- Sabalenka has ‘no time for doubts’ in title defense at 2025 US Open US Open Tennis
- Sabalenka gets revenge on Fernandez The Express Tribune
- 2025 US Open tennis championships: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Leylah Fernandez Xinhua
- Tennis, WTA – US Open 2025: Sabalenka downs Fernandez tennismajors.com
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Sabalenka has 'no time for doubts' in title defense at 2025 US Open – US Open Tennis
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Life Below Preview — Under the Sea!
I am often heard complaining that similar genres seem to surge in popularity all at once. It certainly happened with cozy farming simulators and is currently happening with extraction shooters. After accepting my Life Below appointment at gamescom 2025, I was bombarded with city builders, too. It seems that as soon as I am looking for something, it pops up consistently. With that said, I am always happy to see a studio do something different with an oversaturated genre, and developer Megapop is doing just that with Life Below.
I was able to sit down with Game Director Lise Hagen Lie and have her walk me through the game in a quick 30-minute demo that showed me various stages of the game from beginning to end, after players are more established. Though it doesn’t look like your typical city builder, Life Below is just that, only for marine life. You’re not just building typical housing and commercial buildings. Instead, you’re building an entire ecosystem, the absolute base of life as we know it.
Life Below
Sitting down with Hagen Lie, I could see her passion behind the game. Not only did she enjoy gaming and making games, but she also has a passion for the ocean and the life within it. Like most women my age, we all went through our Marine Biologist stage, and she did too, only she stuck with it and channelled it into a game. The result is a gameified learning experience, filled with both facts and fiction to make this underwater world a bit more exciting.
“Life Below has a lot going on under the surface…get it?”
Life Below was created by a lover of all things underwater, but the team went a step further. Rather than relying on the developers’ knowledge, they consulted bona fide marine biologists to help understand how these things really work and bring as much knowledge as they can to the game. Even creatures that are not biologically accurate are based on real creatures, with made-up names to pay homage to them. The team researched what creatures live with whom, who are natural enemies, and what other items, like coral, do to affect the ocean floor.
There is, indeed, a story in Life Below, and they say it on their Steam page better than I could: “The ocean is dying. Coral reefs are vanishing, and ecosystems are breaking down. By the power of the mysterious reef heart, you must restore balance, using the ocean floor itself as the foundation to build vibrant havens for sealife.” A bleak world with a dash of hope, one that is a bit too real when you take a moment to look around us.
Life Below
Life Below has a lot going on under the surface…get it? You don’t just place the fish and creatures you want. You place their habitats, their food, and lures to call them to the world you’ve created. If you don’t have what they need, they simply won’t stay. There is more to it than that, though. Like the ocean, or even an aquarium you have at home, you have to control the water’s temperature and pH levels, too.
Some items heat things up, some cool them down, and later, you will have access to crafting items that can help counteract this. There will also be human-made obstacles, such as oil spills and garbage, that you have to take on. Do I see a 2026 Games for Impact Award for Life Below in the future?
The crafting system in Life Below seems pretty intense, and I am looking forward to seeing all the different lures, creatures and habitats I can build or unlock. Before I got too far into the game, I was a little disappointed to think about the limits that would be put on Life Below, since you are building on the bottom of the ocean floor, and the game is meant to be semi-realistic. That means a lot of the ocean’s favourite creatures would be left out, since, you know, dolphins don’t scrounge the bottom of the ocean.
Life Below
Luckily, Megapop considered this and did not want any of its favourite aquatic friends left out. The studio created a visitor system that allows creatures such as dolphins and turtles (among others, though those were the examples discussed) to enter your habitat and spend some time there. Of course, summoning animals without reason would feel strange, so players can use lures to bring them in for specific purposes.
“Don’t let the beautiful hand-drawn graphics fool you—Life Below is a city…biodiversity…builder that requires planning and strategy.”
For example, during my demo, there was a significant jellyfish problem disrupting the ecosystem. I used lures to attract turtles, which are natural predators of jellyfish. The turtles arrived, snacked on the jellyfish, and were accompanied by a pop of red in the water. I was told that animation is being updated, but for now, it struck the right mix of dark and fun. In total, more than 40 wildlife species can be lured to your underwater sanctuary, and I am eager to see how they interact with one another.
Multiple biomes were highlighted, including a standard version, a colder variant and a hotter option, with more on the way. When I asked about the possibility of exploring dark, deep-sea monsters, nothing was confirmed or denied, though there was mention of an oceanic chasm. I am curious to see how that develops. Overall, Megapop appears committed to keeping Life Below fresh and engaging.
Life Below
Don’t let the beautiful hand-drawn graphics fool you—Life Below is a city…biodiversity…builder that requires planning and strategy. I’m excited to try it out during a longer playthrough, and am even looking forward to learning more about our oceans.
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5 mysterious places where compasses fail to work correctly
Magnetic compasses have long been reliable tools for navigation, especially before the advent of satellites and digital GPS. These timeless instruments align with Earth’s magnetic field, guiding sailors, explorers, and adventurers for centuries. But what happens when a compass itself goes haywire?
There are strange and scientifically intriguing places on Earth where magnetic compasses become unreliable, spinning unpredictably or pointing in entirely the wrong direction. These failures aren’t caused by faulty instruments but by rare and extreme natural conditions such as magnetic anomalies, massive iron deposits, volcanic activity, and even shifts in Earth’s magnetic field. Such disruptions affect how the needle aligns with magnetic north, sometimes making navigation dangerous or even impossible using traditional means.
While the modern world largely relies on GPS and satellite-based navigation, understanding why compasses fail in certain regions offers fascinating and important insights into Earth’s dynamic inner workings.
Here are five such locations that defy compass logic:
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NASA Is Taking Suggestions For Raising Swift’s Orbit
Launched in 2004, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory – formerly the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer – has been dutifully studying gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) during its two-year mission, before moving on to a more general space observation role during its ongoing mission. Unfortunately, the observatory is in LEO, at an altitude of around 370 km. The natural orbital decay combined with increased solar activity now threatens to end Swift’s mission, unless NASA can find someone who can boost its orbit.
Using Swift as a testbed for commercial orbit-boosting technologies, NASA is working with a number of companies to investigate options. One of these is the SSPICY demonstration of in-orbit inspection technology by Starfish Space that’s part of an existing Phase III program.
Although currently no option has been selected and Swift is still at risk of re-entering Earth’s atmosphere within the near future, there seems to be at least a glimmer of hope that this process can be reverted, and a perfectly fine triple-telescope space observatory can keep doing science for many years to come. Along the way it may also provide a blueprint for how to do the same with other LEO assets that are at risk of meeting a fiery demise.
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Avdija, Israel rally in the fourth to hand France first defeat
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KATOWICE (Poland) – Israel trailed the previously unbeaten France by as many as 10 points in the first half but held Les Bleus to just 13 fourth-quarter points and Deni Avdija sparked an impressive late run that propelled the Israeli side to a potentially crucial 82-69 win.
Turning Point
Israel crafted their impressive victory in the final stanza, where they turned on the screws on defense, run in transition and went on an 11-0 run within three minutes to go up 66-59 with 7:10 remaining on the clock.
Led by Deni Avdija’s decisive plays, Israel then extended the lead to 74-63 with 3:25 to go. The 13-point fourth frame output was France’s worst scoring quarter so far in FIBA EuroBasket 2025
TCL Player of the Game
Deni Avdija did everything on the floor. The Israeli leader finished with a team-high 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 steals, providing clutch plays in the final stanza and inspiring his teammates. Among them, Yam Madar stepped up with 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in the win.
Stats Don’t Lie
Israel shot 7-of-18 from beyond the arc, a key stat in Sunday’s victory. France on the contrary had a poor shooting night from deep, finishing on 8-of-32 from the perimeter.
With that said, Frederic Fauthoux’s team shared the ball way better than Israel, out-assisting the opponents 19-12. Moreover, France denied access to the rim on several occasions, finishing with 9 blocks. Israel had none.
Bottom Line
The two sides are now tied at 2-1 in the Group D standings, and Israel have once again demonstrated they can be one of the dark horses of the tournament. They will face Belgium at 14:00 CET on September 2.
After Slovenia beat Belgium to open Sunday action in Katowice, France had the opportunity to qualify with a victory. Instead, they now need to get back on track, starting from their next game against group hosts Poland.
They Said
“Everybody contributed today with the defensive game plan, with the aggressiveness, and the willingness to fight.” – Israel’s Deni Avdija.
“We were there for the whole game. We kept our composure, we stayed solid, and made some very big plays. We took responsibility, not being afraid of the moment. And that’s what happened: big-time players making big-time plays.” – Israel’s Yovel Zoosman.
“[We lacked] playing together, they adjusted with zone defensively, and we had to pass the ball more. We didn’t do that enough, and we have to be better on that. We missed Alex [Sarr] for sure, but we were supposed to do better.” – France’s Bilal Coulibaly.
For more quotes, tune in to the official post-game press conference!
FIBA
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Flotilla leaves Barcelona in biggest attempt yet to break Israeli blockade of Gaza
Barcelona
AP
—
A flotilla of ships departed from Barcelona to the Gaza Strip Sunday with humanitarian aid and activists on board in the largest attempt yet to break the long Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory by sea.
This comes as Israel has stepped up its offensive on Gaza City, limiting the deliveries of food and basic supplies in the north of the Palestinian territory. Food experts warned earlier this month that the city was in famine and that half a million people across the strip were facing catastrophic levels of hunger.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is carrying food, water and medicine. Activists on board demanded safe passage to deliver the much-needed aid and the opening of a humanitarian sea corridor, according to a statement. The almost 23-month war has killed more than 63,000 people, with at least 332 Palestinians dying of malnutrition, including 124 children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The maritime convoy of about 20 boats and delegations from 44 countries is claimed to be the largest attempt to date to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip by sea, which has now lasted 18 years. They will be joined by more ships from ports in Italy and Tunisia in the coming days, on the route from the western end of the Mediterranean to the Gaza Strip, organizers said.
Thousands of supporters flocked to the Barcelona pier, some of them wearing kaffiyehs and chanting “Free Palestine!” and “Boycott Israel!” to send off a wide variety of boats, flying Palestinian flags, from rundown old luxury yachts to tiny wooden sailboats and industrial-looking vessels. One of them, the Sirus, is more than 100 years old.
Around 70 boats are expected to take part in the final leg of the journey, flotilla spokesperson Saif Abukeshek told Spanish public television after the departure. The fleet could reach Gaza around Sept. 14 or 15, he added.
“The story here is about Palestine. The story here is how people are being deliberately deprived of the very basic means to survive,” said Swedish activist Greta Thunberg at a news conference. She is one of the most recognizable figures on the expedition, formed by hundreds of activists, politicians such as the former mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, and journalists.
Ships carrying tons of humanitarian aid departed from the Italian city of Genoa and will join the expedition in the coming days.
It is not the first time Thunberg has attempted to reach Gaza waters this year. She was deported by Israel in June when the ship she was traveling on with 11 other people, the Madleen, was stopped by the Israeli military.
“It has been very clear that Israel has been continuously violating international law by either attacking, unlawfully intercepting the boats in international waters, and continuously preventing the humanitarian aid from coming in,” said Thunberg in an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday.
The Global Sumud Flotilla will be the fourth attempt to break the maritime blockade so far this year. The Conscience first tried in May, but was attacked by drones after setting sail from Malta. After the Madleen, the Israeli military stopped another aid ship, the Handala, in late July, detained 21 international activists and reporters and seized its cargo, including baby formula, food and medicine, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
In a news conference before the departure in Barcelona, actor Liam Cunningham played a video showing a girl singing while planning her own funeral. The girl, Fatima, died four days ago, he said.
“What sort of world have we slid into where children are making their own funeral arrangements?” Cunningham told reporters.
An Israeli official said Saturday that the country will soon halt or slow humanitarian aid into parts of northern Gaza, as it expands its military offensive against Hamas, a day after the city was declared a combat zone.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when an attack by Hamas militants inside Israel claimed the lives of 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took 251 people hostage.
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Spain brush aside Cyprus for back-to-back wins
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LIMASSOL (Cyprus) – Spain took another step towards reaching the knockout stage of the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 by routing hosts Cyprus 91-47 to give the reigning champions a 2-1 record in Group C.
The four-time champions still have plenty of work to do to actually book a ticket to Riga, but they played closer to the level of their victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina than their opening loss to Georgia. Cyprus meanwhile dropped to 0-3.
Turning Point
Spain didn’t waste much time taking control of the game. They were leading 10-7 midway through the first quarter when they went on a 17-4 run over the next 8 minutes to pull ahead 27-11. The Spanish never let up after that leading 41-17 at halftime.
TCL Player of the Game
Willy Herrnangomez was a dominant force inside against the hosts as the EuroBasket 2022 MVP poured in 19 points on 8 of 9 shooting from the floor. He also grabbed 8 rebounds – 4 of them from the offensive glass and chipped in 3 assists.
Juancho Hernangomez and Mario Saint-Supery both chipped in 9 points for the Spanish and Darral Willis paced Cyprus with 16 points and 6 rebounds.
Stats Don’t Lie
Spain shot 49 percent for the game – including hitting 14 three-pointers at a 40 percent clip – to go with 29 assists. They also turned 18 Cyprus turnovers in 21 points.
Spain also controlled the glass with a 46-24 rebound advantage including 12 offensive boards. And Cyprus managed to shoot just 38 percent for the game.
Bottom Line
Spain are still in a solid position to advance from the group with a 2-1 record though things get dramatically more difficult in their next game against Italy on Tuesday. And a final matchup awaits on Thursday. Cyprus are still looking for their first-ever EuroBasket win at 0-3 and their next opportunity will be against Georgia.
They Said
This game report will be updated in the coming moments. Stay tuned.
For more quotes, tune in to the official post-game press conference!
FIBA
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‘The female Jonah Lomu’ – Portia Woodman-Wickliffe breaks try-scoring record
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe became New Zealand’s record try scorer — men’s or women’s — on Sunday as the Black Ferns thrashed Japan 62-19 to reach the Women’s World Cup quarterfinals.
Having scored in last week’s win over Spain, Woodman-Wickliffe needed one more try to surpass former All Black Doug Howlett’s record of 49.
The 34-year-old scored her 50th try after 12 minutes in Exeter in her 30th Test match for New Zealand. The score also extended her own record World Cup try tally to 22.
With back-to-back World Cup victories and two Olympic gold medals, Woodman-Wickliffe is a legend of both the XVs and sevens codes.
Black Ferns co-captain Ruahei Demant said her impact on the game is immeasurable.
“I think a lot of people have compared P [Portia] to the female the female Jonah Lomu… that’s exactly what she’s done,” Demant said after the match.
“She’s single-handedly the most influential women’s rugby player in the world. I’m so proud and fortunate that I’m able to play alongside her as a teammate and not an opposition.
– More drama to come after Australia, USA ignite WRWC
– Mitchell: Still things to fix after England’s record Women’s RWC win“Regardless of the milestones, the accolades she achieves, for those of us who know her as a person, she is one of the most humble, down to earth people you’ll ever meet.
“I know that she’ll say that the tries she notches up is just her doing her job … but it’s so nice to have someone like her outside you to finish all the opportunities that the girls work so hard to create.”
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James Milner: ‘Legend of the game’ becomes Premier League’s second-oldest scorer
When a 16-year-old James Milner netted his first Premier League goal for Leeds against Sunderland in 2002, he probably would not have expected to be scoring another in the top flight 23 years later.
In converting from the penalty spot at the age of 39 years and 239 days in Brighton’s 2-1 win against his former club Manchester City, he became the Premier League’s second-oldest goalscorer, adding to the feat of being the second youngest when aged 16 years and 356 days.
Teddy Sheringham holds the oldest record at 40 years and 268 days when he scored for West Ham against Portsmouth on 26 December, 2006, while James Vaughan was aged 16 years and 270 days when he netted for Everton against Crystal Palace on 10 April, 2005.
Asked about the spot-kick that cancelled out Erling Haaland’s opener and sparked Brighton’s comeback success, Milner told Sky Sports “it’s not the easiest thing, but my experience helped”.
That highlights a standout aspect of his career and character. With 640 Premier League appearances, few can compete with his level of involvement in the top flight.
His goal ended a six-year drought, back to when he netted for Liverpool at Leicester City in 2019, yet the gap of 2075 days is only the 50th longest in the Premier League.
Milner’s former City and England team-mate Joe Hart said the versatile player – who turns 40 in January and can play at full-back or midfield – “still looks fit and fresh”.
Such is the longevity of Milner’s career, he has now scored in the Premier League against goalkeepers born in the 1960s, 1970s, 1990s and 2000s.
“An absolute legend of the game,” is how he was described by former Chelsea stopper Mark Schwarzer.
“His longevity, his fitness and he came on today and scored an excellent penalty. When you need those experienced players to step up in moments he does, he was never going to shy away from it,” added the Australian on BBC Radio 5 Live.
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Deadly Indonesia protests force U-turn on lawmakers' perks – Reuters
- Deadly Indonesia protests force U-turn on lawmakers’ perks Reuters
- Indonesian politicians to have perks cut in bid to quell unrest BBC
- Why are antigovernment protests taking place in Indonesia? Al Jazeera
- Fire kills three people in Indonesia after protesters torch council buildings The Guardian
- Indonesia’s president cancels China trip and TikTok suspends live video as deadly protests continue CNN
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