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Dodgers, Tigers finalizing Tarik Skubal trade
The blockbuster everyone was waiting for is reportedly going down
Gavin Newsom Reportedly Concerned About Paramount, WB Merger State Suit
In a Friday report, sources told The Wall Street Journal that California's governor has said if the merger is blocked due to the lawsuit, state employment will suffer, and that "Newsom’s office has encouraged Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office, which has independent authority to file such suits, to find a resolution out of court."
Xbox May Walk Away From Steam, As It Reportedly Prepares PC Strategy Shift Amid 2026 Reset
Xbox may evaluate its PC presence alongside Project Helix, though leaving Steam remains unlikely.
Beast Of Reincarnation Reportedly Leaked Online By Pirates
Beast Of Reincarnation is one of many AAA titles that have reportedly made their way into pirates' hands before their official release dates in 2026
Caesars Entertainment, real estate firm developing plans for Las Vegas NBA arena
VICI Properties and Caesars are reportedly planning a new NBA arena behind the Las Vegas Strip for a potential expansion team.
AMD Reportedly Plans To Raise GPU Prices, Too
It seems like AMD is about to raise graphics card prices by around 10%, according to an industry insider on Twitter.
Tesla reportedly might sell its China business ahead of a SpaceX merger
Tesla had already reportedly prepped for the idea in the event that Beijing invades Taiwan.
AMD Radeon GPU and memory kit prices reportedly rising 10% in August
AMD reportedly delayed its Radeon GPU kit adjustment from July to August. AIB partners are now expected to pay at least 10% more.
Saints, star WR Chris Olave reportedly agree to 4-year extension, worth up to $132 million
Musk Reportedly Spending Up To $120 Million Helping GOP In Midterms—After Saying He ‘Got A Little Too Involved In Politics’
Musk told The Economist last week he thinks he “got a little too involved in politics.”
PayPal becomes a takeover target as it attempts a turnaround
Stripe and Advent International reportedly offered to buy PayPal for $53 billion as the firm faces a turnaround.
iPhone 18 Pro: Twelve Changes Coming to Apple's Next Flagship
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year, adopting a two-phase rollout starting with the iPhone 18 series.
One Vikings Receiver Stole the Show at Wednesday’s Practice
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison impressed during Wednesday’s training camp practice. He was all over the field, according to multiple media reports, and statistically, he had a great day. He caught five passes on seven targets from quarterback Kyler Murray. Bring Me The News’s Will Ragatz reported this.Addison was reportedly able to make a […] The post One Vikings Receiver Stole the Show at Wednesday’s Practice appeared first on HEAVY.
Original 'Chicago Fire' star Joe Miñoso reportedly exits in Season 15
One of "Chicago Fire's" original first responders will bow out in Season 15, according to Deadline.
Manchester City target Marseille goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli
Manchester City are reportedly keen to sign Olympique de Marseille goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli (34), according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.Such a move would mark a return for the Argentine, who was o...
Google TV is reportedly the #3 streaming OS in the US
According to new data, Google TV is apparently the #3 streaming platform in the US market, barely behind Fire TV.
The Science Behind the AI Panic Is Shakier Than You Think
A column by Sascha Lobo Is AI making us dumb? So asked DER SPIEGEL on its cover a while ago. After a few weeks of recovery and a therapeutic intervention with the help of my AI, I feel able to respond. That’s a bit unfair, of course; the article itself is more nuanced than the loud cover, the image of a schoolkid with dull prompt questions, or the subtitle: “AI is conquering the schools, and educators fear a disaster.” The short answer to “Is AI making us dumb?” is: no. The long answer is more interesting, and even carries a preliminary glimmer of the spectacular. Unfortunately, it requires a detour into the sphere of artificial intelligence, into the mogul-field terrain of technology assessment, the attention economy, and the destructive virus of cultural pessimism. Along with narrowing the scope to AI’s effects on education and work rather than on intelligence. Because the honest version of the question would be: Does AI help us learn and work, or not? Generative AI, which set off the still-ongoing hype with ChatGPT, has only existed in relevant distribution since late 2022, early 2023. For a technology-driven transformation of people and society, that is extremely short. For that reason alone, research is still in its infancy. And technology assessment is not a fast discipline anyway. Prominent voices from Elizabeth Eisenstein to RAND to Tom Wheeler say we still cannot conclusively judge the consequences of the printing press. Its invention is a mere 580 years back, and some scholars would rather not circulate assessments that might have to be retracted in two or three hundred years. We’re Going Through Growing Pains A phenomenon that already caused upheaval in social media research makes serious assessment of AI’s consequences even harder: the “moving target” problem of LLM-ology, as the linguist Sean Trott called it in 2025. AI develops so quickly and so unpredictably that researchers often end up studying snapshots of the past. There are concepts, from morphological analysis to anticipatory governance, for keeping research, planning, and regulation halfway meaningful anyway. But even with those, universally valid statements are rare. DER SPIEGEL - The German View is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe We should therefore treat findings about the interplay between humans and AI as far more procedural and situational. Unfortunately, this challenge comes at the worst possible time. We are going through growing pains: AI’s everyday impact has grown very large very fast, and with it the longing for guidance. Annoyingly, the body of solid knowledge has not exploded along with it. Experts cannot be moved to broad consensus on even banal statements about AI. Sascha Lobo, born in 1975, is an author and strategy consultant focusing on the internet and digital technologies. Together with Jule Lobo, he explores the debates of the day in the podcast “Feel the News – Was Deutschland bewegt” (”What Moves Germany”). Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says software developers are dying out. Bill Gates considers coders one of only three professions that will survive the AI tsunami. Top tech economists find virtually irrefutable arguments both for and against an AI bubble. The same naturally applies to the structurally youth-hostile debate over whether AI is good or bad for young people. The gap between the demand for insight and the supply of solid knowledge creates an orientation vacuum. This vacuum of AI cluelessness is filled, as the attention economy described by Georg Franck in 1998 would have it, with half-knowledge (funnily enough, often AI-generated), marketing, and self-marketing. After all, infinite money is at stake, along with academia’s best current shot at global fame. But this iridescent froth of interpretation operates more by the algorithmic principles of the digital public sphere than by seriously earned insight. That is why dramatized, fear-feeding claims about AI are so promising. It tempts parts of academia into distorted drivel, and parts of the media then sensationalize the published drivel once more. Was the Research Aimed at a Desired Result? How badly this can influence academia and public perception is demonstrated by one of the most-discussed studies on AI’s effects: “Your Brain on ChatGPT.” The MIT study by Nataliya Kosmyna also gets plenty of space in the SPIEGEL cover story. What was measured and interpreted: lower brain activity in people who write with AI assistance, compared to people who only google or write without any tools. As is common with preprints, the study has not yet been peer-reviewed, and it contains substantial weaknesses that experts have sharply criticized. The first round had 54 participants in three groups, the second only 18, who reportedly also came from MIT’s own orbit. There was no preregistration (committing in advance to what you want to find out with which data). In their analysis, Stanković et al. even discovered an opposite effect that the study does not further explain. Some measurement data has not (yet) been published. And the EEG analysis method used is considered too imprecise to support such far-reaching conclusions. The biggest criticism, though, is the suspicion of an activism-driven study. In an interview with Time, lead author Kosmyna said she published the study immediately, rather than after full peer review, because she feared politicians might otherwise decide to put ChatGPT in kindergartens. She considers that absolutely harmful. It is legitimate to hold such a view. It just seems unscientific to approach a study with it, and then to design the setup so that the chance of a fitting desired result remains as high as possible. Ideologies Collide It is not easy to separate genuine AI insights from studies that trivialize and weaken well-founded AI criticism. The same goes for the opposing, AI-enthusiastic narratives, because the pro-AI side works against it with billions in resources. Ideologies collide, fed by egos, PR strategies, moral posturing, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Doomsday marketing makes the search even harder: AI companies can profit from warnings about the dangers of AI, whether through the notoriety of apocalypse narratives or because, in some target groups, danger translates into power. Some seemingly negative findings are therefore quite welcome in the AI industry. If you try to get at the findings presumably less influenced by interest groups, the picture in education seems relatively clear: AI can improve educational outcomes when the right AI is used the right way, namely pedagogically. Simply dumping an AI chatbot into a classroom, by contrast, accomplishes little. Huge surprise. But something else is also obvious: whether they are allowed to or not, kids use AI for school, which is why the controlled integration of AI tools into education is, in the medium term, entirely without alternative. In the world of work, the landscape of findings is more complex and requires more differentiation. A series of serious studies points to an AI effect that suits neither the alarmists, regulation fetishists, and AI opponents, nor the trillion-dollar corporations with their armada of paid scientists, PR professionals, and ecosystems: working with AI helps the inexperienced (at least for now) considerably more than it helps the pros, in certain fields of work, and provided they know how to use it correctly. Missing Domain Knowledge Among the experienced, the professionals, and the high flyers, by contrast, despite frequent time savings, partially negative effects and new problems are emerging. Take the jagged frontier problem: AI solves task A brilliantly and fails completely at task B, even though both look similar even to professionals. Or the verification-cost problem, in which AI’s greater productivity gets eaten up by the enormous effort of checking its output. Or the illusion of competence, because AI makes new domains seem easily penetrable, until you painfully discover that deep domain knowledge is missing. Taken as a whole, the effects of working with AI do lean positive. But the promise that AI works as a turbocharger for everyone and boosts practically everything simply refuses to materialize. The AI magic the world has been feeling since ChatGPT arrived in late 2022 has so far barely shown up in most companies’ numbers. The consulting firm McKinsey has coined a term for this, the “gen AI paradox,” and believes that work processes and corporate structures would have to be rebuilt quite fundamentally to realize AI’s benefits at scale. Reuters just reported that only 3.3 percent of Microsoft’s customers have subscribed to the AI package Copilot. That may be down to the product; in other areas we continue to see soaring successes and new AI triumphs. But after the first quarter of 2026, disillusionment is the word for all too many AI projects at traditional companies: because the promised revolution of AI agents has so far failed to arrive or been postponed, and because of the leveling effect that many of the studies cited here suggest. Against Inequality The societal effects, on the other hand, appear rather encouraging. Many previous technologies operated on the Matthew principle, named for the Gospel verse about giving to those who already have: they tended to reward the more competent and more privileged. AI, however, seems more often to have an equalizing effect once a threshold of access and education is crossed. Some anecdotal insights point in this direction, for example, how an unemployed man in Leipzig successfully defended himself in court in 2025 against fraud accusations from Germany’s federal employment agency — without a lawyer, armed only with ChatGPT. The AI made mistakes and cited invented court rulings, but in the end the man walked away unpunished. And a key capability of artificial intelligence is its capacity to learn: set up correctly and fed with data, it can keep getting better. It is a question of time, or more precisely of AI innovations and training data, until even free AI chatbots write better legal briefs than law graduates with perfect exam scores. Whether that will make anyone dumb is something the world’s press will surely inform us of in due time. Subscribe Leave a comment
Dortmund prodigy Diallo destined for Parma switch
Ousmane Diallo is reportedly leaving Borussia Dortmund a year before his contract expires at the Westphalian club. Reliable transfer journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has stated that the winger's transfe...
Report: Sixers trade Broome and 2nd-rounder to Clippers for cash considerations
The Sixers are reportedly sending Johni Broome to Los Angeles in a trade with the Clippers.
Morning Download: Nevada basketball will reportedly open season against Robert Morris
On weekday mornings, Nevada Sports Net will recap three big headlines of the day in its Morning Download. Read below for today's topics.1. Nevada basketball wil
All-New Apple Home Hub Reportedly Launching as Soon as October
Apple plans to release an all-new smart home hub at some point between October and early next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple Home Hub (Concept) Siri AI is expected to be a core feature of the hub, which is designed to be placed in rooms throughout your house, such as a kitchen, living room, or bedroom. The report said the device will be available in tabletop and wall-mounted versions, with Apple apparently believing that many customers will buy more than one.
Galaxy Z Fold 8’s wide new design is reportedly selling faster than Samsung expected
Samsung reportedly increased Galaxy Z Fold 8 production prior to launch, but it appears the smaller foldable model is still...
Baker Mayfield will reportedly play 2026 season on expiring deal, pick up contract talks with Bucs in offseason
Will DC hospitals have to give Trump, Konza Health your ER records?
A federal agency is reportedly demanding hospitals to turn over ER records of patients. Could it affect Washington DC-area patients?
MLB Insider Reveals Mets' Stance on Potential Luis Torrens Trade
The New York Mets are reportedly very reluctant to trade catcher Luis Torrens.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was reportedly being turned into a 2.5D brawler by CD Projekt Red and Shantae studio WayForward, but its fate is uncertain
The spin-off was in development between 2025 and 2026, before layoffs hit the retro-inspired developer famous for its beat 'em ups and platformers.
Bucs defensive tackle Vita Vea reportedly seeking trade
Vea is expected to report for training camp on Tuesday.
Javier Hernández To Sign With USL Championship Side Atlético Dallas
Javier 'Chicharito' Hernández has reportedly agreed to join Atlético Dallas, he becomes the first player signed in the history of the new USL Championship franchise.
Apple is reportedly worried about smart glasses, too
Apple is delaying its smart glasses as it tries to distance itself from the ick factor that Meta Glasses have developed.
Yankees Reportedly Willing to Trade Anyone Except One Player
The New York Yankees have made just one player untouchable heading into the MLB trade deadline.
Gossip: Saints battle West Brom for Galves
Southampton and West Brom reportedly both reach an agreement with Ligue 2 club Rodez AF for Nolan Galves.
Gossip: West Brom battle Saints for Galves
West Brom and Southampton reportedly both reach an agreement with Ligue 2 club Rodez AF for Nolan Galves.
Xbox Live server issues preventing users from playing downloaded Xbox games
Xbox users are reportedly experiencing widespread issues when attempting to access Xbox Live, with one recurring issue preventing access to downloaded games.
Lakers held a mini-camp this month in Las Vegas
The Lakers have reportedly already begun the process of building chemistry among their new players.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4: What to expect
The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are reportedly in late-stage testing. Here's what to expect, including a long-awaited chip upgrade.
United reportedly approached Delta Air Lines about a potential merger
The reported tie-up would have combined two of the nation’s largest airlines, but the preliminary discussions did not advance and both carriers ultimately moved on.
Cleveland Browns still looking for help at defensive end
Cleveland is reportedly still in the market for another DE. But with the options dwindling, what is the right play?
Bethesda’s next shadow drop remaster reportedly coming next month
We may find out more next month!
Apple Is Reportedly Worried About Its Non-Creepy Reputation as It Prepares to Enter a Creepy Product Category
Can Apple's hard-fought reputation for privacy survive the release of a glasses product?
Claude AI Shared Chats Reportedly Exposed in Google Search Results
Anthropic’s Claude share links appeared in public search results, raising fresh privacy concerns for users who shared sensitive conversations.
Lazio Reject Sporting Club Offer for Defender Considered Untouchable
Sporting CP reportedly tried to sign Lazio centre-back Oliver Provstgaard, but he’s now considered off the market.Oliver Provstgaard Enjoying Steady Rise at LazioThe 23-year-old joined the Biancocel...
Hakeem Adeniji, ex-Bengals lineman, to sign with Ravens
Former Bengals offensive lineman Hakeem Adeniji reportedly is returning to the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope reportedly reuniting with LeBron James on Sixers after Grizzlies buyout
The two won a title together with the Lakers in 2020.
Car crashes into business in Cohasset
The investigation determined that the driver was pulling into a parking space directly in front of the business when the driver’s foot reportedly became caught on the accelerator while attempting to brake.
Roku Is Increasing Prices Across Its Hardware Range
Roku’s streaming devices got a price hike, and it’s reportedly because of industry-wide memory shortages.
BREAKING: Lakers NBA Champion Reportedly Expected To Sign With 76ers
On Friday night, Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime reported the news that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the Memphis Grizzlies are working on a buyout.He would then join the Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent.The 33-year-old is coming off a season where he had averages of 8.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest while […] The post BREAKING: Lakers NBA Champion Reportedly Expected To Sign With 76ers appeared first on HEAVY.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope reportedly negotiating buyout with Grizzlies, intends to reunite with LeBron James on Sixers
The two won a title together with the Lakers in 2020.
Phillies Reportedly Open to Bringing Back Blue Jays' Reliever
The Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly open to bringing back Toronto Blue Jays pitcher.
Nothing will reportedly stop selling in many global markets as latest phones struggle
According to a new report, Nothing will exit many global markets as its latest phone releases struggle amid the impacts of rising costs.
Tomb Raider Chronicles - AMAZON GAME STUDIOS REPORTEDLY DELAYS TOMB RAIDER CATALYST TO 2028
Amazon Game Studios has reportedly delayed Tomb Raider Catalyst until 2028, according to comments made by Amazon Games boss, Jeffrey Gattis, during an interview with The Game Business on the topic of Amazon's cloud streaming service, Luna, coming to Prime Video.
Miami Dolphins Reportedly Interested In Former Carolina Panthers Quarterback
On Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reported the news that the Miami Dolphins (and San Francisco 49ers) will be working out Jack Plummer.The 26-year-old is coming off an outstanding season in the UFL where he won the MVP.Wilson wrote (via X): “UFL @UFLonFOX MVP quarterback Jack Plummer will work out for the San […] The post Miami Dolphins Reportedly Interested In Former Carolina Panthers Quarterback appeared first on HEAVY.
Woman's body found in dumpster behind north Harris County business, sheriff's office says
A woman who was reportedly known for dumpster diving was found dead inside one behind a Family Dollar store in north Harris County, according to deputies.
Phillies Reportedly Have Bigger Trade Deadline Plans Than Expected
The Philadelphia Phillies could be preparing to make a much bigger splash at this year's trade deadline.
MacBook Neo 2: Here's everything we know so far
Apple's next MacBook Neo is reportedly coming in 2027 with the better performance, new colors, and more. Here's everything we know.
iOS code could reportedly let Apple cut off apps when users miss iPhone payments
“Restricted Mode” would block access to nearly all apps.
Next Mac Mini Will Reportedly Have Mismatched M6 and M5 Pro Chips
Apple is testing new Mac mini configurations with mismatched M6 and M5 Pro chips, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, but he did not provide a release timeframe. Apple is testing new Mac mini configurations with mismatched M6 and M5 Pro chips, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, but he did not provide a release timeframe.
Apple is reportedly testing a MacBook Neo with more RAM
New colors aren’t the only changes coming.
Patrick Kane reportedly walks away from Blackhawks over unexpected issue!
A surprising condition may have derailed Kane's emotional return to Chicago.
Pirates reportedly listening to offers for Oneil Cruz
The Bucs are reportedly thinking of dealing Cruz.
NFL Executives Are Taking Notice of Lions Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard reportedly generated significant interest from NFL coaches and executives this offseason as his reputation continues to rise.
Valve's price hike reportedly wipes out 82% of Steam Deck sales as it goes into "near-total collapse"
Things aren't looking great for handhelds.
Eagles' Nick Sirianni Reportedly Facing 'Scrutiny' Next Season
As I've said many times now, the Philadelphia Eagles are an organization that's built on winning.
Patriots make three roster moves ahead of training camp
The Patriots reportedly made a slew of roster moves before the start of training camp.
Pixar reportedly loses 150 jobs in new round of Disney layoffs
Pixar absorbed a large share of Disney’s latest studio layoffs, according to industry reports, even as “Toy Story 5” approaches another major box-office milestone.
Apple Reportedly Planning to Wind Down 'iPhone Upgrade Program'
After launching a new "Apple Upgrade" program next week, Apple plans to stop accepting new iPhone Upgrade Program sign-ups, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. It remains to be seen if existing iPhone Upgrade Program members will be able to remain enrolled in the program beyond their current terms, or if they will be migrated to the Apple Upgrade program at some point.
Apple winding down iPhone Upgrade Program: report
Apple will reportedly launch a new “Apple Upgrade” leasing program next week. As part of that, the company is reportedly...
ESPN to reportedly lay off Tom Pelissero, Karl Ravech
Karl Ravech joined ESPN back in 1993.
Apple Testing 7-Inch Display for Largest 20th Anniversary iPhone Model
Apple is reportedly prototyping a larger iPhone display measuring roughly 6.96 inches, which would likely be marketed as a 7-inch panel if it reaches production. According to Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station, Apple is testing the display internally in preparation for the 20th anniversary iPhone, which is expected to launch next year.
ESPN reportedly lays off analyst Ryan Clark during broadcast of 'NFL Live'
Colossal Biosciences reportedly in talks to raise new capital at $20B–$30B valuation
The de-extinction startup is looking to double or triple its previous valuation, according to the report.
Why ESPN reportedly fired NFL analyst Ryan Clark
Ryan Clark had been with ESPN for 11 years.
Four TWICE Members Reportedly Exploring Departures From JYP Entertainment
Jihyo, Tzuyu, Chaeyoung, and Jeongyeon are all said to be weighing individual agency moves while staying committed to TWICE group activities under a reported "separate but together" model.
Apple's scrapped Mac Pro plans reportedly included a new Intel model
A new report reveals Apple developed two unreleased Mac Pro models before discontinuing the line, including one powered by Intel.
Apple Has Reportedly Started Recording and AI-Summarizing Conversations at the Genius Bar
It's limited in scope; it's opt-in; and managers don't get to see the summaries. Employees are still nervous.
Apple Reportedly Worked on Two 'Extreme' Chips
Apple once developed "M2 Extreme" and "M3 Extreme" chips for the Mac Pro, but it decided not to release them, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He first reported on this topic in 2022, and he touched on it again in his Power On newsletter today. "Extreme" chips would have had twice as many CPU and GPU cores as Apple's "Ultra" chips. "The idea was to offer twice as many graphics and main processing cores as that chip," he said.
Xbox Studio Leaders Reportedly Detest Game Pass, Arguing it Destroyed the Value of Their $40+ Games Now Available for Pennies
Xbox studio heads reportedly detest Game Pass, arguing it devalued their games by making them available for pennies through the subscription.
Some Xbox studio leads reportedly "detest" Game Pass — so why did Xbox push ahead with it? "It felt like a race to zero."
In a new podcast, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier shared thoughts from Xbox Game Studios leaders, who reportedly "detest" Game Pass and its impact on perception of value.
Valve Reportedly Sells 12-15K Steam Machine Units Per Week
When Valve listed its Steam Machine gaming console/PC back in late June, many doubted whether the console would sell due to its high price tag. However, it turns out that Valve's sales data have reportedly been good. Some investigative journalism led to an estimate that Valve is selling anywhere...
Penguins ticket prices reportedly trending down
Attendance across the NHL was up last season to record levels across the board. A rebound year on the ice meant improvements in Pittsburgh to fill the arena to 94% capacity in 2025-26, up from 91.5% in 2024-25. That 94% figure still ranks near the bottom of the league, with only six teams in the […]
Maple Leafs Rielly Reportedly Adds Music City to Trade List
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly reportedly added a Western Conference team to his supposed trade list. The post Maple Leafs Rielly Reportedly Adds Music City to Trade List appeared first on HEAVY.
Mets to Begin Extension Talks with Clay Holmes
With Clay Holmes' return from injury looming, the Mets are reportedly set to begin extension talks with the right-hander in "the coming days."
Pixel 11 reportedly getting ‘improved’ face unlock as 11a said to use Tensor G6
While we wait for the Pixel 11 launch, rumors about the Pixel 11a and even 12a are already emerging. Notably, face unlock...
5 Big Changes Reportedly Coming To The iPad Lineup By 2027
Apple's iPad line-up is slated to get some major changes with its 2027 releases, including upgraded accessories and the long-awaited Siri AI.
Sports without politics is a fantasy and the World Cup proves it
From ancient Greece to Nazi Germany, sport and politics have long been intertwined. Nevertheless, we still imagine that international sport can be kept above the fray and serve as a neutral arena where nations compete on merit alone. In this article, diplomacy scholar Geoffrey Allen Pigman argues the 2026 FIFA World Cup shows this is a dangerous illusion. When international sport is left entirely to revenue-maximizing private bodies like FIFA, it doesn't escape politics, but rather surrenders to its worst expressions. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics fast approaching, the IOC must decide whether to learn that lesson or repeat the same mistakes. The largest and most lucrative FIFA World Cup ever draws toward its climactic conclusion amidst a swirl of controversy. Team members, staff, fans, and spectators have been denied their right to enter the United States to participate, and US President Donald Trump intervened with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to overturn a referee’s call that Trump believed disadvantaged the US national team. It is a moment to step back and reflect on what the purposes of international sport mega-events like the World Cup, and international sport more broadly, are, and what they should be. Does international sport serve public purposes? Is there a public interest? Or is it primarily a private endeavor organized by commercial enterprises to entertain the global public (and generate profit in the process), which is occasionally used by governments and leaders for raisons d’etat? Central to the idea of sport is the principle of fair play, which in the international context demands that games be free from political interference. However, it is impossible to separate sport from politics, all claims to the contrary notwithstanding. The most positive political use of international sport through the millennia has been to facilitate diplomacy. The use of international sport for diplomatic objectives has existed since at least the time of the ancient Olympic Games, around which was instituted the custom of the Ekecheiria, or Olympic Truce, between participating states to facilitate fair competition and diplomatic achievements by ensuring that participants could travel safely to the Olympiad. In his seminal work On Diplomacy (1987), diplomacy scholar James Der Derian characterized the objectives of diplomacy as overcoming alienation and mediating estrangement between governments and between peoples. One increasingly important diplomatic tool in the technology-infused media environment over the past century has been public diplomacy, under which governments and non-state diplomatic actors (e.g. transnational corporations) communicate to global publics about their international policy objectives and to shape their global brand image. Political scientist Michał Kobierecki, in his important book Sports Diplomacy (2020), views sports diplomacy as falling broadly within the ambit of public diplomacy, as international sport intimately involves the participation of global publics as spectators and consumers of global media. Diplomacy scholar Stuart Murray and this author, in a 2013 article, distinguish between international sport used for diplomatic purposes and international sport-as-diplomacy, which encompasses the range of diplomacy that occurs as teams and competitors, spectators and fans, and government officials all converge for international sporting events like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. Diplomacy scholar H.E. Chehabi, in a 2001 article on US-Iran sports diplomacy, describes the interaction between spectators and fans at international sporting events as “people-to-people diplomacy,” in which relationships develop independently of governments and their objectives. Diplomacy by the aforementioned definitions is often unsuccessful. Moreover, all too often the tools of diplomacy may be employed by governments and other actors to thwart or oppose the objectives of diplomacy as characterized by Der Derian. Governments routinely use the tools of public diplomacy to disseminate propaganda, spreading misinformation in the attempt to deceive global publics about their objectives and to create misleading impressions about their brand identity. Within sports diplomacy, the term “sportswashing” has been coined recently to describe how governments invest in and promote international sport to create positive global public impressions of their nations and, in doing so, to distract the global public from their deficient records in areas such as human rights and democratic governance. Murray, in his 2018 book Sports Diplomacy: Origins, Theory and Practice, introduces the concept of sports anti-diplomacy, wherein governments intentionally use international sport to advance aggressive and nationalistic objectives. Obvious historical examples include Hitler’s use of the 1936 Berlin Olympics to glorify his Third Reich and the 1969 El Salvador-Honduras football “war.” SUGGESTED READING The beautiful game made ugly By Emily Ryall FIFA argues that it is and seeks to be apolitical in its stewardship of international Association Football (soccer). FIFA policies governing bids to host the World Cup require uninhibited and non-discriminatory access for players, team staff, and spectators of all participating countries to host nations and venues. It became clear soon after Trump returned to power in the United States in January 2025 that Trump’s political intentions and objectives to limit non-US citizens from living and working in the United States and, in numerous cases, even visiting the country, would collide with FIFA’s host nation policies. Beginning soon after the start of the second Trump administration, US federal authorities imposed restrictions on entry to the United States of citizens of between 20 and 40 countries for any purpose, with only limited exceptions. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began arresting non-US citizens in the United States, including persons with and without legal status, holding them in jails, concentration camps, and other detention facilities until they were deported to their home or third countries, where they faced substantive risks to their personal safety. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, in an effort to ensure the most successful and lucrative World Cup in history, engaged diplomatically with President Trump in an attempt to facilitate entry to the US for World Cup participants. Infantino did all in his power to ingratiate himself with Trump, to the extent of creating a FIFA “Peace Prize,” which he awarded to Trump in December 2025 at a ceremony in the then Trump-controlled John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on the occasion of the World Cup draw. The prize was an ersatz consolation for someone who aspired in vain to win the rather more prestigious and well-known Nobel Peace Prize. And in the run-up to the World Cup, conditions became worse. In February 2026, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a war of aggression against Iran, illegal under international law, under the false pretence that Iran’s government was preparing to attack the United States and Israel. During the US aerial bombardment of Iran, US planes bombed Azadi Stadium, the facility where Iran’s national football team trained. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup began, it was clear that Infantino’s efforts had been for naught: the Trump administration would not adhere to FIFA policies governing access to World Cup host nations. World Cup referee Omar Artan, a citizen of Somalia, was denied a US visa to enter the United States to participate in the World Cup. Trump’s government only granted US visas to Iran’s football team ten days before they were scheduled to arrive for the tournament. Numerous members of the support staff for Iran’s team were denied US visas. Iran’s team, which had been scheduled to train in Arizona, was directed to shift its training site to Tijuana, Mexico, notwithstanding that all three of their group stage matches took place at US venues. The US Department of Homeland Security only permitted the Iranian team to enter the US on the day before each scheduled match and then to return to Mexico immediately after playing. Members of Iraq’s and Switzerland’s football teams were delayed for hours by US officials at the US border, and an Iraqi team photographer was refused entry. Spectators and fans from Haïti and Iran were denied entry to the United States altogether. A large number of fans from a range of countries had their applications for US visas rejected. There were multiple off-ramps through which participants could have avoided the negative consequences of Trump’s decisions for the 2026 World Cup. Once it was clear that the Trump government intended to violate the established expectations for World Cup hosts, FIFA could have shifted the matches scheduled to take place in the United States to Mexico and Canada. The three nations were already designated as co-hosts, and host cities and venues had been selected. Once it was clear that FIFA, governed by FIFA boss Gianni Infantino’s dependent and dysfunctional relationship with Trump, would never consider this option on its own, it fell to the national football federations to act. The national federations, particularly some combination of federations of the leading contenders (France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Morocco, England, Germany, etc.), could have refused to participate under the US-imposed conditions or, at the least, demanded an ironclad agreement with the Trump government that FIFA policies on access would be respected. ___ International sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. ___ Why did neither FIFA nor the national football federations act to protect the interests of players, team staff, referees, fans, and spectators? In essence, the relentless engines of capitalism prevailed over norm observance, ethics, and fair play. The revenue interests of FIFA, sponsors, global media, and host cities won out. FIFA’s managers viewed hosting another World Cup principally in the United States as a veritable pot of gold for FIFA and its collaborators. FIFA has estimated its own revenue over the 2023-26 budget cycle, which includes the 2026 World Cup, at $13 billion, revised up from an initial projection of $11 billion, and 72% higher than the previous revenue cycle. Of that total, FIFA is estimated to have generated $8.9 billion from the Cup itself in revenue from TV rights ($3.92 billion), sponsorships ($2.69 billion), ticket sales ($3.1 billion), licensing rights, and other sources. A joint study by FIFA and the World Trade Organization estimates that the World Cup will contribute over $40 billion to global GDP, including nearly $14 billion in direct visitor spending in the three host countries (but principally in the United States, which hosted the lion’s share of the matches). The FIFA World Cup is now reportedly “the single most lucrative recurring commercial property in global sport.” And yet, notwithstanding the Trump government’s uses of the World Cup for sports anti-diplomacy, and the climate of anxiety that this created for participants and spectators, diplomacy that did not depend upon governments was able to thrive at the World Cup. Examples of successful people-to-people diplomacy were legion, as citizens of towns and cities across the States, as well as in Mexico and Canada, welcomed team members, their families and supporters, to training sites across North America. Fans of different teams joined together in person in stadiums for matches, at watch parties and bars, and at welcome events sponsored by host cities. The joy and camaraderie shared between the citizenry of Boston and Scotland’s “Tartan Army” of fans is but one example of how the “Beautiful Game” brings people together. Friendships forged across continents are likely to endure well beyond the Cup final. Even those achievements cannot be seen as unalloyed, however. As South African football fan Byron Pillay commented to Al Jazeera, “Football is called the Beautiful Game for a reason, for its ability to unite people. But it’s hard to believe in that magic with the politics and war rhetoric off the field of play, especially when one of the tournament hosts is central to that.” Ultimately, the experience of the 2026 FIFA World Cup illustrates that, as international sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. As long as there is the possibility of diplomatic progress in mediating estrangement between governments or between peoples, there is a broad and overarching public interest in international sport. Likewise, as it would be difficult to put on an international sport mega-event without international sporting organizations like FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), global media firms, and companies purchasing sponsorships, public and private interests in international sport must coexist, most likely somewhere on a shifting spectrum between partnership and rivalry or cross purposes. As the World Cup wraps up, the IOC needs to consider its lessons before the scheduled 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if they want to avoid a media-hyped Trump version of the 1936 Berlin Olympiad. The IOC and the National Olympic Committees need to set conditions on and make demands of Trump’s government with clearly articulated consequences for non-compliance, up to and including cancellation of the Games. Time is running out for the IOC, as unlike with the FIFA World Cup, there is no at-the-ready alternate venue for Los Angeles.
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