record

Goalkeeper: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea, England).

Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea, England), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City, England), Mapi Leon (Barcelona/London City Lionesses, Spain), Irene Paredes (Barcelona, Spain).

Midfielders: Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona, Spain), Alexia Putellas (Barcelona/London City Lionesses, Spain), Ella Toone (Manchester United, England)

Forwards: Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride, Zambia), Claudia Pina (Barcelona, Spain), Alessia Russo (Arsenal, England)

Only 32 percent of voters approve of Trump’s job performance in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Ahead of the United States midterm elections, President Donald Trump’s job approval rating continues to sit near a record low, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Some 32 percent of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the presidency, 1 percentage point above his rating two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, the Republican Party continues to be unpopular among those polled: When asked whether they would vote for a generic Democrat or Republican candidate, 46 percent of respondents preferred Democrats compared with 38 percent preferring Republicans.

Trump himself is not on the ballot, but he has repeatedly told his supporters to vote as if they are voting for him. If the Republican Party loses control of the US Congress, Trump has warned, Democrats may seek to impeach him for a third time.

Trump’s approval rating has dropped steadily, polls suggest, especially since the launch of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28. The conflict has driven up petrol and diesel prices and has had secondary effects for US consumers worried about inflation and the economy.

The president embarked on a nearly monthlong campaign blitz ahead of the November 3 midterms in an effort to shore up support for Republican candidates, who are trying to retain control of the US House of Representatives and Senate.

Trump wrapped up his campaigning on Monday afternoon with a rally in Washington, DC, at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The president has devoted significant attention to the site as part of his attempt to renovate the capital. The job ran months late and cost more than 10 times its original estimate, with a special liner for the pool that Trump touted peeling away soon after it was installed.

“It was a work of art that never worked, but now it will work,” Trump said at the rally. He spent much of his speech on his renovation plans for the city, including a “Triumphal Arch”, which is facing legal challenges.

Trump seemed to acknowledge on Monday that his campaigning might not deliver the results he wants for his party, but said this was the political norm for midterm elections.

“For some reason, the sitting president doesn’t win the midterms,” Trump said. “But we gave this a very strong shot.”

Carlos Alcaraz powered to a straight-set win over Alex de Minaur to win the Vienna Open and maintain his perfect record in ATP 500 events this year.

The Spanish second seed triumphed 6-1 6-4 in 87 minutes for his 16th straight win at that level in 2026.

Alcaraz has won 26 straight matches at ATP 500 events – a run that goes back to the 2025 Barcelona Open, where he lost to Holger Rune.

The 23-year-old’s run this year includes titles in Doha and Tokyo.

“I tried to be aggressive and show him that if he wants to win, he has to play better, more aggressive, more solid, and be smarter than me,” said Alcaraz.

“I’m just really happy that at the end I found my way, played great, and obviously it has been a really emotional and amazing week for me.”

Crypto firm Binance says it has covered 90 percent of losses from the multibillion-dollar hack.

The FBI has linked North Korea to the theft of a record $6.3bn in virtual assets from cryptocurrency exchange Binance.

Malicious actors from North Korea were observed laundering the ⁠stolen assets ⁠by converting them primarily into the cryptocurrency Ethereum, ⁠the FBI said in a statement on Saturday.

The US agency blamed the operation specifically on a group called TraderTraitor, the same group blamed for a $1.5bn theft from the Bybit platform in February last year.

According to the statement, the assets are expected to be “further laundered” in stages.

The FBI called on virtual asset service providers to block transactions being used in the latest laundering operation, providing the suspected digital addresses to watch for.

In a separate statement on Saturday, Binance said it has replaced 90 percent of the amount stolen by using company money to buy new tokens.

The remaining 10 percent consists of less liquid tokens, meaning they ⁠may take longer to buy, it added.

“We will continue to buy the remaining relevant token assets… until the covered amount reaches 100 [percent] for all tokens. Binance will absorb the financial impact of these stolen funds, not our users,” the company said on X.

The money spent re-buying tokens came from a $1bn Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU), a Bitcoin reserve fund Binance ⁠holds to protect customers in the event of security ⁠breaches, as well as some of its Futures Insurance Fund and the company’s corporate treasury.

Crypto prices fell on Friday, as Binance, which runs the world’s largest crypto exchange, sought to reassure customers their funds were safe.

Binance co-CEO Richard Teng said on Friday that the breach was a “complex attack” involving a compromised laptop and malicious software designed to ⁠delete evidence of its activity, making it hard to trace and investigate.

After ⁠the hack, the exchange stopped allowing customers to withdraw their funds.

Binance said later on Saturday that it was on track to reopen withdrawals on Sunday.

Binance also announced the publication of a new proof-of-reserves snapshot, allowing users to independently verify that their assets were backed at a minimum 1:1 ratio.

Great Britain’s Kadeena Cox set a new world record as she won C4 1km gold at the Para Cycling Track World Championships in the Netherlands.

The 35-year-old crossed the line in 1 minute 9.545 seconds to win her seventh world title.

Cox faced a nervous wait as Tara Neyland took to the track afterwards in pursuit of a medal, but her Australian rival could not eclipse the Briton’s time.

Cox, who is a five-time Paralympic gold medallist, was draped in a British flag by her team following victory as she joyously celebrated her first world title since 2024.

In the men’s tandem B 1km time-trial, Britain’s James Ball defended his title as he won gold alongside new partner Aaron Pope.

The pair dominated in the final, crossing the line in 59.563 seconds as Ball secured his eighth world title, with Pope winning his first.

In the women’s pursuit final, Britain’s Sophie Unwin alongside Jenny Holl won silver behind New Zealand’s gold medallists Emma Foy and Jessie Hodges.

Unwin and Holl had earlier set a new world record of 4:30.262 in qualifying, before it was broken by Foy and Hodges’ time of 4:29.672.

In the men’s C4 final, Britain’s Archie Atkinson won bronze, while compatriot Fin Graham also took bronze in the C3 1km time-trial.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has become the first pope to vote in a U.S. general election, casting a mail-in ballot in a contest that will decide America’s future as the Trump era slowly comes to an end.

The Vatican confirmed Friday that the Chicago-born pontiff had submitted a mail-in ballot in Chicago ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, citing his long-standing belief in civic participation.

Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, “has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen” and has done so “whenever he was eligible to do so,” the Holy See press office said.

The statement said he had also voted while living in Peru whenever he was eligible. Leo lived in Peru as a missionary priest and bishop for over 20 years.

“The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes,” it added.

Leo holds U.S. and Peruvian citizenship, and is also the head of state of a foreign country, the Holy See. The city state is an absolute monarchy with no political elections.

This election, Illinois voters are deciding whether to elect Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to his third term, and they’re also filling an open U.S. Senate seat after longtime Catholic Democrat Dick Durbin’s retirement. President Donald Trump is not on the ballot but he has campaigned hard to try to preserve Republican control of the U.S. House and Senate for the final two years of his second term.

Leo’s vote was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, which quoted the chief of staff at the Will County clerk’s office as saying the pope, registered at a New Lenox address, requested a mail-in ballot on Oct. 3.

The request was made just 10 days before Leo underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung. Leo has been slowly resuming his activities at the Vatican after being released from the hospital Oct. 17.

It is unclear how Leo returned the ballot. The pope’s older brother, John Prevost, was in Rome this week accompanying parishioners from St. Jude’s, an Augustinian-run parish in New Lenox, Illinois. The elder Prevost attends Mass there, and Leo gave a talk at the parish in 2024 while still a cardinal.

Prevost’s past votes have gone Democratic and Republican

Since 2000, Robert Prevost has voted in five primary elections, requesting Democratic ballots twice and Republican ballots three times, according to records held by the Illinois State Board of Elections.

The records do not show which candidates he supported. Illinois voters must declare a party preference to receive a primary ballot. No such declaration is required in general elections.

While registered in heavily Democratic Cook County, Prevost requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010. After moving to the more conservative suburban Will County, he requested Republican primary ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

The records also show that he submitted ballots in every general election since 2000 except those in 2020 and 2022.

Clashes with Trump

Since becoming pope, Leo has drawn criticism from President Donald Trump for repeatedly condemning the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and calling for dignified treatment of immigrants.

Earlier this year, Trump called Leo “weak” and captive to the “radical left.”

Responding to Trump’s public rebuke, Leo told reporters en route to Algeria in April: “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the church works for.”

“I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems,” he said.

The public dispute has subsided in recent months.

A pope who follows U.S. politics closely

Leo has made clear on several occasions that he follows local and national U.S. politics closely, and is not afraid to intervene.

He has repeatedly called for reflection and humane treatment for immigrants in his native U.S. amid the Trump administration crackdown and mass deportation program.

Recently, Leo reiterated official church teaching declaring the death penalty “inadmissible.” He made the pronouncement in a social media post on the World Day Against the Death Penalty, which came as the U.S. announced plans to livestream an execution by firing squad. The plans were later scrapped.

In 2025, Leo intervened in a debate over abortion, after Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich announced plans to give a lifetime achievement award to Sen. Durbin. The plans drew objection from some conservative U.S. bishops given the powerful Democratic senator’s support for abortion rights. Leo called for respect for both sides, but he also pointed out the contradiction between people who call themselves “pro-life” but also support the death penalty.

Also in 2025, Leo said he was “very disappointed” that his home state of Illinois approved a law allowing medically assisted dying, which is condemned by the Catholic Church.

Winfield writes for the Associated Press. AP editor Holly Meyer contributed to this report from Nashville, Tenn.

ADELE is gearing up to end her musical hiatus, and I can exclusively reveal the details of her much-anticipated comeback.

Last week our newspaper told you the superstar was on the brink of announcing her fifth album, and now my music mole has spilled all on what the record will sound like.

The 38-year-old is tipped to release the follow-up to her fourth album next summer, and I’m told the working title is 39.

The name would follow the pattern of her previous albums, from 19 and 21 through to 25 and 30.

My source explained: “Adele is gearing up for a huge comeback and feels ready to start a new chapter musically.

“She’s been away from performing for a while, but music has never been far from her mind.

ADELE 38?

Adele on brink of announcing FIFTH album after booking then scrapping secret gig

Adele was suspended from school for ‘punching girl in the face’, claims Will Young

“The album is being tipped for next summer, although the release plans are still being worked through. The working title being discussed is 39.”

Adele stepped back from the stage after her Las Vegas residency ended in November 2024, and has spent the time away focusing on her family.

But I’m told she has been writing the whole time.

My insider said: “She’s spent the past couple of years prioritising her family and enjoying some time away from the pressure of being in the spotlight, but she’s also been thinking about music constantly.

“She’s been writing throughout her break. She famously finds the fame side of her career difficult, so stepping away has been important for her.

“She now feels creatively revived and has come back to the music with a fresh perspective.”

As revealed last week, Adele has been secretly recording at the famous Church Studios in Crouch End, North London, which is owned by producer Paul Epworth.

And my source says he is on board for the new record.

They said: “Paul Epworth is involved, which is significant given their history together. They’ve made some incredible music in the past, including Skyfall, and there’s a real understanding between them creatively.

“He knows how to bring out the best in Adele while allowing her to experiment.”

The pair won an Oscar together for the Bond theme.

While fans can expect the huge vocals and emotional honesty Adele is known for, I’m told she is keen to move slightly away from her trademark ballads.

The source said: “She doesn’t want to abandon the ballads that made her a global superstar, because that’s such a big part of who she is as an artist.

“But she’s also looking at how she can evolve. She wants the record to feel fresh and reflect the person she is today, rather than simply repeating what she’s done before.”

Never one to shy away from honesty, Adele will also tackle the darker side of fame on the album.

My insider said: “There are songs exploring the more difficult side of fame and what it’s like to live so much of your life in the public eye.

“Adele has always been very honest in her music, and this record will continue that, including some of the struggles she’s had with herself and her own image.”

But I’m told that at its heart, it is a love album, and will feature a tribute to fiance Rich Paul.

They said: “She’s keen to include a song dedicated to Rich, because her relationship is an important part of her life and it would be natural for that to find its way into her songwriting.”

Adele’s London roots will also come through in the music, despite her years living in the US.

The source added: “There’s a sense of looking back at her roots and the experiences that shaped her. It’s about recognising how far she’s come while still holding on to the person she was before the fame.”

Fans have also been sent into a spin after Adele briefly changed her YouTube name to her full name, Adele Adkins, last week before switching it back.

My mole says the star knows how closely she is being watched.

They said: “Adele knows that even the smallest change around her online presence will get people talking, but she isn’t going to rush into announcing anything before she’s ready.

“She wants to get everything right, and when she does come back, she wants it to feel like a proper new era rather than a quick announcement followed by a long wait.”

New music is also expected to feature in blockbuster Cry To Heaven, which could help launch her next chapter.

My source said: “It could help introduce audiences to a different side of her creatively and build anticipation for the album itself. It’s about setting the tone for her return and giving people a taste of what’s to come.”

And for those hoping to see her live, a tour is not off the cards.

They said: “A tour is something that could be considered once the album plans become clearer, but nothing is set in stone at this stage.

“She knows how much fans want to see her live again, but if she does decide to tour, it will be because she feels ready for it rather than because she feels pressured to get back on the road.”

Fingers crossed the wait won’t be much longer.

CHERYL TWEEDY has revealed she has a secret TikTok burner account to keep up with pop culture without drawing attention to herself.

The singer said: “I like scrolling TikTok as people are funny and fun and they are a bit more relaxed.

“They don’t care about taking the mick out of themselves.

“I’m a secret scroller. A burner.”

NOT TOO SHABBY

RISING music star Shab has come a long way after leaving her native Iran with just a suitcase to her name.

She has toured with The Wanted and JLS and now she is back with a new single, Catch Me If You Can.

In an exclusive chat, she said: “Catch Me If You Can is exactly where my head is at right now.

“I’m done asking permission to be me. I know what I bring, and I’m not chasing anybody to prove it.”

Shab, whose single Perfume VIP Remix peaked at No11 on the Dance Music Charts, also has ambitions to move into fashion.

Last month, she appeared on the runway at a Dallas catwalk show and has now launched her own clothing brand DropTrou.

This is a woman not to be underestimated.

GEORGE FILM A KLASS ACT

MYLEENE KLASS was among the fans at the posh premiere of the new George Michael concert film.

And she was in for a treat, as the late singer is at his bottom-thrusting best in George Michael: The Faith Tour.

The remastered footage from his 1988 run of shows features more than 200 thrusts by the Fastlove singer – with one cinema- goer admitting they were shocked.

“Watching George’s bottom thrusts in IMAX was certainly something,” they told me after watching the film, which   is out next Friday.

“It has to  be seen to be believed.”

SIGN UP FOR COSY U2 GIG

U2 have joined forces with BBC Radio 2 to perform an exclusive, one-off show in London next month.

The concert, which is being recorded in front of a select audience on November 3, will see Bono and his bandmates ­performing tracks from their upcoming album, Carnaval De Luz, as well as hits from their back catalogue.

To be in the crowd, you have until midnight tonight to register on the BBC website under the Shows And Tours section.

The set will air next month in full on BBC Two, while Jo Whiley will welcome the band on to her show on November 30 for an interview, which will also feature songs from the live performance.

MONDAY GIRLS GO PURE POP

REMEMBER MONDAY have finally announced their debut album, Can We Press Rewind?.

The 12-track record, out on January 29, features their new single, Dream Cheat, which is out now.

Insiders told me the three-piece – Charlotte Steele, Holly-Anne Hull and Lauren Byrne – have dug deep for the record.

A source said: “Charlotte, Holly-Anne and Lauren have delved into their own romantic history for this record, and it’s littered with dating disasters and questionable decisions.

“It’s pure pop fun and shows how far they’ve come.”

The album will come out just days before they kick off their I’m Just A Girl tour, which is their biggest run of shows to date.

Remember Monday will start their run in Bristol on February 8, before shows in Birmingham, Portsmouth and Glasgow.

Third Test, Cape Town (day two of five)

South Africa 329: Ackerman 95; Starc 6-72

Australia 330-4: Inglis 85*; Jansen 2-37

Australia lead by one run

Scorecard

Marnus Labuschagne has been front and centre for an era of Australian cricket.

Chirping, chewing and, with bat in hand, often appearing to idolise and mimic his team-mate Steve Smith.

Smith has been ruled out of the enthralling decisive Test against South Africa with a neck injury.

Without him, Australia wanted their number three to feast at last chance saloon, where he has been perched for an eternity, on day two in Cape Town.

The 32-year-old lasted five deliveries and did not score a run.

Labuschagne failed to scored a Test century for the 48th time in a row – a new record for the number of innings an Australian top order batter has waited to raise his bat at three figures.

“That will never be broken,” said former Australia quick Jason Gillespie on ABC.

“I say that because, respectfully, I don’t think anyone will be given that length of time again.”

There was a time when, from his insertion into the 2019 Ashes as a concussion substitute until the end of England’s next quest to win back the earn, Labuschagne averaged 65 in Test cricket.

Repeat that over a Test career and only Sir Donald Bradman’s mark of 99.94 would be ahead.

Instead, since his last Test century at Old Trafford in 2023, he averages 24.77.

Labuschagne may get one more chance in this Test, should Australia not progress from their position of 330-4, leading by one run, and dismiss South Africa before needing to pad up again.

Even that may not be enough.

“I just feel it is too far gone now,” Gillespie added. “It is a very big sample size. Australia are at a point where they need to look elsewhere.”

Labuschagne’s technique has been poured over again and again as his slump progressed.

In August, the great Ricky Ponting, one of his predecessors as Australia’s number three, called for the axe to fall.

“He can’t score off the back foot,” was Ponting’s cutting remark.

Having batted nicely in three or four innings in this series only to give it away after reaching 30, here he was stuck on the crease, playing back to a full ball and nicking spinner Simon Harmer to slip.

“That’s nerves and the pressure the selectors have put him under for an extended period of time,” said former Australia batter Simon Katich on SEN Radio.

“They put him in this position by not making the decision to give him a breather.”

It felt like all of Labuschagne’s issues collapsing into one.

For all the free-flowing, high-scoring rugby in the Prem so far this season, this weekend was something of a throwback.

There were only 21 tries across the five games, whereas a fortnight ago there were 18 tries in the Northampton against Bath game alone.

But, despite the abominable weather altering the whole complexion of round four, there was no shortage of drama.

In the East Midlands derby on Saturday, Leicester Tigers produced a second-half performance that was as vintage Leicester Tigers as you could possibly get: a brutal set-piece and forward display that shook the old foundations of the Crumbie Stand and would have made the ABC Club proud.

In front of a febrile sell-out crowd, the game was played on the edge – a major scuffle breaking out on the stroke of half-time with England team-mates Henry Pollock and Ollie Chessum in the thick of it.

But tensions will have eased quickly. Thirteen of those involved in the derby met up for dinner in the England camp on Sunday.

“This fixture always has some heat behind it, and we know it means a lot to each other and to the fans,” Leicester and England scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet explained to BBC Radio 5 Live.

“We just try and put all our heart on to the pitch. Sometimes it boils over into a little scuffle, but we will go and have a beer with them now. That’s what rugby is about. You play fierce with each other and then enjoy each other’s company.

“We always end up laughing about it. Being in England camp with them almost makes the fixture mean a bit more, because you always want one over them.”

Northampton are the champions and still the team to beat. However, that’s twice in six months they’ve been handed a lesson by the Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

Saints fans will be comforted by the fact the title is decided in the warm early summer months of May and June, but boss Phil Dowson will still want his side to be as effective in the wet as they are in the dry.

Instead of running for office themselves, student-led assemblies at the country’s university faculties have chosen 250 candidates to stand in the parliamentary election, with Ilija Srdanović, professor at Novi Sad University, heading the list.

The Student List of candidates for parliament also includes doctors, actors, academics and sports personalities

“These are people that don’t know each other, you have no idea what their political beliefs are, and we now expect them to create a functioning government. So it’s anybody’s guess what happens after they win,” Korać says.

“On the other hand, if Vučić declares victory this evening, probably late in the evening, I don’t think the students will accept that.”

Korać suggests that many former Vučić loyalists in high office could change sides at the last moment, if the students win. A close result, however, with both sides claiming victory, could result in weeks or months of political instability.

The electorate is 6.45 million in a population of 6.53 million, raising concerns about the reliability of the electoral register. Serbs from Kosovo, and dual Serbian citizens from neighbouring Bosnia also have the right to vote.

Additional reporting by André Rhoden-Paul

Mark Walter is looking to sell the WNBA’s Sparks, taking another step in the dismantling of his sports-team empire, according to people familiar with the matter.

Walter, a co-founder of money management firm Guggenheim Partners, sold the Lakers earlier this year at a $12.5 billion valuation to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger, but the WNBA team had remained under his ownership. Kushner and Iger later discussed acquiring the Sparks, but they are not among potential buyers, said the people, who asked to not be identified because the talks are private.

Sportico values the team at $400 million. Walter is looking to sell the franchise and a related practice facility for more than $700 million, said one of the people, who wasn’t authorized to speak discussing private dealings. The practice facility, which was constructed for $150 million, is scheduled to open before the start of the 2027 season. The franchise plays in the Crypto.com Arena.

Such a deal would be by far the largest WNBA franchise sale in history. The current record of $300 million is held by Tilman Fertitta, the owner of the Houston Rockets who bought the Connecticut Sun and is in the midst of moving the franchise to Houston.

A spokesperson for Iger and Kushner declined to comment. A spokesperson for TWG Global, Walter’s holding company, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Federal prosecutors have been probing dealings at Walter’s insurance firms, prompting him to reshape his holdings and stirring up deal talks on multiple fronts, including his sports franchises. After selling the Lakers, he sold his stake in Chelsea FC to Clearlake Capital. Walter’s other sports holdings include the Dodgers, the Cadillac Formula One team and the Professional Women’s Hockey League.

Dodgers President Stan Kasten told The Times in August that the team isn’t for sale. “There’s no process that has been started to sell it, period,” he said.

The Sparks finished 16-28 during the WNBA season and have missed the playoffs for six straight seasons. The Sparks were one of the original eight teams when the WNBA was founded in 1997.

Williams, Natarajan and Shaw write for Bloomberg.

Give Talon Spencer a football or a baseball and he’ll do magical things.

The two-sport standout at Capistrano Valley High has helped lead the football team to a 7-1 record as quarterback.

He has completed 69% of his passes for 1,361 yards and 14 touchdowns with only two interceptions. He also has rushed for 708 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Athleticism has helped him be a dual-threat quarterback and also succeed in baseball.

Capistrano Valley upset unbeaten Corona del Mar last week and takes on 7-1 Villa Park, which lost to Corona del Mar, in a Bravo League game on Friday.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Ever since Uefa announced its plans to alter the format of the Champions League in 2021, the impact on matches has been a hot topic. Scrutiny has only increased since the changes were implemented in time for the 2024-25 season.

After beginning life as a six-team invitational tournament in 1955-56 before growing to a 32-team knockout tournament in 1967, the Champions League as we know it began in 1992.

A group stage was added, with the last 16 entering a knockout phase. There was a brief spell with two group stages, but this was reverted back to the single group-stage format for the 2003-04 tournament.

The group stage previously featured 32 teams in eight groups of four, with the top two sides from each of those groups qualifying for the last 16.

For the start of the 2024-25 season, the group stage was replaced with a 36-team league phase, with each side playing eight one-off fixtures instead of six games against three teams.

The top eight finishers qualify directly for the knockout stages, with those placed ninth to 24th entering a two-legged play-off stage.

The bottom eight are eliminated, meaning that after eight matches, 24 sides are still in the competition. Some argue that that creates a lack of jeopardy, which encourages teams to play more expansively.

But do more goals equal better quality?

“I think the entertainment has gone up, although I’m not sure the quality has gone up,” The Times football writer Tom Arnott told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“If I’m looking at the games it’s brilliant to watch and thrilling because the football itself is fantastic – but what do they mean?

“The lack of jeopardy, why would PSG and Barcelona play for a draw, why not go for it? If you need five wins from the eight games you know you’ve got some margin there. If you lose it’s OK. I think the format allows all the teams to loosen up.

“The entertainment value is there but I think you come away from these matches sometimes and still think ‘what does it all mean?’. The lack of jeopardy early on does deliver entertainment.”

Data show a 42 percent drop in forest clearance from a year earlier, giving Lula a boost before the election run-off.

Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has fallen to its lowest level since records began in 1988, according to official figures that give a boost to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva days before a presidential run-off.

Brazil’s space research agency, Inpe, said on Friday that 3,335 square kilometres (1,288 square miles) of forest were cleared in the 12 months through July, about 42 percent less than the year before.

The previous record low was 4,571 sq km (1,765 sq miles) in 2011-12, while annual losses peaked at nearly 30,000 sq km (nearly 11,600 sq miles) in the mid-1990s, according to Inpe’s Prodes satellite programme, which measures from August to July because cloud cover is lower in mid-year.

“It’s an absolutely stratospheric drop…it’s like a dream,” Environment Minister Joao Paulo Capobianco said at a news conference in Brasilia.

Marcio Astrini of the climate advocacy group Observatorio do Clima called the figures “a historic achievement” and said they show that “with political will, it is possible to curb deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions”.

President Lula wrote on X: “Our goal is to achieve zero illegal deforestation by 2030.”

Lula took office in 2023 pledging to end illegal deforestation by 2030, after clearing soared to a 15-year high under his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. The Amazon lost about 11,600 sq km (about 4,480 sq miles) a year on average during Bolsonaro’s 2019-2022 term, almost 60 percent more than in the previous four years.

Deforestation has fallen every year since 2022 and is down 71.2 percent over four years. The AFP news agency attributes the drop to greater monitoring and stiffer penalties for illegal logging.

Lula faces Bolsonaro’s eldest son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, in the election run-off on October 25, with polls showing them neck and neck.

Flavio pledged in his manifesto to strengthen environmental oversight in the Amazon, focus enforcement on organised crime rather than extractive workers and small farmers, and end “illegal deforestation” by 2029.

He has also praised his father, who is serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest for coup plotting, for opposing what he calls a “radical environmental agenda”.

Deforestation in the Cerrado savanna, south of the Amazon, also fell by about 24 percent, to 5,517 sq km (2,130 sq miles), the lowest since records began in 2001.

A string of mazy runs down Barcelona’s right flank, two goal assists within three minutes, and a player of the match award cap off yet another impressive night in European football; Lamine Yamal continues to rack up remarkable statistics and mesmerising performances eight weeks into the club football season.

While this isn’t Yamal’s breakthrough year by any means – the Spanish forward first burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old in the 2023-24 season – his consistency for both club and country in the past eight weeks has led to comparisons with some of the greatest prodigies of recent years.

Since returning from the FIFA World Cup as a champion, Yamal has enjoyed scintillating form with the Catalan side.

Across the eight match weeks in club football, the 19-year-old has scored eight goals and provided nine assists in his 10 matches in all competitions for Barcelona, bringing his total number of goal contributions to an impressive 17.

All-time Barcelona and Argentina great Lionel Messi had 14 goal contributions – eight goals and six assists – to his name in the 2008-09 season, when he won his first Ballon d’Or award as a 19-year-old.

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal vs Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe

Yamal has made no secret of his desire to win the award in 11 days, but he will face stiff competition from French star Kylian Mbappe and England captain Harry Kane.

Mbappe, who has broken goal-scoring records of his own, leads the attack at Real Madrid – Barcelona’s fiercest rivals and the undeniable kings of European football.

While Real have not won the Champions League since the 2023-24 season, which brought their record-extending 15th trophy, Mbappe helped them beat Italian giants Inter Milan in their first match last month.

Before joining Real in 2024, Mbappe was on a goal-scoring spree with French champions Paris Saint-Germain. He joined the club as an 18-year-old in 2017 and enjoyed great success a year later.

As a then-19-year-old, Mbappe scored 12 goals and made four assists in his first 10 games, bringing his goal contribution to 16 – one behind Yamal’s current record after the same number of matches.

The master Messi vs apprentice Yamal?

While comparisons between Yamal’s overall career with Messi’s would be grossly unfair, the Spaniard is following in his club legend’s footsteps.

Both players enjoy the unique statistic of having scored braces in their first five La Liga games. Messi’s came as a 25-year-old in the 2012-13 season, while Yamal has achieved the same feat this season.

In April 2007, Messi scored his famous solo goal against Getafe, dribbling from his own half past five players as Camp Nou watched in awe.

Three months later, Lamine Yamal was born, and not long after, Messi was seen with baby Yamal in a photo that went viral this year.

The hype reached fever pitch during the World Cup as a young Messi bathed baby Yamal during a TV commercial. At first, many thought it was an AI-generated image, but it’s indeed real and dates back to 2007.

During a UNICEF fundraising shoot at Camp Nou stadium, a 20-year-old Messi met Yamal, who was only five months old at the time.

The two Barcelona stars faced off in the World Cup final on July 19, with the Argentinian walking away in tears as Yamal’s Spain lifted the trophy, but not before they exchanged a warm embrace.

Yamal later revealed what he said to Messi on the pitch in New York.

“I said thank you for everything you gave football,” Yamal told a British newspaper.

Before the final, much of the attention had centred on the battle between 39-year-old Messi and 19-year-old Yamal, with the match likened to a master vs apprentice clash.

Nineteen years on from that iconic photo, Yamal is already chasing Messi’s Barcelona milestones. Here’s how old each of them was when they played their 150th game for the club.

Barcelona boss says ‘Everyone’s watching Lamine’

During the current season, Yamal’s incredible goal tally overshadows that of three other La Liga teams.

His seven individual goals in the league are more than what Valencia (six), Getafe (four) and Malaga (four) have managed as teams.

The forward’s form and skills are not lost on his manager, Hansi Flick.

The Barcelona boss heaped praise on his number 10 after the 4-1 win over Galatasaray in Istanbul.

“When you see the chances Lamine creates in every training session, it’s the same in matches. I have a lot of top-quality players. Everyone’s watching Lamine – that’s only natural.”

“It’s incredible to have players like that; he’s turned the game around for us.”

The immigration agency has rejected a report from a government watchdog, making suggestions for improved body camera policy.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a United States agency that has taken a central role in President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign, has rejected a government report calling for its agents to wear body cameras that automatically activate.

On Wednesday, the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan agency that provides research to Congress, released a report recommending an update to ICE guidelines for camera usage.

It suggested that “automated camera activation” would be helpful in situations where “unexpected and unplanned incidents, unrelated to sensitive operations, result in use of force by or against personnel”.

“Given the important role of body-worn cameras in law enforcement activities, we maintain that additional controls are needed to help ensure that ICE personnel capture footage in accordance with policy,” the report said.

Automatic activation, it added, would address difficulties ICE agents face in manually turning on their cameras during enforcement operations.

But ICE has rejected the recommendation for automatic activation, which could be triggered by an agent pulling a gun or turning on a car siren. The agency cited privacy concerns.

But the Trump administration faces public pressure to improve transparency during its immigration raids.

Agents from ICE and other agencies such as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have faced accusations of excessive force and civil liberties violations.

In January, two US citizens – Renee Good and Alex Pretti – were shot to death in separate shootings in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during immigration operations.

The New York Times estimated in July that immigration agents had opened fire on at least 25 people since the start of Trump’s second term. A CBS News review updated this week counts at least 30 shootings, with nine people killed and 13 others wounded.

ICE has often blamed such incidents on aggression against its agents, and it has argued that its officers have opened fire to defend themselves from danger.

But in several cases, that rationale has come under scrutiny.

Critics argued that video footage in Good’s fatal shooting disproved government statements alleging that she had weaponised her vehicle against agents. Her car, according to observers, appeared to be turning away from agents, not towards them.

In another case, ICE agent Christian Castro was accused of making false statements about a shooting that resulted in injury to Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan man living in Minneapolis.

Castro faces federal charges for allegedly lying about being attacked with a snow shovel and broom before the shooting, after video footage contradicted his account. Castro pleaded not guilty last month.

More recently, on October 8, immigration agents shot a man named Oscar Belgal in New York City while his five-year-old son was in the backseat of his car. ICE stated that Belgal appeared to be “going towards officers” in his car when they opened fire.

On Tuesday, a judge rejected the government’s effort to have Belgal deported.

Activists say better recording procedures for body camera footage could help clarify what happened in such incidents.

But the Trump administration has largely refused to implement reforms to ICE protocol.

Earlier this year, Democrats in Congress delayed funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, on the basis that significant changes needed to be made to reduce incidents of excessive force.

The department said on Wednesday that automatically recording cameras could result in “the unauthorised recording of sensitive interactions with informants or victims”.

The agency added that all ICE offices had received body cameras as of August 5, but that training in their use was still ongoing and would be finished “soon”.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear arguments in a watchdog’s lawsuit seeking public records about trillionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

The high court is intervening for a second time in Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington’s case, which seeks access to DOGE records from its operations in the early days of President Trump’s second term. The Trump administration asked the court to hear the case.

Last year, the high court reined in a district court’s order for the government to produce DOGE-related records to CREW. The high court’s conservative majority concluded in June 2025 that U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled too broadly in ordering documents to be turned over to the group.

CREW claims DOGE is a federal agency and therefore is subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

The Trump administration argues that DOGE is exempt from FOIA’s requirements as a presidential advisory body.

Cooper ruled in CREW’s favor and ordered expedited processing of the group’s records request. An appeals court panel also sided with CREW.

The Trump administration claims the panel ignored the Supreme Court’s direction to consider separation-of-powers concerns and intruded on the “autonomy and confidentiality” of presidential advisers.

“Subjecting advisory bodies to intrusive discovery triggers the very concerns that Congress sought to avoid by excluding presidential advisory bodies from FOIA’s reach,” Justice Department attorneys wrote.

The administration also says the appeals court impermissibly authorized the plaintiffs to take a sworn deposition of DOGE acting administrator Amy Gleason.

CREW says the appeals court fully complied with the Supreme Court’s previous order. The group also asserts that the public has a right to know how DOGE helped the administration carry out a sweeping overhaul of government operations in 2025.

“Undisputed facts in the public record — including the President’s statements — confirmed that (DOGE) was wielding enormous independent authority across the federal government,” its attorneys wrote.

Kunzelman writes for the Associated Press.

The basketball memorabilia ranks as the second-largest sale in history ⁠among game-worn sports jerseys.

The jersey Michael Jordan wore during ‌‌Game 2 of the “Last Dance” 1998 NBA Finals has sold for a ⁠⁠record $14m.

Hunt Auctions ⁠⁠announced on Monday that the game-worn, autographed Chicago Bulls jersey was bought by Miami real estate investor Ron Firman in a private sale.

It is the highest ⁠⁠price ever paid for a piece of basketball memorabilia and, according to the auction house, the newly sold Jordan jersey ranks as the second-largest sale in history ⁠⁠among game-worn sports jerseys.

The New York Yankees jersey worn by Babe Ruth in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series – during which Ruth called his shot before a home run – went for $24.12m in 2024.

Jordan and the Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz in ‌‌six games to win the 1998 championship, the sixth and final title of his career in Chicago.

Game 2, played on June 5, 1998, in Salt Lake City, saw Chicago even the series 1-1, largely thanks to a dominant performance by its superstar guard.

Jordan put up 37 points, five rebounds, and three assists in a 93-88 victory. He would go on to collect his sixth ⁠⁠and final Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, two more than anyone ⁠⁠else in NBA history, nine days later.

The wildly popular “Last Dance” documentary, released in 2020, was centred around that 1997-98 Bulls season.

“The record-setting price achieved for the related Michael Jordan jersey is yet another corroborative result as ⁠⁠to the significance of Jordan within the industry and popular culture. This remarkable garment bore witness to one of Jordan’s most ⁠⁠hallowed NBA Finals appearances as part of his ‘Last ⁠⁠Dance’ season to complete his illustrious career,” David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, said in a statement.

“While Michael Jordan’s importance within the sports memorabilia marketplace has long been established, it has now escalated to an elite ‌‌asset class more typically reserved for iconic works of art. We are very pleased to have been able to facilitate this historic sale which serves as another benchmark for our ‌‌industry.”

This sale becomes at least the third time a Jordan jersey from that 1998 Finals has fetched at least $10m. A jersey from Game 1 was sold at auction for about $10.1m in 2022, and a jersey from Game 3 was auctioned last month for about $12.3m via an auction in September.

“Michael Jordan was an incredibly talented player who is admired around the world,” Firman said in a news release distributed by the auction house. “I’m very excited about the purchase.”

The jersey that Firman bought was originally bought from the Bulls by a private collector in 2003, Hunt said, adding that it “has remained within a succinct chain of custody, having only changed hands once from the original purchaser”.

Just about anything related to the 1998 Finals and Jordan’s final season with the Bulls has been the subject of huge interest in the collector space. In 2023, a pair of Air Jordan sneakers that he wore in Game 2 against the Jazz was sold by Sotheby’s for $2.2m, touted at the time as “a new world record for the most valuable sneakers ever sold”.

An autographed Chicago Bulls jersey worn by Michael Jordan during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals was privately sold to a Miami real estate investor for $14 million, an auction house announced Monday. The price is believed to be the highest ever paid for basketball memorabilia.

A game-worn red road jersey was purchased by Ron Firman, according to Philadelphia-based Hunt Auctions. Jordan wore it June 5, 1998, while scoring 37 points in the Bulls’ victory over the Utah Jazz. The Bulls went on to win the series in six games, giving Jordan his sixth and final championship.

This is the third Jordan jersey from the 1998 Finals that has sold for more than $10 million. Jordan’s Game 3 white home jersey was auctioned in September for $12.26 million and his Game 1 red road jersey was sold at auction for $10.09 million in 2022.

“While Michael Jordan’s importance within the sports memorabilia marketplace has long been established, it has now escalated to an elite asset class more typically reserved for iconic works of art,” said David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, in a statement.

Firman’s X account describes him as a “Commercial Real Estate Co. Principal. Partner in private co. who’s trading is comparable to a hedge fund’s. Rare Vintage Sports Memorabilia Collector.”

His most recent post came Nov. 29, 2022, and features a signed photo of Joe DiMaggio belting a single in the seventh inning of the 42st consecutive game he recorded a hit in 1941, setting an American League record. DiMaggio extended the streak to 56 games, a Major League record that still stands.

Firman also recently set a record by spending $3 million for a 1951 Mickey Mantle first-generation photo used as the basis for Mantle’s celebrated 1952 Topps rookie card. Now Firman owns another piece of legendary memorabilia. The Bulls’ 1997-98 season was the subject of the “Last Dance” documentary series released in 2020.

“Michael Jordan was an incredibly talented player who is admired around the world,” Firman said in a statement distributed by Hunt Auctions. “I’m very excited about the purchase.”

The only game-worn jersey publicly to fetch more than $14 million was worn by Babe Ruth when he supposedly called his shot before hitting a home run against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series. That jersey sold for $24.12 million in 2024 at Heritage Auctions, setting a world record for the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia. It appreciated more than 25 times from the $940,000 it went for in 2005.

“In our opinion, and 36 years of market experience, Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan stand above all others in the history of American sports,” Hunt said. “The record-setting price achieved for the related Michael Jordan jersey is yet another corroborative result as to the significance of Jordan within the industry and popular culture.”