in the final minutes of the encounter but, otherwise, United were unable to inspire a late fightback against Diego Simeone’s men.

    Newcastle United: Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier (Leo Shahar 87), Sven Botman (Alex Murphy 46), Jamaal Lascelles (c), Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon (Sean Neave 84), Harvey Barnes, Anthony Elanga, Tino Livramento, Harrison Ashby (Alfie Harrison 61).

    Substitutes: John Ruddy, Mark Gillespie, Garang Kuol, Dylan Charlton, Trevan Sanusi.

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  • Blake Lively scores courtroom WIN over Justin Baldoni; Judge strikes actress’s deposition transcript from court docket |

    Blake Lively scores courtroom WIN over Justin Baldoni; Judge strikes actress’s deposition transcript from court docket |

    The legal showdown between Hollywood stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni just seems to be getting messier. After her recent filing, Judge Lewis J Liman has ordered the removal of the actress’s nearly 300-page deposition transcript from a court filing and delivered a sharp reprimand to Baldoni’s legal team for including it in the public records.The court also accused Baldoni’s team, lead by Bryan Freedman, of burdening both the actress and the justice system and also for potentially stirring up a scandal.

    Bryan Kohberger’s Murder House Photos Released: They’re Hard to Unsee | WATCH

    According to Variety, the dispute erupted when Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, attached the sealed transcript to a recent discovery motion, despite referencing only two pages of it. She said she believed Baldoni’s team submitted the transcript “solely for strategic media and public-relations purposes.” Her lawyers also argued the move was an attempt to sway potential jurors through the court of public opinion and make it appear as if she wanted the transcript sealed.Judge Liman didn’t mince words in his opinion, obtained by Just Jared, “The Wayfarer Parties’ attachment of the entire, nearly 300-page deposition—after citing only two pages… served no proper litigation purpose and instead appears to have been intended to burden Lively (and as a result, the Court) and to invite public speculation and scandal.”Freedman responded to the court, stating that the transcript was under seal. He even slammed Lively’s claim they were trying to make her defend the “continued sealing of the transcript.”“Lively has the option of moving to keep the document sealed; although it is puzzling why she seeks to conceal her own testimony in an action in which she is the plaintiff,” Freedman wrote.The judge in his opinion, stated, “The Wayfarer Parties have not even attempted to argue that the entire deposition was relevant. Nor could they. The conclusion is inescapable that the Wayfarer Parties filed gratuitous amounts of irrelevant pages so that, if Lively moved for continued sealing of the irrelevant pages, the Wayfarer Parties could then use Lively’s response for their own public-relations purposes. The Court has not only the power but also the responsibility to step in.”The judge ordered several filings to be sealed and granted Lively’s motion.While Baldoni’s team has denied wrongdoing, the ruling marks another victory for Lively in a case that has been drawing attention from all quarters. The high profile cast will has a court date set for March 9, 2026.


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  • Astronomers Spot the Earliest Confirmed Black Hole at Cosmic Dawn

    Astronomers Spot the Earliest Confirmed Black Hole at Cosmic Dawn

    In 2024, an international team of astronomers launched the CANDELS-Area Prism Epoch of Reionization Survey (CAPERS), a program that would use data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to identify galaxies at “Cosmic Dawn.” This cosmological period took place less than one billion years after the Big Bang and is when the first galaxies in the Universe formed. In a recent study, the CAPERS team confirmed the existence of a black hole at the center of a galaxy (designated CAPERS-LRD-z9) roughly 13.3 billion light-years away.

    This makes the black hole the earliest ever observed by scientists, and presents opportunities to study the evolution of black holes and the structure of the Universe during this early period. The research was led by Anthony J. Taylor, a postdoctoral candidate at the University of Texas at Austin’s Cosmic Frontier Center, and included several members of the CAPERS consortium. The paper detailing their findings was published on August 6th in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

    During the 1970s, scientists discovered that most massive galaxies have a central supermassive black hole (SMBH), which explained why their core regions would periodically become bright enough to outshine all the stars in their disks. This led to the term Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), which describes these bright galactic centers and differentiates them from less bright and active galaxies. With the deployment of Webb, astronomers are finally getting the chance to observe the early ancestors (or “seeds”) of these behemoths and study how they have influenced the evolution of their galaxies.

    “Little Red Dot” galaxies appear in large numbers roughly 600 million years after the Big Bang. Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/Dale Kocevski (Colby College).

    CAPERS-LRD-z9 was first identified by the Public Release IMaging for Extragalactic Research (PRIMER) survey using Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). Like many galaxies identified by Webb, CAPERS-LRD-z9 is part of a new class of galaxies known as “Little Red Dots” that existed 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang, which are very compact, red, and surprisingly bright. While conducting follow-up observations, the CAPERS team identified the tell-tale signs of fast-moving gas using Webb’s Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRSpec) to conduct NIRSpec/PRISM spectroscopy.

    As gas and dust circle a black hole and accrete onto its face, it is accelerated to relativistic speeds (close to the speed of light). Whereas gas flowing away relative to our instruments is shifted towards the red end of the spectrum, gas moving towards them is shifted to bluer wavelengths. When they examined the spectral signatures coming from CAPERS-LRD-z9, the team detected the presence of both, confirming that they had identified a black hole roughly 13.3 billion light-years away. While astronomers have found a few more distant candidates, they have not yet found the distinctive spectroscopic signature associated with black holes.

    “When looking for black holes, this is about as far back as you can practically go. We’re really pushing the boundaries of what current technology can detect,” said Taylor in a UT News release. “The first goal of CAPERS is to confirm and study the most distant galaxies,” added co-author Mark Dickinson, the CAPERS team lead. “JWST spectroscopy is the key to confirming their distances and understanding their physical properties.”

    The presence of an SMBH seed at the center of CAPERS-LRD-z9 presents astronomers with a unique opportunity to do that. For one, this galaxy supports the theory that SMBHs are the source of the unexpected brightness of Little Red Dots, which is typically attributed to an abundance of stars. However, this is inconsistent with current cosmological models that suggest these galaxies did not have enough time to form so many stars. Furthermore, black holes shine brightly because they compress the gas and dust they consume, releasing tremendous amounts of light and heat.

    The little red dots could represent galaxies in an evolutionary phase predating the luminous quasar phase. Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/ISTA)/ETH Zurich/NAOJ The little red dots could represent galaxies that are in an evolutionary phase predating the luminous quasar phase. Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/ISTA)/ETH Zurich/NAOJ

    Confirming the existence of an SMBH seed in CAPERS-LRD-z9 helps illustrate this process in very early galaxies. This galaxy could also help explain the distinct red color in LRD galaxies, which could be due to a thick cloud of dust surrounding the black hole – something that has been observed in more recent galaxies. In addition, the size of the black hole (up to 300 million times the mass of our Sun) was an unexpected find, roughly half the mass of all the stars in its disk. This is similar to what astronomers noticed with other SMBH seeds in galaxies that existed less than 1 billion years after the Big Bang.

    Therefore, this finding also presents astronomers with an opportunity to study how these black holes could have grown so large so quickly. “This adds to growing evidence that early black holes grew much faster than we thought possible,” said co-author Finkelstein, the director of the Cosmic Frontier Center. “Or they started out far more massive than our models predict.”

    Looking ahead, the team hopes to gather more high-resolution data on CAPERS-LRD-z9 to learn more about the role black holes played in the development of galaxies in the early Universe. “This is a good test object for us,” said Taylor. “We haven’t been able to study early black hole evolution until recently, and we are excited to see what we can learn from this unique object.”

    Further Reading: UT News, The Astrophysical Journal Letters

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  • Iñigo Martinez leaves FC Barcelona

    Iñigo Martinez leaves FC Barcelona

    FC Barcelona announce the departure of the first team player Iñigo Martinez. 

    We would like to thank him for his professionalism, efforts, dedication and commitment during his two seasons in a blaugrana jersey. We wish him all the best for the future. Thank you for everything, Iñigo. 

    A brilliant season 

    The Basque central defender bring to an end a two season spell as a Barça player after arriving at the Club in 2023. In his first season under coach Xavi Hernández he made 25 appearances but in his second he became a fixture in the side under Hansi Flick, making 46 appearances.

    Alongside teenager Pau Cubarsí in central defence, Iñigo was one of the leaders of a team that claimed the domestic treble of La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey. In total Iñigo played 71 times for Barça, 61 as a starter, scoring three goals and creating five assists. 

     

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  • A Special Diamond Is the Key to a Fully Open Source Quantum Sensor

    A Special Diamond Is the Key to a Fully Open Source Quantum Sensor

    Quantum computing is either a distant dream or an imminent reality depending on who you ask. And while much of this year’s Quantum Village at the Defcon security conference in Las Vegas is focused on emerging research and threat analysis, village cofounders Victoria Kumaran and Mark Carney are also working to make a currently available quantum technology more accessible to hackers and anyone else.

    In a main-stage Defcon talk on Saturday, the pair will present an open source and affordable quantum sensor that can serve a variety of uses, from medical technologies to GPS alternatives. And it’s all powered by a special yet affordable diamond with particular atomic properties. The first generation design could be assembled for about $120 to $160 depending on suppliers and shipping times. The second version that Kumaran and Carney are presenting this weekend can be built for even less, and the pair says that they will release a third version this fall based on community testing and input that they hope will cost just $50 to build.

    Quantum sensors detect extremely slight variations in magnetic and electrical fields, enabling ultra-precise measurements. Atomic clocks that keep nearly perfect time, for example, are quantum sensors that have been in use for decades. For researchers and enthusiasts interested in learning more about quantum sensing, though, the barrier to entry has been quite high. So the Quantum Village’s relatively affordable, open source “Uncut Gem” project creates a real opportunity for more people to build their own quantum sensors and explore the technology.

    “You can do things you wouldn’t have been able to do before, like using quantum sensors to start building portable MRI-style devices that can be used in all different countries,” Kumaran told WIRED ahead of the presentation. “These are diamonds with defects, synthetic diamonds that are the cheapest off-cuts you can get. I think there’s something a bit poetic that synthetic diamonds have this utility.”

    Most of the components needed for the quantum sensor are simple off-the-shelf computing parts, but the diamond needs to be what’s known as a “nitrogen-vacancy diamond.” Its special molecular properties are thanks to the presence of nitrogen atoms that replace some carbon atoms in the diamond’s atomic structure.

    In addition to potential medical applications, quantum sensors can be used in alternative navigation technologies that track electromagnetic wave interference. Such tools could be used as local alternatives to GPS in the case of global system failures or targeted jamming. US Space Force is currently testing what a release called the “highest-performing quantum inertial sensor ever tested in space.”

    For the vast majority of people who don’t have access to the world’s highest performing quantum sensors, though, the Uncut Gem project represents an opportunity to democratize and expand quantum sensing technology. The project joins others in different fields of hacking that have been geared toward low-cost, accessible designs and components.

    Independent researcher Davide Gessa has been testing the Uncut Gem schematics and code.

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  • Egypt stun Japan with comeback, join Hungary, Norway and Spain as group winners

    Hungary, Spain, Norway and Egypt extended their winning streaks at the 2025 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship to three matches, locking in the first place in their groups of the preliminary round and ensuring they start the main round with two points.

    Down four goals at the break, Egypt stunned Japan with a fantastic comeback in the second half, outscoring their opponents by 12 goals to secure a 36:28 win.Norway and Spain hit over 40 goals against France and Serbia, while Hungary dished a 39:29 win against Switzerland.

    Group B
    Hungary vs Switzerland 39:29 (21:16)

    Hungary imposed their dominance from the first minute, making it clear to Switzerland that this would be no easy contest. With disciplined defensive movement, they forced the Swiss into mistakes and punished them clinically, moving into an early 9:5 lead.

    That margin held for much of the opening 20 minutes, as Hungary struggled to extend the gap beyond six goals. Switzerland remained within reach largely thanks to goalkeeper Gwendal Dussey, who delivered an impressive 50% save rate after coming on, and Tiago Cuencas, who scored eight in the first half. On the Hungarian side, Ádám Balogh was impactful in goal, while Máté Mészáros proved dangerous in attack.

    After the break, Dussey and Cuencas continued to carry Switzerland, now joined by Andrin Dörwald, yet the rest of the squad could not match Hungary’s pace. The breakthrough came when Hungary finally broke the six-goal barrier, pushing the lead into double digits and entering the last ten minutes with the result effectively decided. From there, the hosts closed out the match in full control.

    In total, 13 different outfield players scored for Hungary, with Máté Mészáros producing his best performance at the tournament so far, netting 11 goals to bring his overall tally to 16. Cuencas finished as Switzerland’s top scorer with nine goals.

    Hungary celebrated their third straight win at the IHF Men’s Youth World Championship, topping the group and carrying two points into the main round, alongside Sweden. Switzerland, like their neighbours Austria, will start the next stage on zero points.

    Player of the Match: Máté Mészáros (Hungary)

    Group C
    Serbia vs Spain 24:42 (15:22)

    In a clash between two teams that had already secured their main round places, reigning champions Spain delivered a commanding attacking performance to record their third consecutive win. With this result, Spain will carry two points into the main round, while Serbia enter the next phase without any points.

    Although Serbia led briefly at 1:0 and 2:1 in the early minutes, Spain swiftly gained control, moving ahead 4:2 and later delivering an impressive 5:0 run to increase the advantage to 13:7—remarkably, without a single save from their starting goalkeeper, Nicolas Giraldez. The Spanish defensive block compensated by forcing numerous Serbian turnovers, enabling Spain to build a seven-goal halftime lead at 22:15.

    After the break, Marcos Garcia replaced Giraldez in goal, making a significant impact with 10 saves that further solidified Spain’s dominance. By the middle of the second half, the reigning champions led by 12 goals at 32:20 and soon after produced a 4:0 run to widen the gap even further. Quim Rocas and Unai Barreto led Spanish scorers with six goals each, while Andrija Stankov top-scored for Serbia with nine goals, yet he lacked sufficient support from his teammates.

    With the result long settled before the final buzzer, Spain rotated their squad extensively, conserving energy for the upcoming main round challenges. Demonstrating the depth of their roster, 13 Spanish players found the net at least once, and the team maintained their intensity until the end, ultimately securing an emphatic 18-goal victory.

    Player of the Match: Marcos Fis (Spain)

    Group F
    Norway vs France 42:34 (21:17)

    Norway and France fully lived up to expectations in their battle for the top spot in the group. Both teams had recorded convincing wins in their previous matches, but this time it was Norway who came out on top with another high-scoring performance.

    France started the match with confidence, taking a 6:4 lead, but once Norway settled and found their rhythm, the momentum shifted. Lukas Ueland contributed key saves, while an inspired Vetle Mellemstrand Bore struck seven goals in the first half alone. Norway equalised and then went on a run to lead 13:10, before Hlini Snær Birgisson added his mark to help extend the gap to 20:13. France, however, fought back with a 4:0 run before halftime, reducing the deficit to four goals.

    France maintained that competitive edge in the early stages of the second half, but Norway quickly regained control. A strong burst of scoring, capped by Ciljan Sagosen — younger brother of Sander Sagosen — pushing the lead to 31:21, left France with no way back.

    Norway ultimately sealed a 42:34 victory, with Mellemstrand Bore earning Player of the Match honours for his 11 goals. He now sits as the tournament’s second-highest scorer with 30 goals overall. France’s standout was Noé Thuillier, whose perfect eight from eight kept their scoreboard ticking.

    This was the second time Norway surpassed the 40-goal mark at Egypt 2025, confirming them as group winners with two points carried into the main round. France will need a perfect run in the next phase, where they will meet Germany — who also carry two points — and Slovenia.

    Player of the Match: Vetle Mellemstrand Bore (Norway) 

    Group G
    Egypt vs Japan 36:28 (14:18)

    Winning the first two matches at the 2025 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship was enough for hosts Egypt to clinch their main round spot. But starting the next phase with two points was only going to be achieved if they beat Japan, in the last match of Group G in Cairo, in the battle between the African and the Asian champions.

    Egypt looked to play the favourites part, but the underdog mantle suited Japan well, as they always performed better under pressure, with their clinical speed causing issues to all their opponents.

    While Japan’s attack really looked strong, this time it was the goalkeeping department which really propelled the Asian side to a four-goal lead at the break. As Egypt started the match better and dictated the tempo, Kodai Yasumizu’s saves kept Japan in the match and from a 9:7 lead for Egypt, this quickly turned into a 16:12 Japan lead.

    How did that happen? Yasumizu finished the first half with 10 saves and a 43% saving efficiency, while Egypt’s goalkeepers, Youssef Abdelhady and Omar Elzamayan, had only two saves between them, for a 10% saving efficiency. And when Egypt’s attack was slowly stopped by Yasumizu, the attack pounced.

    A 4:0 run for Japan, part of that 9:3 larger run in the middle of the first half, proved to be decisive, as the MVP of the 2024 AHF Asian Men’s Youth Championship, centre back Masato Ohashi, scored four goals, and dictated the tempo. By the end of the first half, Japan had a four-goal lead, 18:14, and everything was in play, with Japan now firmly in contention for a win, which would have definitely changed the outlook of this competition, where Egypt were in with a chance for a medal.

    The odds were definitely stacked against the hosts, but one thing Egypt had in abundance was the depth, which helped them secure their previous wins. And that was on display once again, when Egypt used a 4:1 run to tie the score fast, 23:23, with 17 minutes left on the clock, as their goalkeeper, Youssef Abdelhady, started to make more saves.

    And left wing Omar Baraka shrugged off a slow start to reach nine goals with 10 minutes left in the match, as Egypt finally wrestled the lead back, 25:24, with 15 minutes left on the clock.

    Was that enough for Egypt to finally get the win secured, backed by thousands of rapturous fans? It definitely was, as Japan’s attack crumbled, and scored only three goals between the 48th minute and the end of the match, when Egypt went on a 11:2 run, including a 9:0 unanswered one which proved to be the pivotal moment of the match.

    Left back Adel Eletter scored six goals in the match, one less than Baraka, while Abdelrahman Aly added six goals, to eventually lift Egypt to a clear 36:28 win, which delivered a fantastic comeback, down four goals at the break.

    Egypt will now head to Group IV of the main round with two points, tied with Denmark, facing Czechia and the Scandinavian side. Japan will start with zero points, as many as Czechia, and with slim chances, needing two surprising wins to progress.

    Player of the Match: Adel Eletter (Egypt)

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  • Huawei Mate 80 RS to sport a dual-layer OLED and a titanium frame

    Huawei Mate 80 RS to sport a dual-layer OLED and a titanium frame

    Beyond the usual vanilla and Pro models, Huawei has a tradition of releasing a special, often limited-edition RS variation of its flagship, primarily as a showcase of its technological prowess. This year, we will likely get the Mate 80 RS and some industry insider leaks have already started surfacing regarding the crown jewel in Huawei’s upcoming roster.

    The first rumored spec is not that surprising at all since last year’s Mate 70 RS Ultimate already debuted the dual-layer OLED tech. Apparently, it will be featured in the Mate 80 RS as well. Dual-layer OLEDs, as the name suggests, have two OLED layers stacked on top of one another, which offers tangible benefits to brightness and longevity, but does cost a lot to manufacture. Of course, this is just a basic oversimplification of the tech, and we wouldn’t be surprised if there are more innovations to it this year.

    Apparently, also similar to its predecessor, the Mate 80 RS has a titanium alloy middle frame. Again, we aren’t sure whether it is the same high-gloss titanium basalt structure as on the Mate 70 RS Ultimate, but if not, it is probably something better.

    Speaking of materials, apparently, the back panel on the Mate 80 RS will have a ceramic feel to it. It’s most likely not going to be actually made of ceramic, but rather glass treated in a particular manner.

    Finally, the source also mentions that there will be some sort of innovation in the telephoto department.

    On a side note, we do have to wonder whether the Mate 80 RS will have an active built-in cooling fan, as suggested for the Mate 80 and Mate 80 Pro.

    Source (In Chinese) | Via

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  • ‘Can you tell us how he died?’: Mohamed Salah criticises Uefa over tribute to ‘Palestinian Pelé’ | Mohamed Salah

    ‘Can you tell us how he died?’: Mohamed Salah criticises Uefa over tribute to ‘Palestinian Pelé’ | Mohamed Salah

    Mohamed Salah has criticised Uefa for failing to state how a footballer known as the “Palestinian Pelé” died in a tribute it posted.

    Suleiman al-Obeid, 41, was killed on Wednesday in southern Gaza when Israeli forces attacked civilians waiting for humanitarian aid, the Palestine Football Association (PFA) said.

    “Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the ‘Palestinian Pelé’,” Uefa posted on X on Friday. “A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times.”

    Salah replied to Uefa’s post on Saturday, saying: “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?”

    Obeid scored twice for the Palestinian national side, most memorably with a scissor-kick against Yemen during the 2010 West Asian Football Federation championship. Photograph: X

    The Liverpool player and Egypt star has consistently voiced sympathy for those in Gaza throughout the conflict. Two years ago, he donated to the Egyptian Red Cross to help fund its relief efforts in the region.

    A fixture in the Palestinian national side after his debut in 2007, Obeid gained 24 caps and scored twice, the PFA said last week, most memorably with a scissor-kick against Yemen during the 2010 West Asian Football Federation championship.

    ‘‘During his long career, al-Obeid, 41, scored more than 100 goals, making him one of the brightest stars of Palestinian football,” it said.

    His talent on the pitch earned him the nickname of “the Palestinian Pelé” – a nod to the legendary Brazilian widely hailed as one of the greatest players of all time.

    Obeid’s death added to a growing toll of athletes lost in Gaza since the war began, with at least 662 sportspeople and their relatives reported to have been killed.

    “The number of footballers killed or who died from starvation has reached 421, including 103 children,” the PFA said.

    According to the PFA, 288 sports facilities have been damaged or reduced to rubble across Gaza and the West Bank, from stadiums and training grounds to gyms and clubhouses. The majority, 268, were in Gaza, while 20 were in the West Bank, with about half serving football directly.

    Among the sites hit was the PFA’s headquarters in Gaza, struck during an Israeli air raid.

    More than 1,300 Palestinians are reported to have been killed in the vicinity of aid distribution points managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation since the US- and Israeli-backed logistic group’s launch in late May.

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  • France vs England LIVE: Women’s Rugby World Cup warm-up – watch stream, score & updates

    France vs England LIVE: Women’s Rugby World Cup warm-up – watch stream, score & updates

    France vs England LIVE: Women’s Rugby World Cup warm-up – watch stream, score & updates – BBC Sport

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  • A voice breaking from the Fed ranks just heightened her push for cutting interest rates fast

    A voice breaking from the Fed ranks just heightened her push for cutting interest rates fast

    By Mark DeCambre

    Fed Gov. Bowman warns jobs market is weakening and urges faster action ahead of September Fed meeting.

    Fed Gov. Michelle Bowman is breaking ranks with Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and the rest of the central bank.

    Fed Gov. Michelle Bowman is doubling down on her call to cut interest rates, urging the central bank to move faster to protect what she sees as a weakening jobs market.

    “Taking action at last week’s meeting would have proactively hedged against the risk of a further erosion in labor market conditions and a further weakening in economic activity,” Bowman said Saturday in a speech at a bankers’ conference in Colorado Springs, Colo.

    Her remarks, delivered just over a week after she and Fed. Gov. Christopher Waller dissented from the Fed’s decision to hold rates steady in late July, add urgency to her push. That dissent was the first time in 32 years that two governors opposed the majority decision.

    Once a firm opponent of lowering rates for fear of locking in high inflation, Bowman now says the greater risk is a faltering labor picture in the U.S. Over the weekend, she signaled she would support moving more quickly-and perhaps more decisively-to cut rates if labor data takes another hit before the Fed’s September meeting.

    “I see the risk that a delay in taking action could result in a deterioration in the labor market and a further slowing in economic growth,” she said on Saturday.

    For borrowers and investors, the question may now be less about if rates will be cut next month and more about the pace of rate reductions to follow-a shift that could ripple from mortgages to credit cards and across the broader economy. Futures markets overwhelmingly expect the first move to be a quarter-point cut from current levels at a range of 4.25%-4.50%.

    -Mark DeCambre

    This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. 

    
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