chance

Beever-Jones was a threat against Australia almost immediately as she came inches from getting on the end of a Beth Mead cross after just three minutes.

She was offside when she lobbed goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold minutes later, but finally got on the scoresheet when Russo was brought down by Alanna Kennedy – the Australia defender receiving a red card – and Beever-Jones netted from the resulting free-kick.

The 22-year-old continued to cause problems before she was forced off prematurely, picking up a knock with less than 10 minutes left.

“She was so bright. She was making really good runs and making herself a nuisance,” said former England defender Anita Asante on ITV.

“She was also asking questions of Sarina because I’m sure she wants to play every single minute she can for England.”

Beever-Jones only played 74 minutes during their success in Switzerland, coming off the bench twice and starting once – an experience which taught her how to react to the disappointment of not being selected and how to manage those emotions.

“I’m always a believer in timing. I look back to the Euros and yeah, I wish I could have played more, I wish I could have helped more,” she told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“But for me, as soon as it ended I thought, ‘right, go back to my club, smash it, do what you can do and hit the ground running’.”

Beever-Jones did just that and has scored four goals in six WSL matches, leading to many calling for her to start this week’s friendlies.

She played 27 minutes as a second-half substitute in Saturday’s defeat by Brazil, but Wiegman gave her the opportunity against Australia out wide and was pleased with what she saw.

“[Beever-Jones and Russo] have played together before. I think we have three players who can play at centre-forward and all three are good and very different,” said Wiegman.

“Aggie can also play on the sides. That is what you saw today, that she is very agile and quick with the ball which can help the team.”

Chelsea team-mate Ellie Carpenter was part of the opposition’s backline and aware of Beever-Jones’ threat.

She has taken on the regular number nine spot at Chelsea with Australia forward Sam Kerr still returning to full fitness and an injury to Mayra Ramirez.

Former England striker Ian Wright told ITV that Beever-Jones has “the right attitude” by taking her opportunities and waiting patiently for them.

“She can play in the nine and also out wide. She has every attribute to be a world-class striker,” club-mate Carpenter added.

“She is hard to defend against. I’m happy for her that she got more minutes tonight and has shown why she can be a regular starter for England.”

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‘Could we still perform together?’

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Sri Lanka and New Zealand were forced to settle for a point each after their Women’s World Cup match in Colombo was abandoned because of rain.

Co-hosts Sri Lanka had racked up 258-6 after opting to bat first, thanks to the fastest fifty of the tournament so far, coming up off 26 balls, from Nilakshi de Silva.

The 36-year-old finished unbeaten on 55 from 28 balls after captain Chamari Athapaththu had hit a classy 53 from 72 balls in an opening stand of 101 with Vishmi Gurunaratne, who made 42 from 83 balls.

That left New Zealand needing their highest second-innings total at a World Cup for victory, only for the rain to arrive before the chase could begin.

The umpires officially abandoned the match at 16:45 BST.

While Sri Lanka will be frustrated to be denied a chance to claim a first victory of the tournament, the result leaves New Zealand facing a real battle to reach the semi-finals.

Sophie Devine’s side are a point off the top four and take on Pakistan on Saturday before tough matches against India and England to finish the group stage.

SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt — President Trump arrived in Egypt on Monday for a global summit on Gaza’s future as he tries to advance peace in the Middle East after visiting Israel to celebrate a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Hamas.

The whirlwind trip, which included a speech at the Knesset in Jerusalem earlier in the day, comes at a fragile moment of hope for ending two years of war between Israel and Hamas.

“Everybody said it’s not possible to do. And it’s going to happen. And it is happening before your very eyes,” Trump said alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

More than two dozen countries are expected to be represented at the summit. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited but declined, with his office saying it was too close to a Jewish holiday.

Despite unanswered questions about next steps in Gaza, which has been devastated during the conflict, Trump is determined to seize an opportunity to chase an elusive regional harmony.

“You’ve won,” he told Israeli lawmakers at the Knesset, which welcomed him as a hero. “Now it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”

Trump promised to help rebuild Gaza, and he urged Palestinians to “turn forever from the path of terror and violence.”

“After tremendous pain and death and hardship,” he said, “now is the time to concentrate on building their people up instead of trying to tear Israel down.”

Trump even made a gesture to Iran, where he bombed three nuclear sites during the country’s brief war with Israel earlier this year, by saying “the hand of friendship and cooperation is always open.”

Trump is on a whirlwind trip to Middle East

Trump arrived in Egypt hours late because speeches at the Knesset continued longer than expected.

“They might not be there by the time I get there, but we’ll give it a shot,” Trump joked after needling Israeli leaders for talking so much.

Twenty hostages were released Monday as part of an agreement intended to end the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, with an attack by Hamas-led militants. Trump talked with some of their families at the Knesset.

“Your name will be remembered to generations,” a woman told him.

Israeli lawmakers chanted Trump’s name and gave him standing ovation after standing ovation. Some people in the audience wore red hats that resembled his “Make America Great Again” caps, although these versions said “Trump, The Peace President.”

Netanyahu hailed Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,” and he promised to work with him going forward.

“Mr. President, you are committed to this peace. I am committed to this peace,” he said. “And together, Mr. President, we will achieve this peace.”

Trump, in an unexpected detour during his speech, called on the Israeli president to pardon Netanyahu, whom he described as “one of the greatest” wartime leaders. Netanyahu faces corruption charges, although several hearings have been postponed during the conflict with Hamas.

The Republican president also used the opportunity to settle political scores and thank his supporters, criticizing Democratic predecessors and praising a top donor, Miriam Adelson, in the audience.

Trump pushes to reshape the region

The moment remains fragile, with Israel and Hamas still in the early stages of implementing the first phase of Trump’s plan.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for the release of the final hostages held by Hamas; the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel; a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza; and a partial pullback by Israeli forces from Gaza’s main cities.

Trump has said there’s a window to reshape the region and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

“The war is over, OK?” Trump told reporters traveling with him aboard Air Force One.

“I think people are tired of it,” he said, emphasizing that he believed the ceasefire would hold because of that.

He said the chance of peace was enabled by his Republican administration’s support of Israel’s decimation of Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The White House said momentum is also building because Arab and Muslim states are demonstrating a renewed focus on resolving the broader, decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in some cases, deepening relations with the United States.

In February, Trump had predicted that Gaza could be redeveloped into what he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.” But on Sunday aboard Air Force One, he was more circumspect.

“I don’t know about the Riviera for a while,” Trump said. “It’s blasted. This is like a demolition site.” But he said he hoped to one day visit the territory. “I’d like to put my feet on it, at least,” he said.

The sides have not agreed on Gaza’s postwar governance, the territory’s reconstruction and Israel’s demand that Hamas disarm. Negotiations over those issues could break down, and Israel has hinted it may resume military operations if its demands are not met.

Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble, and the territory’s roughly 2 million residents continue to struggle in desperate conditions. Under the deal, Israel agreed to reopen five border crossings, which will help ease the flow of food and other supplies into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.

Roughly 200 U.S. troops will help support and monitor the ceasefire deal as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations and private-sector players.

Superville and Megerian write for the Associated Press. Megerian reported from Washington. AP writers Will Weissert and Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.

The surviving members of progressive rock titans Rush will reunite for a 50th anniversary tour in 2026.

Rush co-founders Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson will play 12 dates in honor of the band’s late drummer Neil Peart, whose monumental percussion talents made Rush a defining act in prog rock. The tour will begin June 7 at the Kia Forum — the site of the band’s last show with Peart in 2015.

“After all that has gone down since that last show, Alex and I have done some serious soul searching and come to the decision that we f— miss it,” Lee said in a statement announcing the tour. “And that it’s time for a celebration of 50-something years of Rush music.”

The question of a Rush reunion without Peart, who died of brain cancer in 2020, was a fraught one. Even up to last year, Lifeson had told Rolling Stone that “there’s no chance that we’re going to get a drummer and go back on the road as the rebirth of Rush or something like that.”

For this tour, the band will be joined by Anika Nilles, a German drummer acclaimed for her work with Jeff Beck.

“As we all know, Neil was irreplaceable,” Lee said in the band’s statement. “Yet life is full of surprises, and we’ve been introduced to another remarkable person; an incredible drummer and musician who is adding another chapter to our story while continuing her own fascinating musical journey. Her name is Anika Nilles, and we could not be more excited to introduce her to our loyal and dedicated Rush fan base, whom, we know, will give her every chance to live up to that near-impossible role.”

In their own statement, Peart’s wife Carrie Nuttall-Peart and daughter Olivia gave their blessing for the tour: “We are thrilled to support the Fifty Something Tour, celebrating a band whose music has resonated and inspired fans for generations, and to honor Neil’s extraordinary legacy as both a drummer and lyricist.”

Deandre Ayton spent the last two years fading away from the national spotlight on a team that was closer to getting the first overall pick than getting to the first round of the playoffs. On Monday, the 7-foot center stood in front of flashing lights, answered questions in a packed news conference and glanced up at a shiny line of 17 championship trophies.

Ayton, whose inconsistent career hit a new low in Portland, where he was bought out of his contract and criticized for a poor work ethic, smiled at what he called “the biggest stage.” The former No. 1 overall pick is ready to launch his revenge tour with the Lakers.

“It’s the biggest opportunity, I can say, of my career,” Ayton said Monday at Lakers media day. “Some people say it’s my last leg, some people say it’s my last chance. Well, it’s the opportunity I can say I’m truly not going to take for granted.”

Marcus Smart knows the feeling. The 2022 defensive player of the year is coming off a contract buyout in Washington. After nine years and three all-defensive team honors with the Boston Celtics, Smart has played in just 54 games over two injury-plagued years with Memphis and Washington. The 31-year-old recognizes some may have forgotten the “Celtics’ Marcus Smart” — the player who guarded all five positions, knocked down timely threes and brought contagious, tone-setting toughness.

The Lakers still remember.

“I know what he brings to the game,” LeBron James said. “I know that team is first, second, third, fourth, fifth, when it comes to Marcus Smart.”

Despite his resume and standing in the league, Smart doesn’t expect automatic entry to the Lakers’ starting lineup.

“Whether I start or come off the bench,” Smart said, “my presence will be made.”

Lakers guard Marcus Smart takes part in media day at UCLA Health Training Center on Monday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Smart’s defensive prowess could be a significant boost to a starting group that figures to include James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Rui Hachimura, who started in 57 of his 59 regular-season appearances last season, is in the final year of his contract after averaging 13.1 points and five rebounds per game last season.

Facing the possibility of coming off the bench ahead of a contract year, Hachimura said he would defer to coaches to decide what was best. Coach JJ Redick said the team has seven or eight starting-caliber players, and the starting lineup doesn’t weigh heavily on his mind entering his second season at the helm.

But Ayton’s starting position feels solidified.

The center was the Lakers’ most significant offseason addition after the blockbuster trade that brought Doncic to L.A. also left the team without a starting center. Jaxson Hayes, who was thrust into the starting role out of necessity but fell out of the rotation during the playoffs, will be a valuable one-two punch with Ayton at center, James said. Forward Maxi Kleber, who played only five minutes after joining the team during the midseason trade with Dallas, said he is fully healthy after a lengthy foot injury.

Kleber, 33, knows firsthand the impact Doncic can have on a post player’s career. Kleber has played with Doncic since the Slovenian superstar was drafted in 2018 and marveled at Doncic’s ability to get easy shots for his teammates. Lob chances will start falling from the sky like never before for Ayton.

After practicing together in the offseason, Kleber commended Ayton for getting stronger and adding to his physical presence on the court. Redick has challenged the entire roster to arrive in “championship shape.”

Ayton didn’t need the additional motivation.

“You guys have an Angry Ayton,” the 27-year-old said, “where I’ve been disrespected most of my career and just been doubted. And I’m here where all [that is] behind me and I can add all that fuel into winning and playing alongside Luka.”

Doncic, out for his own redemption after last year’s trade and conversations about his weight and work ethic, was eager to begin his first training camp with the Lakers. Coming off a quarterfinals appearance at EuroBasket with the Slovenian national team, Doncic said he felt stronger and quicker on the court after his offseason physical transformation. One of the league’s pick-and-roll savants, Doncic should help Ayton rediscover the dominance he flashed while helping the Phoenix Suns reach the NBA Finals in 2021 and post a franchise-record 64 wins in 2022.

Finally back in the NBA spotlight with a new team, Ayton relishes the chance to chase more meaningful records.

“You can feel the pressure through the door,” Ayton said. “This team wants to win a championship.”

Of all the reams of words publicly spilled at Lakers media day Monday, only one really mattered.

When LeBron James was wrapping up his interview with the folks at Spectrum Sportsnet, host Chris McGee asked, “By the way, see you at next year’s media day?”

James’ laughing answer set the template for a season.

“Maybe.”

So the Lakers should treat the next eight months emptying their assets and foregoing their future and playing with the desperation of a team trying to earn one last piece of jewelry for arguably the greatest player ever?

Maybe.

So should the fans here and around the league show up in droves and line up around the block for their last live look at a living legend?

Maybe.

Or, if everything goes wrong and things get ugly, should the Lakers and James willingly part ways through a midseason buyout?

Maybe.

No matter what happens, the fact that James didn’t reveal his intentions in his first public appearance since last spring means that this Laker season has the chance to be a murky maybe mess.

Everybody knows where the Lakers stand, as Rob Pelinka said last week. He wants James to finish his career here.

“We would love if LeBron’s story would be he retire a Laker,” Pelinka said. “That would be a positive story.”

But still nobody knows where James stands, and it’s not obvious, because, while he’s 40 and entering his NBA-record 23rd season, he looks young, and acts energetic, and Monday at the Lakers facility he was at his charming best.

“Just excited about the journey and whatever this year has in store for me,” he said.

He’s probably not saying because he truly does not know. Next spring is a lifetime away. He doesn’t know how he’s going to feel. He doesn’t know how his basketball future could look.

But because he’s not saying, this season could seemingly go one of three ways.

It could go the Kershaw Way. James could once again be one of the top players in the league but get worn down by the strain on his body and in the last weeks of the season he could call it quits. The Crypto.com crowd gets a chance to say goodbye and his Lakers teammates can use his retirement as inspiration for a deep postseason run.

Or, it could go the Kobe Way. James could decide in the middle of the season that he’s had enough and embark on a league-wide farewell tour, the sort that once brought the tough Kobe Bryant to tears.

Or, given the organization’s recent sketchy history, it is entirely possible it could go the Typical Lakers Implosion Way.

LeBron James jokes with reporters as he arrives for interviews at Lakers media day on Monday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

James could spend the year making the Lakers dangle on that “maybe,” subtly fighting against the loss of his team leadership to Luka Doncic, passively aggressively chiding Pelinka to improve the roster at the trade deadline, even occasionally threatening to quit on the spot.

Because it’s too tough to trade him and the Lakers don’t want to spend the bucks to buy him out, they spend the rest of the season dodging his barbs, then, simply let James’ contract expire and watch him flee to home Cleveland for his swan song.

Three scenarios, but only two happy endings, and to make matters even more complicated, much depends not on James, but on the roster around him.

Are the Lakers going to be any good? Are you ready for it?

Maybe.

The Lakers only played 23 games with both James and the recently acquired Doncic last season, and they were 15-8 and grabbed a third seed and were acting like the best team in the NBA at one point before they disintegrated against Minnesota in the playoffs.

They added Deandre Ayton for length, Jake LaRavia for defense, Marcus Smart for toughness, and a new body for Doncic, a formerly pudgy and breathless kid who has acknowledged his very adult transformation.

“I’m in a better place for sure,” he said Monday.

Is that good enough to lead a team to a better place in the competitive West? Who knows?

Will it be good enough to convince James to ask for a new contract and stick around for yet another year? That doesn’t seem likely but then again, The Oldest Living Baller currently exists in the unlikely.

The only certainty is that James is going to make this decision on his own time, in his own voice, through his own podcast or social media or heck, maybe another 30-minute TV special called, “The Last Decision?”

How ever this plays out, he’s not saying anything now, which was obvious when he answered the first question at his media day news conference with dodgy utterances.

“I mean, I don’t know,” he said. “I mean, I’m excited about today, I’m excited about an opportunity to be able to play a game that I love for another season. And whatever the journey, however the journey lays out this year, I’m just super invested, because … I don’t know when the end is, but I know it’s a lot sooner than later.”

He provided his most telling hint that he’s leaning into retirement when he talked about appreciating his final tours around the league.

“Knowing that the end is soon, not taking for granted, you know, a Tuesday night in a city that maybe I don’t want to be in that night … let’s lock in because you don’t know how many times you get the opportunity to play the game or to be able to compete,” he said. “So there’s times where you wake up and you just feel like you just don’t have it. So those will be the days where I know I can lock back in real fast, like, OK, well, you won’t have many days like this, so let’s lock in and enjoy the moment, enjoy the rest of the ride.”

Bronny and LeBron James pose for photos at Lakers media day as Rui Hachimura takes a selfie in front of them.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

He was asked if, now that he’s played with son Bronny, would he stick around to play with his Arizona-freshman son Bryce? His answer was LeBron at his fatherly best.

“No, I’m not waiting on Bryce,’ he said. “No. I don’t know what his timeline is. He’s his own young man now, like he’s down in Tucson. We’ll see what happens this year, next year, you know, but he has his own timeline. I got my timeline, and I don’t know if they quite match up.”

He was asked if his decision would be influenced by a chance to play with Doncic. His answer was LeBron at his jabbing best.

“Ah, nah. As far as how long I go in my career? Nah. Zero,” he said. “The motivation to be able to play alongside him every night, that’s super motivating. That’s what I’m going to train my body for. Every night I go out there and try to be the best player I can for him, and we’re going to bounce that off one another. But as far as me weighing in on him and some other teammates of how far I go in my career, nah.”

It may be Luka Doncic’s team, but it’s still LeBron James’ world, and he’s going to control his narrative down to the last syllables of the last sentences of his final goodbye.

And that don’t mean maybe.

Virgin has announced a six-month contract for a ‘Head of Yes’ to try out some of the company’s best luxury travel and experiences

You could earn £50,000 to travel first class, rest your head in boutique hotels or cruise the seas aboard a luxury liner.

Virgin has launched a six-month contract for a ‘Head of Yes’ to test some of the company’s finest luxury travel and experiences available.

The role offers £50,000 and all the successful candidate will need to do is document their journeys on social media. It follows research of 2,000 adults which discovered that attending live music events, enjoying spa days and booking last-minute getaways are amongst the experiences Brits wish to embrace more often this year, by saying yes.

The survey showed nine per cent are hesitant to say yes to various activities blaming anxiety about change, a fear of the unknown or financial concerns as main reasons not to.

One in five also say no to opportunities due to being trapped in routine – with millennials being the worst offenders. Nevertheless, eight in ten are planning to make a conscious effort to become more daring and venture beyond their comfort zones next year.

They’re hoping to attempt activities such as skydiving, riding roller coasters, or sampling different cuisines.

Andrea Burchett, chief loyalty officer at Virgin, which commissioned the survey, said: “It’s positive to see people wanting to say ‘yes’ more – now they just need to do it.

“Actions speak louder than words, so if you’re thinking about doing something that might jolt you out of a comfort zone, there’s no better time for it.”

Brits reckon that by embracing more opportunities – whether that’s weekend getaways or simply accepting help from others – will bring them greater happiness and boost their mental and emotional wellbeing.

Meanwhile, others anticipate it would leave them feeling more satisfied with their lives, with seven in ten adding that some of their finest memories came from embracing new experiences.

Andrea added: “The Head of Yes role exists to remind the world what happens when you stop overthinking and start living.”

“Life doesn’t get bigger by playing it safe,” Andrea adds. “This [job] is for the person who says yes to karaoke, to skydives, to showing up even when it’s easier not to.

“Saying yes is the fastest route out of routine. If your idea of a good day is saying yes to something that makes your friends text, ‘Wait, what?!’, then you’re exactly the kind of mischief we want to fund.”

Applications to become the ‘Head of Yes’ are open from 29 September until 10 November.

Hopefuls simply need to share a TikTok video detailing a moment when they embraced an unforgettable adventure, using the hashtag #headofyes to enter.

RICHARD BRANSON’S TOP TIPS FOR SAYING YES

Say yes first

Work out the details later. Most of life’s great adventures start with a leap into the unknown. Don’t overthink it – opportunities rarely come fully formed.

Turn fear into fuel

The things that scare you often turn out to be the most rewarding. If it makes your stomach flip, it’s probably worth doing.

Embrace spontaneity

Some of my best experiences came from last-minute decisions. Say yes to that trip, concert or crazy idea. You’ll rarely regret it.

Make “why not?” your default

Instead of talking yourself out of things, ask yourself why not. More often than not, the reasons not to do something are smaller than you think.

Seek out adventure in the everyday

Saying yes doesn’t always mean skydiving. It can mean trying a new food, taking a different route or speaking to someone new.

Surround yourself with “yes” people

Spend time with people who lift you up and encourage you to try new things – you’ll find yourself saying yes more naturally.

Value experiences over perfection

Don’t wait for the “perfect time.” If you’re always waiting, you’ll miss the moment. Jump in and learn along the way.

Challenge routine

If you’re stuck doing the same things day in, day out, deliberately say yes to something that disrupts your usual pattern. That’s where growth happens.

Let curiosity lead you

Curiosity is the best compass. If something excites you or sparks a question, say yes to exploring it further.

Remember – life is short

No one looks back wishing they’d said no more often. Say yes, collect memories and live boldly

ISAAC HAYDEN feels sympathy for Chelsea ‘bomb squad’ members Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi.

The ex-Newcastle midfielder, now at QPR, spent the first five months of last season in limbo after failing to secure a summer move.

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Sterling shared a photo of himself training alone late in the evening, while boss Enzo Maresca admitted he has not even spoken to the winger this season.

Hayden, 30, was not in Eddie Howe’s plans but his circumstances were slightly different.

He told SunSport: “I have sympathy because footballers want to play — but everyone’s got different reasons as to why they find themselves in a so-called ‘bomb squad’.

“It happened to me because I couldn’t find a solution during that summer window which fitted in with what Newcastle also wanted.

“But I had constant contact with Eddie and was given nothing but support.”

Hayden made 187 appearances for Newcastle, won the Championship title in 2017 and had five seasons playing in the Premier League. 

But a knee injury in December 2021 sidelined him for 5½ months and Howe later told him he was surplus to requirements.

Hayden said: “By the time I’d come back, they had signed Bruno Guimaraes, and Joelinton was playing as a No 8 — so there was no space.

RYDER CUP 2025 BETTING TIPS, FREE BETS AND LATEST ODDS

“And the team had been transformed from one fighting relegation to having top-six form.

“Eddie was honest and said he had five players in front of me. You think to yourself, ‘I know where I stand’. I’d rather  that than the manager not talking to me.

“You hear people talk about bomb squads where they isolate you, and that’s horrible — but Eddie and Newcastle didn’t do that.

“We had the conversation as to why he couldn’t name me in the 25-man squad.

“And it’s not as simple as, ‘Why not let him train with the first team?’. If you’re doing an 11 v 11 game and everyone’s fit, you’re not going to be able to train with the group because there are too many players.

So Eddie’s solution for me to train with the Under-23s was better. It meant I could train normally every day — and not by myself.”

Hayden actually embraced that period and even did some coaching.

He said: “The bottom line is you’re getting paid good money by the club as a professional footballer. So you give 100 per cent to them in whatever role you’re in.”

After spending the second half of last season on loan with Portsmouth, Hayden joined QPR permanently in the summer.

And now he is hoping to play for Jamaica at next summer’s World Cup.

He said: “One of the huge blessings to come out of that period was I was able to go to Jamaica for a few days to sort my  passport out so I could play for them.

“Had I been playing first-team football every week I’d have not been able to.

“Now I have a chance of making the World Cup. It goes to show you can make everything work out in the end.”

 CopyBet is the official front-of-shirt partner of Queens Park Rangers FC. Visit CopyBet.com

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How did we land in this powder-blue paradise?

There’s no guarantee the Chargers will pass through the gate of golden opportunity, but this 2-0 team has sawed the lock off the latch.

With Sunday’s home opener against Denver, the Chargers have the chance to go 3-0 in the AFC West with a week to go in September. That’s unheard of. The last time this franchise opened the season with three consecutive division games was 1988, and those Chargers stumbled to a 1-2 start.

These Chargers could be 3-0 for the first time since 2002 and are heading into a softer part of their schedule.

But how did it happen? Why did the NFL set up the Chargers schedule to go Chiefs, Raiders, Broncos when that kind of rollout is so rare?

Let’s rewind the tape.

Why did the Kansas City game wind up in Brazil?

The league had the Chargers hosting a game in São Paulo, and because of the distance, it only made sense to make it an opener. (Just as the Rams will open next season in Australia.) The team can “protect” two home games and the league won’t touch those, so the Chargers chose Washington and Minnesota. Pittsburgh couldn’t go to Brazil, because the Steelers already have an international game in Dublin, and it couldn’t be Philadelphia, either, because the Eagles opened in Brazil last season.

The NFL wanted to follow up that Packers-Eagles matchup with something similarly spectacular, so they needed the biggest opponent to pair with the Chargers, especially with this being the first YouTube game. No one has more sizzle these days than Kansas City.

From the Chargers standpoint, they got the Chiefs on a neutral field — SoFi Stadium is pretty much a neutral field anyway — and they were making their biggest division rival fly 12-plus hours to and from. Not an ideal way for anyone to start the season.

Jim Harbaugh’s team played a tremendous game, beating the Chiefs for the first time since 2021 and putting a spotlight on quarterback Justin Herbert, who was phenomenal. Not only that, but they handed Kansas City an unimaginably long flight home to prepare for a Super Bowl rematch with Philadelphia, which they lost.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert fist bumps coach Jim Harbaugh before a win over the Raiders on Sept. 15.

(Ian Maule / Getty Images)

Objective 1: Check.

The NFL would rather not have a team make a long flight back from an international game only the hit the road again the following week, but that’s what the Chargers had to do. There was a Chris Brown concert at SoFi Stadium on the Sunday of Week 2, so it worked out better to have the Chargers back on the road.

The fairest solution was to give the Chargers their shortest road trip, to Las Vegas, plus give them an extra day to prepare by making it the second half of a Monday night doubleheader. Allegiant Stadium, home of the Raiders, was in use that weekend for the Terence Crawford-Canelo Álvarez fight.

Again, Harbaugh had his team prepared and the Chargers assembled a defensive masterpiece against the Raiders, breaking up 15 passes and putting Geno Smith under near-constant pressure.

Objective 2: Check.

Now comes Denver, a club a lot of people see as one of the league’s surprise teams. There’s an interesting connection between Harbaugh and Broncos coach Sean Payton, and not just that they were born six days apart. Harbaugh, a star quarterback at Michigan, was a first-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 1987, a year when NFL players went on strike. Chicago’s replacement team was nicknamed the “Spare Bears” and Payton was the quarterback of that fill-in squad.

It was more random that the Broncos wound up being the opponent in Week 3, except that the league wanted to put the Chargers’ games against Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in prime time. So that limited the choices.

Nobody at The Bolt is complaining now. What looked to be a treacherous start could be a turbo boost for a franchise heading into a stretch that includes the New York Giants, Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans, who are combined 0-6. Anything can happen and fortunes of franchises can flip in an instant — oft-struggling Indianapolis is 2-0, for instance, and has yet to punt once — so looking too far in the future is foolish. But that’s what networks have to do, and there’s a lot of buzz right now that the Chargers are going to be a team to watch as we get deeper into the season.

That fits Harbaugh’s profile, too, because his teams have a history of improving in his second season.

With the new Nielsen methodology, which takes a far more comprehensive sampling of what Americans are watching, it’s increasingly important for the NFL to do well in big markets. The league has to be delighted, then, that both the Chargers and 2-0 Rams are playing so well. The only other season when both franchises were 2-0 at the same time was 2001, when the St. Louis Rams made it to the Super Bowl before losing to a young quarterback named Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Both the Rams and Chargers have outstanding quarterbacks, and interestingly, Matthew Stafford went 12 seasons in Detroit before finally winning a playoff game, in his first season with the Rams. Herbert, in his sixth season, has yet to win a playoff game.

Both teams have top-notch defenses.

It’s absurdly early to make end-of-season predictions but this much is set: SoFi Stadium will play host to its second Super Bowl next season.

Is a colossal turf war in the cards?

With that in mind, maybe the Chargers and Rams are peaking too early. They certainly hope so.

The outdoor experts at Go Outdoors analysed TripAdvisor reviews and average rainfall to reveal the best places for an autumn walk, with the Forest of Dean coming out on top

A pretty forest with little rainfall is the best spot in the country for an autumn walk, according to Go Outdoors.

The outdoor experts analysed TripAdvisor reviews and average rainfall to reveal the best places for an autumn walk.

Taking the top spot as the best place for an autumn walk is the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, with a score of 9.3 out of 10. The forest boasts a TripAdvisor rating of 4.8 out of 5, and it’s clear that visitors are drawn to it during the autumn, with 84 reviews mentioning the word ‘autumn’.

This ancient forest has changed many times over the centuries. In medieval times, it was a royal hunting forest, before becoming a source of timber for the navy’s Tudor warships. By the Victorian era it was a major site of industry, with coal mining and tramways punctuating the landscape.

In 1938 the forest made history when it was designated the first National Forest Park. While it is primarily a tourist spot today, it remains a working forest, producing sustainable timber for the UK market.

The Forest of Dean is also a stronghold for nature, harbouring large areas of woodland and open spaces which provide a mosaic of habitats for a wide variety of wildlife.

Following in second place is Winkworth Arboretum, with a score of 8.51 out of 10. With over three quarters (78.2%) of reviews mentioning ‘autumn’, it is clear that the Surrey-based arboretum comes to life during this season.

Managed by the National Trust, it is home to over 1,000 tree species, with many changing colour in the autumn months. With relatively low rainfall, averaging just 62mm from September to November, visitors can generally expect drier conditions for their autumn strolls.

Rounding out the top three is Derbyshire’s Padley Gorge, with a score of 8.35 out of 10. Home to beautiful wooded landscapes, this gorge thrives in autumn, with nearly one in four (23.9%) reviews mentioning ‘autumn’.

The gorge also has various easy-to-moderate trails, including the Padley Gorge and Burbage Brook walk, making it an accessible destination for walkers of all levels to explore in this season.

Natalie Wolfenden, author and hiking enthusiast at Go Outdoors, said: “There is still so much to explore when summer comes to an end. The UK’s natural beauty comes to life in the autumn months, with the leaves shifting colour and the changing wildlife, I simply love it!

“To fully enjoy your autumn stroll, preparation is key. Layers are essential in the autumn months as they can be added or removed depending on the weather conditions on the day. What’s more, rain can come when least expected, so be sure to wear a good pair of walking shoes as well as packing a waterproof jacket and trousers. This will help you make the most of your walk, no matter what the weather throws at you.”

PITTSBURGH — Over three nights in Pittsburgh this week, the Dodgers didn’t win a game, despite playing a last-place Pirates club.

They didn’t grow their division lead, despite the second-place San Diego Padres suffering their own three-game sweep.

And, as veteran infielder Miguel Rojas stressed Thursday night, they simply didn’t look like a team capable of sharing in any joy, despite their constant insistence that better play will materialize.

“I feel like ever since we started playing poorly a couple months ago, the pressure and frustration has been building up on the team,” Rojas said.

“We know what we’re capable of. We’re playing under the threshold, the goal that we have. But at the end of the day, we gotta put all that aside … and we have to find some joy and some motivation to come to the ballpark. Not just, ‘I gotta do my job.’ We have to come here and enjoy ourselves around the clubhouse, regardless of the situation.”

The situation, of course, looks bleak, with Thursday’s 5-3 loss to the Pirates sealing a confounding three-game sweep.

“It’s frustrating. It’s embarrassing,” Rojas said. “But we have to be able to turn the page and come tomorrow with a better attitude. … We have to find a way to enjoy the game a little bit more.”

This loss, granted, was the easiest to explain.

In six scoreless innings, Cy Young frontrunner Paul Skenes was his typically dominant self. Already the major-league ERA leader, the second-year right-hander stuck out eight batters, gave up just two hits, escaped his only real threat by stranding a pair of two-out baserunners in the third inning, and otherwise overpowered the Dodgers with a seven-pitch repertoire headlined by his upper-90s mph sidearm fastball.

His counterpart, two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, was nowhere near top form, giving up five runs in five innings despite largely limiting much hard contact.

The Dodgers (78-62) did finally show some life offensively in the top of the ninth, scoring three times (their first runs since the eighth inning of Tuesday’s game) and putting the tying run on base. But by then, it was too little, too late — with the game ending on a three-pitch strikeout by newly called-up catcher Ben Rortvedt, the latest hair-pulling moment in a season of deflation.

“We’re just not playing good baseball, that’s really it,” Snell said. “We’ve got to figure that out. That’s on us to do that. We’ve got to get it going. It’s crunch time right now. Can’t really have excuses.”

Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes delivers against the Dodgers on Thursday.

(Justin Berl / Getty Images)

Indeed, the Dodgers lead the NL West by only two games — having missed a chance to create distance in the standings after the Padres unexpectedly dropped three straight against the Baltimore Orioles earlier in the week.

They also trail the Philadelphia Phillies by three games for a top-two seed in the NL playoff picture, placing themselves in danger of facing a three-game wild-card series rather than a first-round bye.

With 22 games remaining, the Dodgers would have to be perfect the rest of the way to reach the 100-win mark. At this point, even 90 victories feels far from a certainty, given the team’s 4-12 record in their last 16 against teams with losing records.

“I want to say it’s uncharacteristic, but I think we’ve done that a lot,” manager Dave Roberts acknowledged afterward.

And when facing the current best pitcher in the sport, they certainly never seemed poised to change that trend.

Skenes set the tone immediately on what had been a rainy evening in Pittsburgh. Shohei Ohtani struck out on a 99-mph heater in the game’s first at-bat. The next seven Dodgers who came to the plate all recorded outs, flailing at Skenes’ mix of four-seamers, sweepers, curveballs and changeups to allow him to quickly find a comfortable rhythm.

It wasn’t until Dalton Rushing — who started in place of an injured Will Smith, as the team’s starting catcher awaited results on a CT scan for a bruised hand he suffered the night before — hit a third-inning fastball high off the center-field wall for a double that gave the Dodgers their first baserunner. But, after an Ohtani walk, Mookie Betts grounded out to retire that threat.

From there, the only other damage Skenes allowed was a fifth-inning single from Rojas. And though the Dodgers’ ability to at least foul off two-strike pitches — they fought off 15 in all — at least got him out of the game after six innings, it was already too late to mount a comeback.

That’s because, unlike the Dodgers, the last-place Pirates (64-77) actually managed to build rallies against another of the game’s other top pitchers.

Snell’s outing was a grind from the start, with Rushing misfiring to first base for an error in the first inning and Betts reacting slowly to a ground ball at shortstop to extend the second.

Snell worked around those jams. In the third, however, he followed a leadoff single by Bryan Reynolds with a pair of wild pitches that got by Rushing. With Reynolds suddenly on third, and the Dodgers’ infield forced to play in, Tommy Pham slapped a single through the dirt for the night’s opening run.

Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell delivers in the second inning Thursday against the Pirates.

(Justin Berl / Getty Images)

Two innings later, the Pirates broke it open.

In the fifth, Snell gave up three consecutive singles that doubled Pittsburgh’s lead. Then, after an intentional one-out walk to Andrew McCutchen, Nick Yorke went after a first-pitch curveball for a two-run double down the line. McCutchen later scored from third on a grounder.

“It just seemed like today there was some seeing-eye single, balls finding the outfield grass,” Roberts said. “I thought he was good, not great. But again, a little bit unlucky. When you’re facing Paul Skenes, you just can’t afford to give up runs.”

If all that wasn’t enough, the game ended with another regrettable sequence in the ninth. Betts broke up the shutout with a leadoff home run. Singles from Teoscar Hernández, Michael Conforto, Andy Pages and Rojas brought around two more runs with the Dodgers down to their last out.

Then, however, Rortvedt came up as their ill-fated final hope.

A career minor-leaguer whom the Dodgers acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline, then called up Thursday after Smith took a foul ball off his hand the night before, Rortvedt struck out after having replaced Rushing an inning earlier.

As Roberts explained postgame, he was trying to get Rushing (a rookie who has been a backup this season, but will likely start the next three games as Smith recovers from his bruised hand) off his feet. Given the way the game had gone, he wasn’t expecting Rushing’s spot in the order (which was due up eighth in the ninth inning) to come back up again.

“Obviously, in a separate world, I would’ve loved to have had Dalton up there,” Roberts said. “But when you have three hits through eight [innings] and you’re down 5-0, just kind of trying to figure out how to preserve him for the next few days, too.”

So it goes for the Dodgers right now. Their inconsistent lineup continues to scuffle. Their supposed strength of a rotation hasn’t been able to dominate. And, with their record an incomprehensible 22-30 since July 4, there remains no end in sight to their second-half slide — nor visible signs of anything other than frustration.

“I feel like, as an offense, we’re putting a little bit too much pressure on ourselves, because we feel the necessity of winning. And we’re really forgetting about the most important part, which is playing for each other and having some joy when we play this game,” Rojas said.

“We all know, when you’re losing baseball games it’s not that fun. But I feel like we have to find a way to put everything in perspective. We’re still in first place. We’re still two games ahead of the Padres. We should be able to have some fun while we’re playing the game, and kind of relax a little bit more. Because I think when this team is together like that, we’re really hard to beat.”

It’s been said many times before.

In Los Angeles, for many people, the neighborhood park is their frontyard and backyard.

It’s where tables are staked out early and birthdays are celebrated.

It’s where kids learn how to swim and all ages play soccer, baseball and basketball.

It’s where neighbors gather to beat the heat, hike, catch a concert, slow down, escape the madness.

But as I said in my last column, L.A.’s roughly 500 parks and 100 rec centers, occupying 16,000 acres, are generally in bad shape and not easily accessible to many residents. In fact, in the latest annual ranking by the Trust for Public Land, they fell to 90th out of the 100 largest recreation and parks systems in the nation on the basis of access, acreage, amenities, investment and equity.

That’s shameful and inexcusable, especially for a city prepping to host World Cup soccer championships and the Olympics. But in every corner of Los Angeles, residents now have a chance to weigh in on what they like or don’t like about parks, what went wrong and what to do about it.

A months-long study, commissioned by the city and compiled by landscape design company OLIN with input from multiple urban planners, community groups and thousands of residents, was posted online Tuesday, explaining the long history of decline and laying out strategies for turning things around.

Residents have 45 days to weigh in online or at community meetings (details below). The final report will be delivered to the recreation and parks board of commissioners and then, in a perfect world, someone at City Hall will lead the way and restore pride in an essential but neglected community asset.

Among the key findings of the nearly 500-page needs-assessment study:

Fewer than half of survey respondents said there are enough parks and rec centers within walking distance of their homes.

Fewer than 40% said parks are in either excellent or good condition.

L.A. invests less per capita in parks ($92 annually) than many other large cities, including Chicago ($182), Dallas ($232), Washington, D.C. ($407) and San Francisco ($583).

The department’s maintenance and operations budget has been stagnant for years and its staff has been shrinking, with more trouble on the horizon as temporary funding sources dry up in the next few years.

Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents would support a bond, tax or levy for additional funding.

“I think it validated what we already knew,” Department of Recreation and Parks general manager Jimmy Kim said of the needs assessment study, adding that it provided a framework for making smarter use of existing resources while going after new sources of revenue. “My message to Los Angeles [is] please participate in this process.”

Kim told me last week that the current workforce is half what it once was, and basic park maintenance is like a “game of whack-a-mole.” The department’s budget has grown in the last 15 years, but lagged way behind growth of the citywide budget. In that time, it’s been hit by inflation, the citywide budget deficit and the rising cost of maintaining aging facilities (the deferred maintenance tab is greater than $2 billion).

The department is also hamstrung by a Charter-mandated, per-capita funding formula that hasn’t been tweaked since the 1930s. And because it’s a proprietary department, meaning that it raises some money through programs and concessions, it’s required to pay its own utility bills and reimburse the city for employee benefits, two expenses that swallow 40% of its budget.

“For the last century,” said Jessica Henson, of OLIN, “the same percentage of the city budget has been allocated to parks, but they’re doing a lot more today, and are on the front lines of so many critical public services like COVID response and fire response. They’re doing more with less over the last 15 years.”

In my last column, I laid out one of the easiest and quickest ways to add more park space — unlock the gates of L.A. Unified schoolyards. Ten have been opened so far, and a new agreement between the city and school district paves the way for more, although two major obstacles are funding and the need to replace blacktop with greenery.

To calculate how to make better use of existing resources, the study used an approach developed in part by UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. The PerSquareMile tool broke the city into tiny grids and identified two dozen park sites where improved facilities could impact the largest number of people, and three dozen sites where conversion of schools and other public spaces into parks would serve hundreds of thousands of people.

“It’s the greatest good for the greatest number of people in the most efficient way,” said Jon Christensen, of the UCLA institute.

But transforming the system will take more than that, said Guillermo Rodriguez, a member of the study’s steering committee and California state director of the Trust for Public Land, the nonprofit that ranked L.A. near the bottom of the 100 largest park systems.

“Cities have made investments across the board, and L.A. is lagging,” Rodriguez said.

The study cited several revenue-generating options, including a charter amendment to increase the percentage of funding that goes to parks, expanded nonprofit partnerships, extending Proposition K, the 1996 park improvement measure that is about to expire, and putting a new fundraising initiative on the ballot in the fall of 2026.

“In every administration since [Mayor] Tom Bradley, the park system was taken for granted,” Rodriguez said. “There’s no more tape, no more paint, no more magic tricks that they can use to fix the parks. It really requires leadership and a significant investment, and I think Angelenos are ready to step up.”

That leadership is going to have to come from Mayor Karen Bass and each member of the City Council. So if you’d like to get their attention, two public meetings are coming up:

Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bellevue Recreation Center in Silver Lake, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Westwood Recreation Center.

For a schedule of future virtual meetings, and to read an online copy of the needs assessment study, go to needs.parks.lacity.gov.

[email protected]

MANCHESTER UNITED’s only ‘big chance’ of their 1-1 draw with Fulham came from a very unlikely source.

Bruno Fernandes’ first-half missed penalty came back to haunt the Red Devils.

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Rodrigo Muniz’s own goal from a Leny Yoro header gave the visitors a lead in the second period.

But the lead was short-lived as Emile Smith Rowe sneaked in front of Luke Shaw to poke home a near post cross less than 15 minutes later.

It was an uninspiring performance for Ruben Amorim‘s men, who struggled to fashion chances against the Cottagers’ defence.

This struggle is best illustrated by the unlikely figure who created the side’s only ‘big chance’ of the game.

Goalkeeper Altay Bayindir was the only player to create such a chance, through his repeated use of long balls into the opponents’ half.

That chance came when a long ball from the Turk fell at Matheus Cunha’s feet, but Bernd Leno pulled off a smart save to tip the ball around the post with the Brazilian through on goal.

Fans of the club and neutrals alike were quick to comment on the bizarre statistic.

One X user derided the club, commenting: “When your GK is the playmaker, just know it’s peak banter era.”

Another user piled into the fray on social media, saying: “After spending over 200m on attackers they still need a goalie to create a chance.”

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

Bayindir came into the squad following Andre Onana‘s injury issues, with the Cameroonian being left out of the squad for their season opener against Arsenal last weekend.

Bayindir’s howler in that game, which handed Arsenal the deciding goal, was not enough to dislodge the Turk from his place in the starting line-up.

Onana took up a place on the bench, but the uninspiring form of both keepers has prompted the club to look at other options in net.

They are reportedly nearing a deal to bring Belgian stopper Senne Lammens to the club to challenge the existing duo, pushing third-choice veteran Tom Heaton even further down the pecking order.

If you browse through social media, it’s easy to find commentary about canceling the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

There are Angelenos who lack confidence in the city and county’s ability to roll out the red carpet due to perceived failures during the Palisades and Altadena fires.

Others believe construction will lead to the displacement of the homeless or that the Games won’t make money.

One syndicated columnist pleaded with L.A. not to work with “a lawless U.S. regime,” while sportswriter and author Jeff Pearlman wondered if Latin American athletes would feel safe in the U.S. due to the Trump administration’s current deportations.

There are pushes from some, but how possible is it that the Games will be canceled?

My colleague Thuc Nhi Nugyen wrote about that issue and dispelled the notion any cancellation was likely.

Let’s dive into her work.

Why is backing out difficult? We’re three years away

Host cities and host country national organizing committees (in this country, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee) sign a host city contract (HCC) after the International Olympic Committee officially awards the Games.

The contract for the 2028 Games, signed by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti and then-City Council President Herb Wesson in September 2017, includes procedures for termination from the IOC’s perspective but doesn’t leave the same option for the host city or the national organizing committee.

“While one cannot foreclose all potential theories, it is hard to imagine a scenario where Los Angeles could terminate the HCC without facing substantial legal issues,” Nathan O’Malley, an international arbitration lawyer and a partner at Musick, Peeler & Garrett, wrote in an email. “Especially if the reason for ending the contract was a political disagreement between the federal, state and local branches of government.”

When even COVID-19 didn’t stop the Games

After an initial one-year delay of the Tokyo Games, medical professionals pleaded to cancel amid rising COVID-19 cases.

Public sentiment soured drastically, with protests in the streets. A March 2021 poll by Asahi Shimbun, one of the most prominent newspapers in Japan, found 83% of voters believed that the Olympics set to take place that summer should be postponed or canceled.

But, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said, only “the IOC has the authority to decide.”

Breaching the contract could have put Tokyo in danger of being sued by the IOC for $4-5 billion, economist Andrew Zimbalist told Yahoo Sports in 2021. The Nomura Research Institute estimated the total cost of cancellation to be 1.8 trillion yen — about $12.3 billion.

What influence will President Trump have?

LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman has emphasized that he has assurances from the federal government that the United States will be open, despite recent travel bans and tighter scrutiny of international travelers arriving in the U.S.

Trump’s June proclamation includes exemptions for athletes, team personnel or immediate relatives entering the country for the FIFA World Cup, the Olympics or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State.

But in the two months since the ban, visas have been denied for athletes, including the Cuban women’s volleyball team traveling for a tournament in Puerto Rico, a baseball team from Venezuela that qualified to play in the Senior Baseball World Series and Senegal’s women’s basketball team preparing for a training camp.

One final outlook

If any city should be ready to host the biggest Olympics in history, it should be L.A. Not only because of the existing venues, but because of the unprecedented 11-year planning time after the IOC awarded the Games in 2017.

Now with less than three years remaining, relocating to a city that would likely have to build new venues would be unrealistic for the IOC.

“For Los Angeles, a city whose identity is partly predicated on staging the Olympics twice, and now having a third time,” said Mark Dyreson, a sports historian at Penn State University, “I think it would be really, really difficult for L.A. to give up the Olympics.”

For more, check out the full story.

The week’s biggest stories

High-profile murders and deaths

Health issues and heat

Trump and his impact on California politics

Los Angeles-area fires

More big stories

This week’s must-reads

More great reads

For your weekend

(Illustrations by Lindsey Made This; photograph by Jamie-Lee B.)

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How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected]. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.

Aug. 23 (UPI) — Potential security guarantees could end the three-year war between Ukraine and Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday.

Security measures after the war are in the works and will be ready soon after negotiating them with Ukraine’s U.S. and European partners, Zelensky said in a social media post.

“There is now a real chance to end this war, and Ukraine is ready for constructive steps that can bring true peace close,” Zelensky said on X.

“Russia is showing no intention of peace on its side and continues shelling our cities,” Zelensky continued.

“We interpret all signals coming from Moscow these days in the same way. Pressure is needed to change their position, as well as meeting at the highest level to discuss all issues.”

Zelensky announced the pending security guarantees after he had a phone conversation with Netherlands Prime Minister Dick Schoof.

U.S., European and Ukrainian representatives ramped up discussions of security guarantees after President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska last week, Politico reported.

The bilateral meeting produced no tangible results, but they did affirm Putin’s reluctance to end the war that began when Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Trump on Monday said a meeting between Zelensky and Putin is being planned, but Putin has not agreed to do so.

Trump met with European leaders on Monday and said they are working to arrange a bilateral meeting between the presidents of the two warring nations.

Meanwhile, Russia has continued its aggression against Ukraine, including an overnight aerial attack early Thursday that struck a U.S.-owned plant in the western Ukrainian city of Mukachevo.

The American-owned Flex manufacturing plant produces electronic goods, such as coffee makers, in western Ukraine.

There were no reports of casualties, but the manufacturing plant was destroyed.

That Russian attack involved 574 drones, 33 cruise missiles and six ballistic missiles, Ukrainian defense officials reported.

Air defenses shot down 546 of the attacking drones, 30 cruise missiles and one ballistic missile.

If you’ve been thinking about locking in a certificate of deposit at 4.00% APY, the window is closing fast. The Fed is widely expected to cut rates in September, and once that happens, we don’t know when we’ll see them this high again.

We’ve seen this movie before. People drag their feet waiting for “just a little more,” then the Fed cuts rates, and everyone is stuck thinking about what they could have been earning.

Right now feels like that moment all over again.

4.00% APYs won’t last much longer

Banks generally wait for the Federal Reserve to cut rates before making any big changes, but FedWatch is currently estimating about an 80% chance the Fed cuts rates during their September meeting.

Here’s the math:

• $25,000 in a 3-year CD at 4.00% APY: You’d earn about $3,121 in total interest.
• $25,000 in a 3-year CD at 3.75% APY: That falls to about $2,919.

That’s a $200 difference over three years just because you waited too long. Multiply that over longer terms, coupled with the potential of additional rate cuts, and the loss in compounding interest just keep growing.

Why a CD works right now

I’m the first to admit CDs aren’t exciting. They’re not going to double your money overnight or even out-earn the stock market over the long-term. But they are safe, predictable, and most importantly right now, guaranteed.

Locking in a 4.00% APY today means you get that return no matter what the Fed does this fall. That’s peace of mind you won’t find in many places.

My best advice

Here’s how I’d think about it if I were in your shoes:

• Go short (6 to 12 months) if you want flexibility and think only one rate cut is coming.
• Go long (2 to 3 years) if you want to lock in today’s higher yield and not worry about chasing rates later.
• Split the difference with a CD ladder. Spread your money across multiple CDs so something always comes due.

I’d rather grab a guaranteed 4% return today than sit on the sidelines and hope for something better that probably isn’t coming.

Where to move fast

Don’t expect big banks like Chase or Bank of America to pay you much. Most of them still offer close to nothing. The real deals are at online banks. Right now, plenty are still at or above 4.00% APY on 12-month terms, but those listings shrink every week.

Don’t miss it this time

The Fed is almost certainly about to pull the rug out from under savers. The question is whether you’ll be one of the people who acted before it happened, or one of the people kicking themselves after.

This is your shot to lock in a 4.00% APY before it disappears. Don’t wait until you’re stuck earning half that. Visit our best CDs rates page to find the perfect fit for you.

Chance the Rapper is opening up about co-parenting with his ex-wife as he prepares to release a new album and go on a national tour.

The rapper from Chicago stopped by the “CBS Morning” studio on Monday to discuss the release of his second studio album, “Star Line.” Chance, whose real name is Chancelor Bennett, described the new EP as his “most expansive work.”

“It covers a lot of different areas in my life,” he said.

Chance etched his way into the music world after recording a mixtape during a high school suspension. He self-released “10 Days” in 2012 and began his career as an independent artist, a path that he continues to follow.

He followed up his debut LP with “Acid Rap” a year later, and “Coloring Book” in 2016. In 2023, Chance celebrated the 10th anniversary of his second mixtape by performing the entire tape at the Kia Forum.

“I wrote [Acid Rap] when I was opening up for artists playing 300-cap rooms. I’m rapping about doing open mics but closing my eyes and seeing arenas. Going back and playing arenas for that project just makes me proud,” Chance said in a 2023 interview.

Now, the rapper behind tracks like “Cocoa Butter Kisses” and “No Problem” said his new album reflects the change his personal life has gone through in the last six years, including his divorce from Kirsten Corley, with whom he shares two children.

“It’s always just a good thing to, as an artist … release and to like, you know, just share with the world,” he added.

The couple married back in 2019 and announced their separation last year on their Instagram. Corley filed for divorce in December 2024. They continue to raise their two young daughters together.

“You know, family is like one of the biggest things for me, for [Corley], for my kids, for my mom and dad, so I think the most important thing for anybody that’s ever navigating [parenting after a divorce] is making sure that you keep an environment for the kids where they understand that [family is] the priority,” Bennett said.

His last album, “The Big Day,” was released in 2019. Chance the Rapper is releasing his follow-up on Friday and will go on tour starting in September, with a stop in L.A. on Oct. 20.