Matt Damon stars as Odysseus in 'The Odyssey.' (Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures)
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey made an epic debut over the weekend.
The star-studded retelling of Homer's 3,000-year-old epic Greek poem topped the box office with $124.5 million, according to Box Office Mojo. That makes it the third-biggest opening of the year, following Toy Story 5 and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which earned $159 million and $131 million, respectively.
It's also the biggest debut for a Nolan film since 2012's The Dark Knight Rises swooped in with $160 million. But as Varietynotes, The Odyssey's numbers are impressive, since it's rated R, which limits the number of people who can see it.
The film, starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page and more, was the only new debut in the top 10. Last week's #1, Disney's live-action version of Moana, fell to #2 with $19 million. Minions & Monsters tied for third place with Toy Story 5, followed by Evil Dead Burn.
Here are the top 10 movies at the box office:
1. The Odyssey -- $124.5 million 2. Moana -- $19 million 3. Minions & Monsters -- $14.8 million 4. Toy Story 5 -- $14.8 million 5. Evil Dead Burn -- $5 million 6. The Invite -- $3.9 million 7. Young Washington -- $3.7 million 8. Obsession -- $2.5 million 9. Supergirl -- $1.53 million 10. Disclosure Day -- $1.45 million
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said the team needs to work to restore George Russell’s confidence after the British driver blamed a lack of speed for the collision that ended his Belgian Grand Prix and damaged his Formula 1 title chances.
Russell was trying to retake fourth place from Lewis Hamilton around the outside when the Ferrari driver clipped his rear wheel and sent him spinning into the gravel trap, putting him out of the race on the first lap.
In an expletive-filled message to Mercedes over the radio, Russell directed the blame at the car, not Hamilton, saying it was “unacceptable” he’d had a dramatic loss of speed on the previous straight, dropping him from third to fifth behind Hamilton.
“It was a new problem but it wasn’t only on George’s side. Instead, it affected all the Mercedes engines, some more, some less, and Kimi (Antonelli) too,” Wolff told Sky Sport Germany, suggesting a software problem was to blame.
“We have an engine that’s incredibly strong, a car that is fast but simply not stable enough and we need to get on top of that because we’re losing valuable points in the constructors’ championship.”
Wolff added: “We just need to try to make the best possible equipment available for him. That’s not just a fast car and a good engine but something that holds up and gives him confidence in the car again.”
Antonelli went on to win the race, doubling his advantage over Russell to 50 points. Russell is now third in the standings, five points behind Hamilton, who got a five-second penalty for causing their collision.
“Car crossed over right in front of me,” Hamilton said, adding he’d lacked front-end grip to avoid the collision because he was following another car closely.
Russell has been struggling to match Antonelli’s pace in recent races and, even before Sunday’s race, had suggested an issue with the Mercedes car may be holding him back after he lost out in straight-line speed to Antonelli in qualifying.
Russell told Sky Sports he had “no words at the moment” after the incident, when asked about the impact on the title race.
“The incident shouldn’t have happened if I had the speed down the straight,” he said.
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves optioned right-hander Owen Murphy to Triple-A Gwinnett and selected the contract of veteran right-hander Elieser Hernández before Sunday’s game against the Texas Rangers.
Murphy, 22, allowed three runs, two earned, in 2 2/3 innings in Saturday’s 7-6 loss to the Rangers in his first major league start.
Braves manager Walt Weiss said Murphy “threw fine” but “left some pitches over the plate. It was more about execution than anything else.”
Hernández, 31, last pitched in the majors in 2024, when he compiled a combined 6.32 ERA in nine games for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers. In six seasons, Hernández is 10-22 with a 5.10 ERA in 99 games, including 49 starts.
Weiss acknowledged the Braves have some important decisions to make regarding their pitching staff before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Left-hander Martín Pérez, who has been on the injured list since July 6 with a left forearm contusion, threw in the bullpen on Sunday. Right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver may be close to completing his rehabilitation following right elbow surgery.
Weiss said Saturday that Pérez “is on the radar” and close to coming off the IL. Weiss said Smith Shawver “will be in the conversation” after throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings in his last start for Gwinnett.
“We need to take a step forward with our starting pitching,” Weiss said. “The guys have done it. They’ve been good this year, especially early on for a few months. So it’s certainly in there. But yeah, we’ve got to put together some good starts.”
The Braves’ lineup also could receive a boost within a few days. Ronald Acuña Jr. (strained left hamstring) could be close to coming off the injured list as he continues his rehab at Gwinnett.
HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña and first baseman Christian Walker were out of Sunday’s starting lineup against the Baltimore Orioles because of injuries.
“Hopefully this is something that is probably only going to take a day or two,” manager Joe Espada said. “They’re going through some baseball right now. Hopefully they can be available.”
Peña left Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles after suffering a right hamstring cramp during his at-bat in the third inning. It was the second time this season a hamstring cramp has forced him out of a game.
Walker left during his fourth-inning at-bat with right hip tightness.
Peña is batting .295 with six home runs and 22 RBIs this season, but two injury list trips have limited him to just 53 games. He missed more than a month after suffering a right hamstring strain on April 11, and a left calf strain sidelined him again earlier this month.
Walker is batting .234 with 20 home runs and 58 RBIs this season.
Ronel Blanco set to start on Monday
Also, right-hander Ronel Blanco will make his return from Tommy John surgery and start Monday’s game against the Miami Marlins.
Blanco was 3-4 with a 4.10 ERA in nine starts last season before undergoing surgery in June. In his first full season as a starter in 2024, he finished 13-6 with a 2.80 ERA, second best in the American League.
The Astros hope Blanco’s return can boost a rotation that entered Sunday with a 5.18 ERA, third worst in Major League baseball. He allowed two earned runs over 17 innings in five minor league rehab appearances.
“He feels good. His stuff looked really good in his (rehab) outings. Excited to have him back,” Espada said.
ATLANTA (AP) — After returning from an oblique injury that kept him sidelined for nearly a month, Braves catcher Drake Baldwin said he found himself desperate for a hit.
On Sunday, in the finale of the Braves’ three-game home series against the Texas Rangers, Baldwin had no problems making contact. The catcher was a career-best 5 for 5 at the plate and homered twice in Atlanta’s 8-5 win.
“Baldwin, he’s back. He’s back to form. I think it’s official now,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said after the game. “He was on an MVP-type trajectory before he got hurt, and he’s looking like that again.”
In the Braves’ first games back from the All-Star break, the club clinched its 21st series — tying its total from the 2025 season.
Baldwin spent his days off as the National League’s starting catcher in his first All-Star game. Third baseman Austin Riley’s break looked a little different, but it proved just as efficient in being the reset he needed to get back on track.
“I actually didn’t do anything over the break. Just more of a mental break. … Went home, hung out with my family, chased my boys around,” Riley said after his first two-homer outing since April 17. “After a couple of days off, coming back and just kind of a little recharged, it’s nice to see that we’re kind of firing on all cylinders with the offense there.”
On Sunday, Riley homered twice and had four RBIs, including a clutch two-run single in the seventh inning to put the Braves up 6-3. Weiss said it’s hard not to root for a player, teammate and person like Riley.
“That’s a great sight to see Riley swinging the bat like that,” Weiss said. “He’s been taking better swings lately, and he’s hit the ball really hard. … He’s shown some really good signs, and that’ll be huge for us.”
After a difficult June, Weiss hopes a series victory against the AL West-leading Rangers is enough for his team to turn the page. The Braves have a three-game lead over second-place Philadelphia in the NL East.
“Our team had a rough June, but we’ve come out the other side still in first place, and we’re playing better now,” the first-year Braves manager said. “Those things are deposits in the bank as far as your mental toughness and being battle-tested — as long as you come out the other side, and I think we have.”
HOUSTON (AP) — Baltimore Orioles All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman missed Sunday’s 4-2 win over the Houston Astros with left wrist discomfort, and his replacement, Samuel Basallo, left in the second inning because of right shoulder discomfort.
Manager Craig Albernaz did not disclose how Rutschman injured his wrist or how long he might be out, only that he wanted to avoid playing him on Sunday.
Rutschman is batting .251 with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in 67 games this season. He was named to his third American League All-Star team.
After catching the bottom of first inning, Basallo grounded out to first base to begin the second.
“It’s just been a lingering thing, and obviously, it just aggravated today,” Albernaz said.
Sam Huff, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Norfolk before the game, replaced Basallo behind the plate and was 0 for 3 with a walk.
Basallo, 21, is batting .241 with 16 home runs and 46 RBIs in his first full major league season.
The Orioles won their seventh straight game on Sunday, matching their longest winning streak since 2023.
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — Kimi Antonelli always believed he had the momentum in the Formula 1 title race even when results didn’t go his way. He made it count with a dominant win Sunday as his teammate and title rival George Russell failed to finish.
Antonelli saw off a challenge from Charles Leclerc to get back to winning ways at the Belgian Grand Prix after reliability issues had allowed Russell to whittle down his lead in recent weeks. Russell was left fuming in a gravel trap at his Mercedes car’s shortcomings.
Antonelli started on pole but lost the lead to Leclerc when a virtual safety car slowdown allowed the Ferrari driver to save time during his pit stop.
Antonelli sped back past Leclerc with 10 laps remaining and cruised from there to his sixth win of the season — and his F1 career — and first since last month’s Monaco Grand Prix. It gives him a 45-point overall lead after recent reliability problems and keeps the 19-year-old firmly on target to become F1’s youngest-ever champion.
“The momentum has always been there despite what happened in the previous races, and that’s why you just need to take one weekend at a time, because you never know what can happen,” Antonelli said. “With these new cars, new regs, there’s so much going on and so much unpredictable.”
With six wins, Antonelli is now joint-second all time among Italian F1 drivers, behind only Alberto Ascari, a 13-time Grand Prix winner and two-time champion in the early 1950s. In a marker-pen message on a champagne bottle, Antonelli dedicated the win to his father, former sportscar racer Marco Antonelli, whose birthday was on Saturday.
Leclerc strong again
Leclerc was second after avoiding a penalty for a collision which damaged Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, and Max Verstappen was third after briefly taking, then losing, the lead from Antonelli on a hectic opening lap.
The Italian stretched his standings lead after Russell was left stuck in the gravel on the first lap after he was pushed into a spin by Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
Antonelli went into the race with a 25-point lead over Russell after recent reliability issues for the Italian had cut his advantage. That has now nearly doubled. Antonelli will leave Belgium with a 45-point gap over Hamilton, who moved up to second, and is 50 ahead of Russell.
In a sign of tension at Mercedes after a heavy blow to his title chances, Russell seemed to blame his car, rather than Hamilton, for the incident. Russell said the incident wouldn’t have happened if his car hadn’t lost speed on the straight into the corner, dropping him behind Hamilton. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff suggested it was a software problem affecting multiple cars with Mercedes engines.
Hamilton not at fault after crew member struck
Hamilton was fourth for Ferrari after an eventful race including a five-second penalty for colliding with Russell, verbal spats with Ferrari over strategy and car setups over the radio, and knocking over a Ferrari mechanic as his car started to leave the pits.
Hamilton immediately asked after the team member’s health and was told he was OK. A post-race inquiry by the stewards found Hamilton was “in no respect at fault” and fined Ferrari 30,000 euros ($34,300), with 10,000 euros of that suspended for a year.
Oscar Piastri was fifth for McLaren and Isack Hadjar was a strong sixth for Red Bull despite starting at the back of the field because of a penalty.
Lando Norris started 13th for McLaren thanks to a grid penalty but sliced through the field and even briefly led the race when others pitted. A pit stop delay dropped him back but he still finished seventh.
Gabriel Bortoleto placed eighth for Audi, Arvid Lindblad ninth for Racing Bulls and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto took the final point in 10th.
SOUTHPORT, England (AP) — The image of Scottie Scheffler at Royal Birkdale might be the world’s No. 1 player missing one birdie chance after another to waste a great week from tee-to-green in the British Open.
All he could think about Sunday when he finished were the bounces that didn’t go his way.
Scheffler managed to stay in the game until the very end and capitalized on a huge break — which followed another unfortunate bounce — with a birdie on the par-5 17th hole. Needing birdie to have any chance of a playoff, he missed a putt from off the green, missed the par putt that followed and settled for a 3-under 67 to tie for fourth behind Ryan Fox.
“I guess it just wasn’t my week,” said Scheffler, who had top 4-finishes in three of the four majors.
Scheffler, who began the final round six shots out of the lead, quickly made up ground with three birdies in five holes — as many birdies as he had made in the previous two rounds combined. And when he holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the 12th, he was at 8 under and closing.
And then he was chasing after a few frustrating bounces.
His tee shot right of the fairway on the 13th headed for the wispy grass but wound up in a deep hole, leaving him no chance but to advance it about 5 feet. Scheffler did well to make an 8-foot putt to escape with bogey.
Scheffler thought his drive was ideal on the par-5 14th until it bounced just enough to the left to catch a pot bunker, leaving him no shot at the green. A potential birdie turned into par.
“That stuff hurts,” he said. “My ball on 13 goes into that hole. It wasn’t my best tee shot, but it was a time where I needed to be aggressive, and I saw some good stuff happening with guys that hit the ball over there the last few days, and it didn’t happen for me today. Just those little bounces.
“My ball on 14 I think is in the fairway, I come up there, it’s in the pot bunker,” he said. “Little stuff like that over the course of the week tends to add up.”
His frustration boiled over on the par-5 17th when his tee shot moving left-to-right looked as though it would kick into the fairway leaving him a shot at the green. But it bounced left and stayed in the rough in front of a steep mound.
“WHY?” Scheffler screamed at himself. “Why does this happen?”
Welcome to links golf, which he conquered a year ago at Royal Portrush.
Remarkably, the bad bounce led to birdie. He tried to go over the mound and the ball went so far to the left that he figured it was never to be found, He hit a provisional for a lost ball, and that wasn’t much better, And then luck seemed to finally show up.
The entire area near a massive hospitality structure was deemed a temporary immovable obstruction. Spectators said they saw the ball disappear into gorse and rough. A security guard and NBC reporter John Wood began searching.
But once a golf ball has been identified going into the TIO, it does not have to be found.
“We tried to figure it out. I said: ‘If I find it, does that help me? Can I drop it since that would be about 50 yards closer to the hole?’” Scheffler said about his conversation with the rules official. “He said, ‘Yes, you can then use that spot, but you might have to go to the other side of the TIO.’ I didn’t know exactly where that would be, and that’s not a great angle coming across there. So I decided to drop the search.”
Scheffler received a free drop 94 yards away on a baked, dusty lie. He hit wedge to 10 feet and made birdie.
The hope didn’t last long, and he walked off the 18th green knowing he would not get his hands on the claret jug he won last year, and it would be eight-plus months before the next major.
“I felt like this was a week I played a lot better than my score,” Scheffler said. “Thirteen and 14 really hurt, not being able to advance the ball. I feel good that I could compete when things weren’t going my way.”
Padraig Harrington remains the last player to win back-to-back in the British Open, in 2007 and 2008. It’s the longest such stretch in the majors. And now it falls to Fox near year at St. Andrews.
Oklahoma City traded starting forward and defensive standout Lu Dort to Atlanta as part of a three-team deal that also had the Hawks sending former No. 1 draft pick Zaccharie Risacher to Dallas.
Atlanta also will receive Ryan Nembhard from Dallas and the Thunder will be getting three heavily protected second-round draft picks. The NBA signed off on the trade Sunday.
The trade allows the Thunder to shed the salary needed to get below the second apron, gives the Hawks another top defender in Dort and gives the Mavericks a third No. 1 overall pick — the most currently on one roster in the NBA. Risacher will be joining 2011 top pick Kyrie Irving and 2025 top pick Cooper Flagg in Dallas.
Dort averaged 11.6 points over his first seven seasons, all with the Thunder. Risacher — a runner-up for rookie of the year in 2024-25 — averaged 11.1 points in two seasons with Atlanta and Nembhard averaged 6.6 points for Dallas as a rookie this past season.
Spain players, from left, cheer alongside President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the conclusion of the World Cup championship final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — President Donald Trump presented the World Cup trophy to Spain, the winner of Sunday’s final against Argentina. But to him, the real victor of soccer’s premier tournament just might be the United States.
“It turned out we were a soccer country, and I think it’s going to remain,” Trump said Friday at a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York City. “This has really brought the world together.”
For the White House, Sunday’s match was the culmination of well over a year of navigating a litany of logistical challenges alongside co-hosts Canada and Mexico for what would be the biggest World Cup in history. It had to balance the Trump administration’s hard-line migration policies that barred fans from some World Cup qualifier countries from entry into the United States.
Spain won the tournament with a 1-0 victory over defending champion Argentina.
After Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented them with the trophy, Trump stood alongside the team as they jumped up and down and gold confetti shot out of a cannon.
Later, speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews, Trump said he took pride in the country’s success as a host, adding that “all over the world, people have come and they love our country.” He described the final as a close and exciting match, praising Spain for a dominant performance.
He arrived at Sunday’s final with a flyover in the presidential helicopter, Marine One. Before the game even kicked off, Trump was already proposing another U.S. bid to host the tournament, sending a nudge to Infantino.
“I had a great idea for Gianni: You have to do two countries. Announce us again next time, and then announce another country after that. It’ll take out some of the anger and the shock,” Trump said on Fox Sports. “Based on the numbers, we will be requesting it again immediately.”
The president declined to pick sides in the final but said it would be difficult to beat Argentine superstar Lionel Messi. Trump got a close look at the World Cup trophy when it was presented to him at his box seat during the first half. Video footage showed the president smiling and patting the gold trophy as it was held up to him. Also in the box were first lady Melania Trump and Infantino, among others.
Soccer fans enjoy US culture despite warnings
The White House faced warnings from human rights groups, and the tournament confronted backlash over high ticket prices. For months, Trump flirted with the idea of moving games out of cities that did not cooperate with federal immigration authorities, and in the weeks before the tournament’s start, local authorities sparred with FIFA over high transit costs, heightening tensions even more.
As the first games were preparing to begin, the administration continued to find itself under global scrutiny for its visa decisions, such as denying entry to a referee from Somalia who had won accolades for his officiating. The pressure increased after Trump launched a war with Iran, leaving the administration to grapple with an Iranian team whose fans and some supporting personnel were barred from the U.S, and that ultimately was based across the border in Tijuana.
But the broader story of the World Cup eventually shifted. Social media was flooded with tales of soccer fans from around the world enjoying the treats and traditions of the U.S., from beer to ranch dressing. Some fears about the Trump administration that circulated beforehand, such as the threat of immigration enforcement raids near the games, never materialized.
“One of the things that we talked about beforehand was, if we’re talking about what happened on the pitch, then we’ve done our job,” Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, said in an interview with The Associated Press. “But I think it’s even better than that. We’re not just talking about only the incredible, athletic feats on the pitch, but we’re talking about all these incredible, incredible cultural moments.”
Still, Trump did create controversy with a phone call he made to Infantino earlier this month in which he asked for a review of a controversial referee call in Team USA’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The referee gave a red card to U.S. star forward Folarin Balogun, meaning he wouldn’t be able to play in the subsequent match against Belgium.
Trump says he simply asked Infantino, who has cozied up to the U.S. president and faced backlash for doing so, to review the call. FIFA then reversed the call, and Trump told Infantino at the FIFA reception on Friday that “you made another great decision, if you think about it,” because it allowed the U.S. to keep a key player on the field even though the team lost the match to Belgium 4-1.
Giuliani said the administration had a “duty” to ask questions and raise concerns about the officiating process, which drew scrutiny because of the use of video review and slow-motion replay to issue the red card. He noted that the Trump administration invested billions in federal funding to ensure that the World Cup was “not just a safe and secure event, not just where we welcomed the world, but an event that was filled with integrity.”
More global sporting events coming to the US
The Trump administration was under considerable pressure to pull off a successful World Cup tournament because the U.S. will soon host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
The U.S. is also largely expected to be awarded the 2031 Women’s World Cup, although Giuliani said in the AP interview that part of getting those hosting duties will be “ensuring that, in fact, women and only women will play in that 2031 Women’s World Cup” — an allusion to the Trump administration’s fierce opposition to transgender women participating in women’s sports.
The U.S. faced broader tensions with its World Cup co-hosts of Canada and Mexico. Trump announced stiff tariffs on both countries in his return to the White House, and he has chosen not to renew a trade pact among the three countries, setting up a new period of negotiations.
On Friday, Trump threatened to tariff Canada over its wildfires, which have hurt air quality in parts of the U.S., including northern New Jersey where the World Cup final is being held. He joked on Friday that FIFA should choose the U.S. for the World Cup soon again, and “this time, we’ll leave Mexico and Canada out.”
Still, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the final at Trump’s request, in a sign that soccer can overcome some geopolitical tensions.
Trump, as is generally customary for heads of state hosting the tournament, presented the trophy to the eventual winner. But he didn’t tip his hand beforehand about whether he had a preferred team.
Spain is a known irritant to Trump, with its reticence to meet NATO defense spending goals and its refusal to let the U.S. launch strikes against Iran from its bases. Meanwhile, Argentine President Javier Milei is a favorite of the Trump administration, with the U.S. president going as far as to threaten to cut aid to the country if Milei’s coalition didn’t prevail in legislative elections.
Spain’s King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attended the game, although Milei — citing superstition — stayed home.
___ See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
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Kim reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti in Washington contributed to this report.
Health workers tend to an Ebola patient at the Rwampara Treatment Center in Ituri, Congo, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)BUNIA, Congo (AP) — At least 930 people have died in Congo’s Ebola outbreak, the country’s Ministry of Health said Monday, with 37 new deaths recorded in a 24-hour span Friday into Saturday, one of the highest totals.
The deaths were recorded out of the 2,344 cases confirmed as of Saturday, the health ministry said.
The Ebola outbreak that was declared in eastern Congo on May 15 is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record. The Bundibugyo virus responsible for the outbreak is less common than others that cause Ebola disease, and there is no approved vaccine or treatment.
Ebola is highly contagious and can be transmitted to people from wild animals. It spreads in the human population through contact with bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen, and with contaminated surfaces and materials such as bedding and clothing. The disease is rare but severe and often fatal.
The surge in deaths comes as safety fears have restricted the response in the worst-affected province of Ituri. A total of five provinces have been affected, all in the eastern region where rebel violence is rampant.
At least 12 attacks — mostly fueled by skepticism and rumors — have been recorded against health facilities and teams since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, authorities said Saturday. Many health workers meanwhile have walked off their jobs as they protest lack of payment.
At least 36 health workers infected with the virus have died.
The World Health Organization last week expressed concerns that 80% of new Ebola cases were emerging from unknown chains of transmission, a sign the outbreak is spreading faster than health officials can track despite an expanding response.
Congo’s Health Ministry said in its latest update that 724 patients are currently in isolation and in hospitals, and that it is intensifying response efforts in affected health zones.
“Patient care and support capacities are consolidating, with 22 new recoveries recorded in 24 hours,” the ministry said.
Vehicles drive past a monument depicting the clenched fist of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the U.S. and Israel strike on Feb. 28, in Islamic Revolution Square in Tehran, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States conducted a new round of airstrikes early Monday targeting Iran after announcing the death of another American service member, hitting around a northwestern city believed to be home to underground missile bases. Iran responded by launching an attack targeting Bahrain, the home of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, and Kuwait.
The latest attacks again showed how, step by step, the U.S. and Iran have inched closer to all-out war as last month’s interim deal meant to permanently end the fighting has crumbled and shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled. Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people.
Meanwhile, benchmark Brent crude rose Monday above $90 a barrel, further fueling a global energy crisis sparked by the conflict. An average gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. also rose to $4, a key metric for Americans that puts more pressure on their wallets ahead of midterm elections this fall.
The U.S. military said the service member was killed in Iraq on Saturday during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone.
“We hit them very hard again tonight,” U.S. President Donald Trump said. “And we did that in honor of the” soldiers killed, he said.
US launches ninth night of Iran strikes
The U.S. military’s Central Command announced a new round of strikes early Monday, now into their ninth straight night. Central Command said it targeted “Iranian military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and communications networks.”
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that the American strikes killed at least one person around Tabriz, a northwestern city about 520 kilometers (325 miles) from the capital, Tehran. Tabriz is believed to host underground missile bases run by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
U.S. strikes likely also hit Bandar Imam Khomeini in Khuzestan province, Sirik and Jask in Hormozgan province and Konarak and Chahbahar in Sistan and Baluchistan province, IRNA reported.
As the strikes began, a vessel caught fire early Monday in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile near the coastline of Oman, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. The crew abandoned the vessel, which was adrift and still ablaze hours later, the UKMTO said.
The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran’s control. The Guard later claimed it was targeting tankers in the strait.
Tehran has retaliated by hitting U.S.-allied countries throughout the Middle East. Bahrain sounded its missile alert sirens Monday morning, while Kuwait said its air defense were firing at an incoming Iranian barrage.
The Strait of Hormuz remains key to the conflict
Trump has threatened to target Iran’s power stations and bridges to try to compel Tehran to loosen its hold on the Strait of Hormuz, which saw one-fifth of traded global oil supplies transit before the war. Recent attacks suggest the U.S. military is carrying out that plan.
The U.S. in the past week reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt its shipments of crude oil. The military on Saturday said it had redirected six ships and disabled one since then.
The halfway point has passed in the 60 days the deal set out to negotiate the permanent end of the war and other issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the U.S. is still open to negotiating with Iran but that “it has to be real.”
“We’re going to continue to respond. If the door opens to diplomacy — if the guys that want to do something productive for Iran win and take control of that system, or take control of the negotiations — that’ll be a very positive development,” Rubio said. “That’s not where we are tonight, unfortunately.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei hours later acknowledged that “proposals conveyed through mediators have been communicated to us,” but he declined to elaborate on their substance.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, a former Iranian foreign minister who helped elect the country’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, acknowledged in an essay published Monday by Foreign Policy that the interim “deal could never survive such dissonance” over the Strait of Hormuz.
“As the current conflict makes clear, Washington cannot eliminate the Iranian government,” Zarif wrote. “Only diplomacy, a new peace agreement, and a new security framework produced by regional states and for regional states will allow the United States to turn its attention elsewhere.”
However, Zarif did warn the country’s theocracy that “if Iran repeatedly threatens maritime traffic, it could turn much of the world against it.”
Iranian authorities on Sunday said at least 50 people have been killed and 517 wounded in the latest rounds of U.S. strikes. Since the war began on Feb. 28, 17 U.S. service members have been killed.
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Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.
BRYAN, Texas (AP) — A rising professional boxer who was riding her bicycle along a rural Texas road died after officials say a motorist drove by her, stopped and then reversed into her.
Hannah Rapp, 26, was riding with another person Saturday morning when she was hit, the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. Rescue workers responded and took her to a nearby hospital, where she died, officials said. The area is located about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Houston.
World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaimán Saldivar said in a statement that the entire international boxing community is mourning Rapp’s loss.
“She was an exceptional fighter, but above all, an invaluable member of our boxing family,” Sulaimán said. “We join in the grief that overwhelms her loved ones, her team, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and supporting her throughout her brilliant career.”
Rapp grew up in Yorktown, Indiana, and graduated from Purdue University in 2022. She moved to Texas in 2024 to take a job as a fire and life safety inspector at Texas A&M. At the same time, Rapp was training to be a professional boxer, achieving a record of 8-0-1. Rapp challenged Tiara Brown last month in Orlando, Florida, for the WBC women’s featherweight title but lost by unanimous decision.
According to the sheriff’s office, Charles Medina, 31, had passed Rapp and the other cyclist in his vehicle before stopping, reversing and striking Rapp. Investigators didn’t immediately offer a motive.
Medina was arrested and charged with manslaughter. He was being held Sunday on $250,000 bail. Jail and court records didn’t list an attorney for him.
Defaults on student loans have surged across the United States, reaching record levels as borrowers struggle to keep up with payments.
The numbers have spiked since payments came due again following a lengthy pause intended to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, around 9.5 million people — 1 in 5 federal student loan borrowers — are in default, meaning they are more than nine months behind on their payments.
While credit scores can suffer when borrowers are just a few months behind, entering default brings the possibility of more serious consequences, including garnished wages or Social Security payments. For now, the Trump administration has held off on such involuntary collections.
Despair is on the rise, advocates say.
“Folks are struggling to make ends meet and cover all the rising costs of everything else. The growing student loan bills are making things worse and folks are falling behind,” said Aissa Canchola Bañez, policy director for the advocacy group Protect Borrowers.
Here are some takeaways from an Associated Press analysis of student loan defaults.
Why a record number of people are in default now
The U.S. Education Department allowed borrowers to suspend federal student loan payments during the economic tumult of the pandemic. Though payments technically started coming due again in 2023, the Biden administration provided a one-year buffer period that ended in the fall of 2024.
Loans couldn’t enter default during this time, and federal programs designed to help delinquent borrowers and debt forgiveness initiatives brought millions out of default.
Starting in June 2025, with the pause having ended nine months prior, borrowers began defaulting again for the first time since the pandemic.
Since then, the number of defaulted borrowers has exploded from 5.3 million to around 9.5 million, according to data from the Office of Federal Student Aid. Out of $1.7 trillion in federally backed student loans nationwide, $233.3 billion is in default.
Another wave of defaults could be on the way. The Trump administration has eliminated the most generous income-driven repayment plan, Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, as part of its overhaul of the federal student loan system. The millions of borrowers who had been enrolled in SAVE now will face the strain of paying more each month.
Starting this month, new borrowers pick between one standard repayment plan and one income-driven option, as opposed to having several options. The Education Department has described the changes as a simplification of a “fragmented and confusing” system.
Many of the states with the most defaults are in the South
Many of the states with the highest concentrations of defaulted borrowers are in the South, an AP analysis found.
Mississippi has the nation’s highest default rate at 28.3%, and others near the top include Louisiana, Alabama, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Georgia, South Carolina and Texas. Rounding out the 15 states with the highest default rates are Alaska, Arizona, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico and Nevada.
Of those states, New Mexico was the only one Republican President Donald Trump didn’t win in 2024.
“These are folks who live in states that President Trump won in the previous election,” Bañez said. “And why I bring that up is, you know, there’s a lot of misconceptions and tropes about who student loan borrowers are, and who are the ones who are falling behind.”
She said many are “working-class folks who just cannot keep up with these bills on top of everything else.”
Meanwhile, the territory of Puerto Rico had a 30.9% default rate, higher than any of the states.
Borrowers who attended for-profit schools struggle more to repay loans
Students who attended for-profit colleges struggle more than others to pay back their loans. Thirty-three percent of those borrowers were 90 days or more behind on their student loan payments, a rate more than double that of borrowers who attended public schools, according to data by the Office of Federal Student Aid released this year to help schools understand and identify default risks.
Out of the schools in the top quarter for nonpayment rates, 76% were for-profit schools.
The FSA argues that a high nonpayment rate represents a “serious risk” of developing a high default rate.
An association for private trade schools and career colleges is so concerned it has created a task force to reach out to students about the importance of loan repayment.
Jason Altmire, the head of the group, Career Education Colleges and Universities, said some of it can be chalked up to the pandemic. Other borrowers are confused over the Biden administration’s failed loan forgiveness effort. Still, he said the issue will be discussed at the association’s summer convention.
“We take it seriously,” he said. “It’s a real problem.”
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The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
TYLER – Many Tyler residents arrived at the Glass Recreation Center on Sunday afternoon to show their support for the city’s new mayor, Stuart Hene, who held the event to show his gratitude for those who supported him during his campaign. According to our news partner KETK, those who supported Hene throughout his campaign had the opportunity to congratulate him in person and celebrate the beginning of a new chapter for Tyler’s government.
During the event, Hene spoke about his desire to remain approachable to community members as he begins his tenure in this new position. “I want to maintain as much accountability and as much exposure as possible,” Hene said. “I l felt like I did a good job doing that while on council and it will be something I will maintain as mayor.”
Smith County Republican Party Chairman David Stein attended the event and he expressed his optimism for Hene beginning his tenure and the positive changes he will make to Tyler.
Just a month into his first term as mayor, Hene said he and his team will continue to build off the momentum they have built over the past months as they begin to serve the people of Tyler.
LONGVIEW – Hundreds of comic book enthusiasts and superhero fans gathered at the Longview Exhibit Center over the weekend for the annual East Texas Comic Con. The event, which ran from Saturday afternoon to Sunday evening, included several special guests, including famous voice actors Vic Mignogna and Michael Sorich, as well as former Power Ranger Karan Ashley.
Many vendors from across the country were also at the event selling comic books, merchandise and trading cards. A cosplay competition was also held, giving attendees the opportunity to dress like their favorite superhero or villain. The director of this year’s East Texas Comic Con, Javier Torres, spoke about what makes the event unique for those who attended.
“We serve as a gathering place for different fans of different things where they can meet and interact with people who may have the same interest as they do and may not have met otherwise,” Torres said.
This was the third year in a row the event was held in Longview and Torres said the city plans to host next year’s East Texas Comic Con as well.
CEDAR CREEK LAKE – A petition created by nonprofit ‘Save Cedar Creek Lake’ has gathered over 2,500 signatures in an attempt to save the East Texas lake from data centers. ‘Save Cedar Creek Lake’ is a local non-profit that’s aiming to stop a planned data center from being built near the Key Ranch Estates on Cedar Creek Lake in Henderson County. Their new petition is just the latest step they’ve taken towards stopping data center plans near the lake.
According to the nonprofit’s website and our news partner KETK, the petition, it’s signatures and the following demands will be sent to the respective organizations:
“Henderson County Commissioners Court: Deny any Chapter 312 tax abatement for a hyperscale data center, and oppose every related TCEQ permit application during public comment.”
“Lake-area school & hospital districts: Deny any Chapter 403 / school-district value-limitation agreement that would shift facility costs away from the developer.”
“Texas Legislature: Grant Texas counties limited siting authority over hyperscale water-using facilities, or set state-level setback, water-use, and noise standards directly.”
“TCEQ: Condition every water-rights, wastewater, air, and noise permit on closed-loop cooling, a 55-dB property-line standard, and minimum 10-mile setbacks from homes, schools, and the lake shoreline.
“Tarrant Regional Water District & PUC of Texas: Condition raw-water supply contracts to require closed-loop cooling; require developers to pay 100% of the cost of new transmission and substations rather than socializing those costs to ratepayers.” Continue reading 2K signatures against data center
LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) – Two East Texas football coaches were inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association’s Hall of Honor on Saturday, after making their mark in East Texas’ legendary football history.
Longview Lobos head football coach John King was inducted into the Hall of Honor on Saturday along with former Marshall High School head coach Dennis Parker.
King has served as the Lobos head coach since 2004 and has led the team to 17 district titles and the 6A State Championship title in 2018. In his time as the Lobos head coach, King has earned a record of 240-52, the best record of any coach in the school’s history.
King has also served as the president of the Texas High School Coaches Association and as one of their board members. King coached his son Haynes in 2018 when the Lobos won the 6A state championship. Haynes went on to play quarterback for the Texas A&M Aggies, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and is now with the Carolina Panthers.
Parker’s over 50 years in coaching started in 1972 and included a stint with Marshall High School where he coached the Mavericks to victory in the 1990 6A State Championship game. Parker also saw championship success with Converse Judson High School, and earned the distinction of becoming the youngest head coach of a 5A Texas football team at just 24-years-old.
“Known for his ‘Coaching to Change Lives’ philosophy, Parker’s lasting legacy lies in his commitment to character development, mentorship, and the profound impact of coaching on young lives,” the Texas High School Coaches Association said of Parker.
To learn more about the Hall of Honor, visit the Texas High School Coaches Association online.
Ferran Torres of Spain celebrates scoring his team's first goal against Argentina during the FIFA World Cup 2026 final match, July 19, 2026, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (David Ramos/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) -- Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, beating defending champions Argentina and soccer legend Lionel Messi in a thrilling, extra-time match in front of more than 70,000 boisterous fans in New Jersey.
Following a scoreless 98 minutes of normal time, Spain thundered to a 1-0 victory in extra time on a goal scored by Ferran Torres in the 105th minute of the contest.
The victory becomes Spain’s second World Cup title, its first since 2010.
President Donald Trump, who attended the match at New York New Jersey Stadium, MetLife Stadium, in East Rutherford, is expected to present the 18-karat gold World Cup trophy to the winners.
Spain’s victory capped a tournament that began on June 11 with 48 teams and was hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Sunday’s event featured the World Cup's first-ever halftime show with headliners Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, BTS and the Muppets performing.
This will likely be the final World Cup for Argentina's superstar forward Lionel Messi, whose legendary career spans two decades. Messi and Argentina were vying to repeat their 2022 World Cup win over France.
ATLANTA — — Austin Riley and Drake Baldwin each hit two home runs and the Atlanta Braves beat the Texas Rangers 8-5 on Sunday to win the three-game series in a matchup of first-place teams.
Baldwin had a career-high five hits and became the first Braves catcher to hit two homers in a game since Johnny Estrada on May 15, 2004. Riley had three hits and drove in four runs.
The NL East-leading Braves took two of three from the AL West-leading Rangers. The Braves claimed their 21st series of the season, matching their total from 2025.
Wyatt Langford had three hits for Texas, including a homer in the ninth off Braves closer Raisel Iglesias.
Riley, who entered the All-Star break hitting only .207 with nine homers, had three homers in the series. He raised his average to .217 with the three hits, including a two-run single in the seventh. He also went deep in the Braves’ 15-1 win in the series opener Friday night.
Riley homered in each of his first two at-bats against Nathan Eovaldi (9-8). Eovaldi, who allowed four runs in four innings, has given up 22 homers this season, the third-highest total in his 15 seasons in the majors. He allowed 23 homers in 2016 and 2024.
Grant Holmes (6-4) allowed three runs in five innings. The Braves led 4-0 before Texas scored three runs in the fifth. Langford had a run-scoring double in the inning.
Up next
Rangers: Two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom (7-5, 3.49 ERA), who missed his last start before the All-Star break with a mild left glute strain, will return for Monday night’s home opener of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox.
Braves: RHP Bryce Elder (5-6, 4.12) will start against San Diego LHP JP Sears (2-2, 5.03) in Monday night’s series opener as Atlanta’s homestand continues.
HOUSTON (AP) — Brandon Young allowed one run over seven innings, Coby Mayo homered, and the Baltimore Orioles extended their season-best winning streak to seven games by beating the Houston Astros 5-2 on Sunday.
The streak is the Orioles’ longest since 2023.
Young (8-2) allowed five hits and one walk while striking out seven, which is one less than his season high. Yordan Alvarez’s third-inning RBI double accounted for the only run he allowed.
With Young out of the game, Rico Garcia allowed a solo home run to Jose Altuve in the eighth inning. Grant Wolfram pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first major league save.
Gunnar Henderson gave Baltimore the lead with a third-inning RBI single. He made it 2-0 later in the frame when he stole home on a double steal.
The Orioles finished with a season-high four stolen bases.
Leody Taveras increased Baltimore’s lead to 4-1 with a broken bat, two-run single in the fifth inning.
Mayo added his solo homer in the sixth.
Dylan Beavers was 2 for 4 with a double.
Orioles’ catcher Samuel Basallo left the game in the second inning due to right shoulder discomfort.
Houston starter Hunter Brown (1-1) allowed four runs on three hits over 4 2/3 innings. He issued a career-high six walks and hit two batters.
Astros pitching combined for seven walks and four hit batters.
Houston has lost four straight games and seven of its last nine.
Up next
Astros RHP Ronel Blanco makes his season debut against Marlins RHP Janson Junk (4-5 4.57 ERA) in the first game of a three-game series Monday night in Houston.
Orioles RHP Shane Baz (4-9, 4.19) starts against Red Sox LHP Payton Tolle (5-6, 3.11) in the first game of a three-game series Monday night in Boston.
SOUTHPORT, England (AP) — The hard work for Ryan Fox was just getting to the 18th hole in the British Open with a share of the lead. Still to come was the toughest hole at Royal Birkdale, which had yielded only four birdies to the 76 players who had already come through Sunday.
For a 39-year-old from New Zealand, the son of an All Blacks rugby star who once only dreamed of having a card on any tour, this was no time to back down.
“I did say to my caddie Dean (Smith) that we were going to take it on, that I was going to try to win the tournament, and I’d live with the consequences if I stuffed it up,” Fox said.
It turned out to be the stuff of major champions.
The drive was powerful and pure. The 9-iron from 175 yards looked good in the air and even better on the ground when it settled 12 feet below the hole. The birdie putt was the biggest of his life.
Fox closed with four birdies over his last six holes — and one bogey that felt equally important — for a 2-under 68 and a one-shot victory over hard-luck Cameron Young for his first major title.
This was pure theater to cap off a week of so much drama — three record-tying rounds of 62, Bryson DeChambeau’s animated protest over a two-shot penalty, Tommy Fleetwood thrilling and teasing his hometown crowd to massive ovations on every hole.
Four players had a share of the lead at some point in the final round. Young was atop the leaderboard for two hours without hitting a shot anywhere but the range because he finished his astonishing 6-under 64 as the last few groups were on the front nine.
Young was on the range when he heard the massive roar and knew it was over. He bowed his head, lifted his driver and tapped the ground before packing up when Fox made his final birdie.
“Everyone practices on the green — you’ve got a putt to win a major championship, to win The Open. It’s not like that in real life. It’s not a very comfortable feeling,” Fox said. “It’s certainly very enjoyable when you see it go in.”
He thrust those powerful arms into the air and was on the phone with his family moments later and was heard telling them, “You asked me to bring a trophy home, and I am, aren’t I?”
His name will go on the base of that shiny claret jug along with another Kiwi, Bob Charles, who won the British Open in 1963. Michael Campbell is the other New Zealand man to win a major at Pinehurst No. 2 in the 2005 U.S. Open.
Fox’s sterling moment brought more disappointment for Young. The American also finished one shot behind in the British Open at St. Andrews four years ago, and he had a Sunday lead on the front nine at the Masters until Rory McIlroy overtook him.
“I gave it everything I had all the way through,” Young said when he finished. He declined interviews when Fox ended the 154th Open.
Sam Burns, the 54-hole leader who was never planning to be at the Open until his wife gave birth to their daughter earlier than expected, lost a two-shot lead and didn’t make birdie over the last 12 holes to finish two shots behind.
“I just couldn’t find them today. Just didn’t have my best stuff,” Burns said. “Given the circumstances, I’m very pleased with the week. I’m looking forward to being home.”
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler somehow managed to stick around until the end, getting two bad bounces that cost him momentum, then getting one big break for a most improbable birdie. He closed with a 67 and shared fourth with Fleetwood, who fell back early but delivered a birdie-birdie finish for a 68.
Missing from all drama, remarkably, was DeChambeau. He lost a golf ball and made triple bogey on the 11th hole and didn’t make a birdie until he was well out of contention. That two-shot penalty he received Friday for improving the path of his swing wasn’t an issue at the end. DeChambeau shot a 72 and tied for 14th.
Fox won for the 10th time worldwide, his biggest title before Sunday coming at the BMW PGA Championship in 2023. He is the oldest first-time major champion since Henrik Stenson was 40 at Royal Troon 10 years ago.
Fox finished at 10-under 270, got his hands on the jug and heard those magic words when he was introduced as the “Champion Golfer of the Year.”
“I’m not quite sure how I hit that putt on 18. Look, it is a dream come true,” Fox said. “Looking at that trophy now, it’s the first time I’ve seen it up close. So it’s pretty amazing.”
Young was flawless until the final hole, his tee shot finding a pot bunker. He tried to open the face of a 6-iron but caught it thin and it smacked into the vetted wall and into the rough. He hit the next shot into a greenside bunker and nearly holed it for par. The bogey put him at 9-under 271.
Burns was losing ground quickly on the front nine with three straight bogeys, none more damaging than a pitch to the reachable par-4 fifth hole that went over the back of the green.
Si Woo Kim emerged as the leader going to the back nine until he made bogeys on the 11th and 12th holes, and he fell out of contention for good with a pair of late bogeys that added to a 40 on the back nine for 72.
That left Young at the top of the leaderboard, waiting to see if anyone could match him.
Fox’s hopes took a nasty turn on the par-3 15th when his tee shot caromed off the side of a bunker and settled next to the lip, leaving him no stance and no shot. He smartly played away from the back pin to the fairway, chipped from 45 yards away to 6 feet and made bogey.
It was as big as any shot he hit until the last.
“To get that up-and-down really kept the momentum going,” Fox said. “I felt a whole lot better walking off that green making bogey that way than probably even if I’d have made par.”
Fox was a late bloomer, a European tour rookie at age 30 and a PGA Tour rookie when he was 37. His goal when he started was to have a tour card. Now he’s a major champion.
“I said to my team last night at dinner, if you’d have given me my career up until yesterday when I turned pro, I’d have jumped at that,” Fox said, speaking with the claret jug at his side. “I don’t know what to think now.”
ARLINGTON, Texas — — Paige Bueckers had 25 points before exiting following a scary collision, Arike Ogunbowale scored six of her 20 down the stretch and the Dallas Wings beat the Los Angeles Sparks 90-82 on Sunday to extend their winning streak to a franchise record-tying six games.
Bueckers hit a 3-pointer that capped an 14-5 spurt and gave the Wings an eight-point lead with 9:12 left in the game.
Jessica Shepard had 11 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for the Wings (17-8) and Azzi Fudd also scored 11.
The Sparks (10-15) have lost four consecutive games, all on the road.
LA’s Nneka Ogwumike was fouled as she ran downcourt and, as she fell to the ground, collided with Bueckers with about 3 1/2 minutes to play and Dallas leading by four. Both players remained down on the court for a couple of minutes. Ogwumike stayed in the game while Bueckers — who appeared to hit the back of her head on the floor — walked to the locker room and did not return.
Ogunbowale scored six points from there to seal it.
Ogwumike made 7 of 12 from the field and finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Dearica Hamby added 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting, Cameron Brink scored 10 and Erica Wheeler had 10 assists to go with nine points for LA.
Wings coach Jose Fernandez said after the game that there was no immediate update on Bueckers, but the team expected to know more later Sunday.
Dallas beat the Sparks 104-96 in LA on June 5.
Up next
Sparks: Host Phoenix on Wednesday.
Wings: Host New York on Monday, a postponed game that had originally been scheduled for Thursday.
TYLER – City workers will be trimming trees Monday, July 20, on South College Avenue. The portion closed will between Elm Street and the Bank of America drive-thru. Detour signs will be in place to guide drivers. The work is expected to be completed by the end of the day on Monday.
AUSTIN (THE TEXAS TRIBUNE) – The family of the victim in a child sex abuse case prosecuted by the Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office is speaking out against the use of the case by politicians, saying they are “tired of being used.”
Paxton’s Democratic opponent, state Rep. James Talarico, in the U.S. Senate race has zeroed in on the case as a major line of attack against the attorney general. Talarico has held at least two press conferences in recent weeks raising questions about Paxton’s handling of the case in which his office offered an initial plea deal of one day in jail to a Waco man charged with repeatedly sexually abusing a young boy.
“We have not given any statement to Talarico. We have not spoke to him. We are tired of being used in this election. We are tired of lies being told by both Paxton & Talarico, tired of the divide and just tired,” the family said in a statement posted on social media by family spokesperson Melissa Dieterich.
Talarico’s campaign in a statement Friday said he is joining the voices of many others who are calling for “justice.”
“This family has gone through hell. They have experienced something unimaginable and deserve our care and respect,” said spokesperson JT Ennis. “Our team has facilitated outreach to offer our support and ensure the family has a way to get in touch at any time, for any reason.”
“Elected officials on both sides of the aisle have called out this plea deal,” he added. “The judge presiding over the case has called out this plea deal. Residents of Waco have protested this plea deal. Texans have demanded justice to ensure this never happens to another family.”
The case involved a 49-year-old lawyer, Adam Dean Hoffman, who was accused of repeatedly sexually abusing a young boy for years. As The Texas Tribune, The Texas Newsroom and KWBU reported in May, court records showed that the case ended in a mistrial, and the victim refused to testify for a second time, severely curtailing prosecutors’ options.
Hoffman, as part of the plea deal, admitted to molesting the victim and surrendered his law license. The details of the deal sparked a public outcry, prompting protests outside the local courthouse, and gaining national attention.
The deal has attracted criticism from local officials in Waco, including the McLennan County district attorney, Republican state representatives and even the judge presiding over the matter. That visiting judge, Roy Sparkman, who previously served on the bench as a Republican, had rejected an earlier version of the deal that would have allowed Hoffman to serve just one day in jail.
Paxton’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment. A campaign spokesperson has previously said Talarico is “intentionally re-traumatizing the child victim for personal gain.”
“OAG prosecutors have already released information on this, but Talarico cares more about turning a child victim into a political pawn than the truth,” Madison Cercy said. The bottom line is that we stand with the child victim.”
The prosecutors for the attorney general’s office in May issued a letter to a state lawmaker who was publicly raising questions about the deal, saying they were prepared to move forward with a second trial, but the victim was not.
“The child emphasized that he preferred to move on with his life and prioritize his mental and emotional health,” wrote the prosecutors, Brenda Cantu and Dorian Cotlar.
Talarico was not the first to make political hay out of the case. Republican John Cornyn, the four-term incumbent who lost the May 26 runoff to Paxton, had also capitalized on the controversy and published several campaign advertisements criticizing Paxton as a weak top lawyer, citing the Hoffman case and others.
The family, for their part, has also spoken publicly about the case, through spokespeople, and joined state Rep. Jeff Leach and Pat Curry in a May news conference, also outside the McLennan County Courthouse.
Leach read a statement from the mother of the victim who called the agreement with Hoffman a “sweetheart deal” and said “Ken Paxton must be held accountable.” She did not explicitly call on voters to support Cornyn. Dieterich that day said Paxton “does not deserve a promotion to the U.S. Senate.”
EW YORK (AP) — Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” launched with an estimated $124.5 million in domestic ticket sales and another $139.6 million from overseas, notching an even better debut than “Oppenheimer” and marking the filmmaker’s best opening since 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises.”
Nolan flexed his singular box-office might with a global debut unlike any other. Few filmmakers alive could pull off a starry, big-budget adaptation of Homer’s epic poem. But in a Hollywood where intellectual property rights rule most hits, Nolan turned one of the world’s oldest works of literature into an unlikely summer blockbuster.
The Universal production was no small gamble on Nolan, coming off the 2023 best picture-winning “Oppenheimer.” With a production budget of $250 million, it’s among the most expensive R-rated movies ever made. Universal is spending some $125 million to market it.
But no behind-the-camera name turns out audiences more than Nolan’s. So great was the hype on “The Odyssey” that IMAX put tickets on sale for some 70 mm showtimes a full year in advance. To satisfy the extraordinary demand for Nolan’s preferred format, IMAX 70 mm, some theaters added midnight and 3 a.m. screenings — and sold them out.
Billed as Nolan’s first feature shot entirely with IMAX cameras, the format drove a huge slice of ticket sales. That included $29.6 million domestically on IMAX and $51.8 million globally, leading to the company’s best weekend ever. IMAX is dedicating its screens entirely to “The Odyssey” for three weeks. Though only 41 IMAX screens can screen “The Odyssey” in 70 mm, they accounted for $6.3 million in ticket sales.
Since the pandemic, Nolan has been at the forefront of reviving cinemas. His “Tenet” was one of the first big releases to wade back into theaters in 2020. Three years later, “Oppenheimer” and Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” combined to create arguably the movies’ signature moment of the decade. “Oppenheimer” ultimately grossed $975 million worldwide.
“The Odyssey” arrived in theaters during Hollywood’s best summer since 2019. Ticket sales are running about 10% ahead of last year, according to Rentrak. The industry is expecting the first $10 billion year at the domestic box office since the pandemic.
The only question for “The Odyssey” will be how front-loaded it is, given that many moviegoers have had this weekend circled for months. The film faced no new-release competition over the weekend, and it won’t next weekend, either. IMAX said that presales for the movie’s second weekend would rank among their 10 best presales, proof that many moviegoers are waiting to see the film in their preferred format.
The next movie to pose any competition, ironically, also stars Tom Holland and Zendaya: Sony’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” on July 31.
“The Odyssey” stars Matt Damon as Odysseus and features Holland as his son, Telemachus; Anne Hathaway as Penelope; Zendaya as Athena; Robert Pattinson as the suitor Antinous and Charlize Theron as the sea nymph Calypso.
Nolan’s casting of “The Odyssey,” including Lupita Nyong’o as Helen and Elliot Page as a soldier, was controversial to some conservative commentators. Elon Musk called Nolan a “coward” over Nyong’o’s casting.
But that criticism had little to no effect on “The Odyssey” becoming one of the big-screen cultural events of the year. Reviews (95% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) are among the best of Nolan’s career. Audiences gave it an “A” CinemaScore.
SOUTHPORT, England (AP) — Scottie Scheffler rapped an 8-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole and gave a fist pump, which about summed up a third straight day for the defending British Open champion.
It was a mock fist pump. He missed another one.
That’s been the story all week for Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world on the verge of getting shut out of the majors. He has made only one bogey over the last 37 holes but could manage only three birdies during that span. He shot 70 on Saturday and was six shots behind.
Asked what he needed to do, Scheffler replied, “Just make more birdies.”
“I feel like I’m hitting the ball the way I need to in order to score,” he said. “That part is frustrating, but knowing my game is in a good spot is a good feeling as well. There’s been times this year where I feel like I was getting a lot out of my game. This week feels I’m playing a lot better than my score.
“A little bit frustrating, but if I continue to do this and hole some putts tomorrow, I could shoot a really low round and move my way up the leaderboard.”
Scheffler won his first tournament of the season at The American Express, and it was looking like a third sequel to the previous two years. But that remains his only victory, and last week he ended his cut streak at 78 tournaments when he missed the cut in the Scottish Open.
“All I can do is continue to try and execute and give myself opportunities, which I did another good job of today,” he said.
The Scheffler effect
Two players atop the leaderboard spent a lot of time with the No. 1 player in the world.
Sam Burns, the 54-hole leader, has been a close friend of Scottie Scheffler since they competed against each other in college. They are frequent practice round partners. Burns said it has taught him to throttle back when necessary if he’s being too aggressive.
“It helped that I got to play a lot of golf with the best player on the planet and watch what he does,” Burns said. “He makes so few mistakes, and he doesn’t take on unnecessary risks very often, if ever, and seems to always hit the correct shot in the moment.”
Si Woo Kim is tied for second and is part of Scheffler’s money games at home in Dallas. Scheffler even helped the 31-year-old from South Korea get a membership at Royal Oaks.
Kim said earlier this year the matches have been one-sided. He said of Scheffler, “He calls me ATM.”
“I could lose my money, but I want to watch his shot and learn,” Kim said. “I ask questions. He always give me his opinion, so it helps me a lot.” Herbert’s gamble pays off
Lucas Herbert’s British Open challenge was already going off the rails thanks to back-to-back bogeys when he was forced to take an unplayable penalty at the par-5 17th after hitting his tee shot way left and into a dune.
The Australian stood over his third shot thinking: “This is either going to be unbelievable or this could be the end of my tournament.”
With one slash of a 3-iron, Herbert stayed in contention. His blind shot of some 238 yards somehow found its way onto the green — nearly hitting the flagstick — and he two-putted for par, eventually signing for a 71.
“I think that slots into the top 10 of shots that I’ve hit,” he said.
Herbert, who tied the scoring record of a major with a 62 on Friday, started the third round with a two-shot lead. He finished it three back from Sam Burns. Fox is in the money
Ryan Fox felt pretty smug after his third round at the British Open — and it wasn’t just because he’d tied the lowest score at a major championship.
After going out early and becoming the latest player to shoot 62 at Royal Birkdale, Fox said he’d spend the rest of the day watching some golf but also taking in a replay of a rugby international between his native New Zealand and Ireland.
Seems Fox and Shane Lowry, an Irishman, had had a wager on it. With New Zealand winning 40-21, Fox had come out of it richer.
“I watched a decent chunk of that this morning and I was pretty happy with that result, too,” Fox said.
“I just saw Shane on the screen, and I’m looking forward to taking 100 quid (pounds) off him, the little bet we had.” What’s in a name
Ryan Gerard has a real chance of winning the British Open at the first attempt, and the No. 28-ranked American — who is just three shots off the lead — is getting plenty of support from the locals along the way.
That’s because his name bears a similarity to one of the great soccer players to come from these parts in recent decades — the former Liverpool and England midfielder Steven Gerrard.
Liverpudlians in the galleries were heard chanting songs they once reserved for Gerrard — but simply replacing Steven with Ryan.
“There’s quite a few songs — I think some of them I can’t repeat. The lads were out in full force today,” the 26-year-old Gerard said.
“It’s kind of funny,” he added. “It’s not even spelled the same, but I’ll take it. I’ll take any support that we can from across-the-pond folks.”
Gerard said it was “like a Tony Romo situation” — a nod to the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback who, after retirement, has worked on his game and has tried (unsuccessfully) U.S. Open qualifying.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Expect some goals in the World Cup final. At least, that’s what history says.
In the 22 previous World Cup men’s finals (which would include the 1950 match between Uruguay and Brazil that technically wasn’t a final, but decided who won the World Cup), the winning team has averaged 2.6 goals in the title matchup. The losing team has averaged 1.1 goals.
The two most recent World Cup finals have been offensive slugfests, with a combined 12 goals. France beat Croatia 4-2 in 2018, while Argentina and France tied 3-3 in 2022 (before Argentina prevailed in a penalty shootout).
Teams scoring at least two goals have won the World Cup title 17 times; there have been eight instances of a team scoring at least two goals in the final and still falling short.
There have been three 1-0 wins: West Germany over Argentina in 1990, Spain over Netherlands in 2010 and Germany over Argentina in 2014. And there was one 0-0 tie in a final; Brazil wound up winning over Italy in a penalty shootout the 1994 final, which had been the only one played on U.S. soil before now. Scaloni looking to join elite club
If Argentina wins Sunday, Lionel Scaloni — who led the team’s push to the 2022 title — would be just the second person to coach two World Cup championship clubs.
Italy went back-to-back as World Cup champions in 1934 and 1938, with both those clubs coached by Vittorio Pozzo.
Nobody else has two titles as a coach. There are three men — Brazil’s Mário Zagallo, West Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer and France’s Didier Deschamps — to have won World Cups as both a player and a coach.
Messi matters
When he takes the field Sunday, Argentina star Lionel Messi will be the oldest field player to appear in a World Cup final.
Messi is 39. Sweden’s Gunnar Gren was 37 when he played against Brazil in the 1958 final.
The only player older than Messi to play in a final was Italy goalkeeper Dino Zoff — who was 40 when his club beat West Germany for the 1982 crown. But among field players, Messi will stand alone as the oldest after Sunday.
Messi is also in position to join Brazil’s Cafu as the only person to play in three World Cup men’s finals. And since Cafu was a reserve in one of his appearances, Messi would be the first to start the title game on three occasions.
For Spain, youth may be served. Experience may, too.
Youth may be served by Spain in this World Cup final. And if La Roja prevails, experience would also have paid off.
It’s an interesting mix.
Spain is slated to have two teenagers — Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, a pair of 19-year-olds — play Sunday against Argentina in the World Cup final, and no team has ever had more than one teen in the lineup and won the title.
So, that’s the power of youth.
Here’s the flip side of that: If Spain wins, coach Luis de la Fuente — who is 65 — would become the oldest World Cup-winning sideline boss, passing Vicente del Bosque, who was 59 when Spain won its first title in 2010.
For the record, teenagers enter Sunday unbeaten in World Cup finals, according to FIFA, which says only three have ever played in soccer’s biggest game. Pelé was 17 when he helped Brazil win the final over Sweden in 1958, Giuseppe Bergomi was 18 when Italy beat West Germany in 1982, and Kylian Mbappé was 19 when France beat Croatia in 2018. Spain seeking record streak
Spain is 28-0-9 in its last 37 matches, which has tied Italy for the longest unbeaten run by a European men’s national team.
Italy also went 28-0-9 from October 2018 through September 2021 — before losing to Spain 2-1 on Oct. 6, 2021 in Milan.
Argentina has a streak worth noting as well. It has won seven consecutive World Cup matches, tied with Italy for the second-longest such run in men’s tournament history. Only Brazil, which won 11 straight spanning 2002 and 2006, has a longer World Cup winning streak. Argentina-Spain history
The game is just the second head-to-head meeting in a World Cup between Argentina and Spain. Argentina won 2-1 in the 1966 group stage.
Across all competitions and friendlies, the sides have played 14 times. Each has won six times and they tied twice.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Oklahoma City is trading starting forward and defensive standout Lu Dort to Atlanta as part of a three-team deal that also has the Hawks sending former No. 1 draft pick Zaccharie Risacher to Dallas, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press on Sunday.
Atlanta also will receive Ryan Nembhard from Dallas and the Thunder will be getting three heavily protected second-round draft picks, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal has yet to receive the necessary approvals from the NBA.
The trade allows the Thunder to shed the salary needed to get below the second apron, gives the Hawks another top defender in Dort and gives the Mavericks a third No. 1 overall pick — the most currently on one roster in the NBA. Risacher will be joining 2011 top pick Kyrie Irving and 2025 top pick Cooper Flagg in Dallas.
Dort averaged 11.6 points over his first seven seasons, all with the Thunder. Risacher — a runner-up for rookie of the year in 2024-25 — averaged 11.1 points in two seasons with Atlanta and Nembhard averaged 6.6 points for Dallas as a rookie this past season.
TYLER – Many Tyler residents arrived at the Glass Recreation Center on Sunday afternoon to show their support for the city’s new mayor, Stuart Hene, who held the event to show his gratitude for those who supported him during his campaign. According to our news partner KETK, those who supported Hene throughout his campaign had the opportunity to congratulate him in person and celebrate the beginning of a new chapter for Tyler’s government.
LONGVIEW – Hundreds of comic book enthusiasts and superhero fans gathered at the Longview Exhibit Center over the weekend for the annual East Texas Comic Con. The event, which ran from Saturday afternoon to Sunday evening, included several special guests, including famous voice actors Vic Mignogna and Michael Sorich, as well as former Power Ranger Karan Ashley.
CEDAR CREEK LAKE – A petition created by nonprofit ‘Save Cedar Creek Lake’ has gathered over 2,500 signatures in an attempt to save the East Texas lake from data centers. ‘Save Cedar Creek Lake’ is a local non-profit that’s aiming to stop a planned data center from being built near the Key Ranch Estates on Cedar Creek Lake in Henderson County. Their new petition is just the latest step they’ve taken towards stopping data center plans near the lake.
TYLER – City workers will be trimming trees Monday, July 20, on South College Avenue. The portion closed will between Elm Street and the Bank of America drive-thru. Detour signs will be in place to guide drivers. The work is expected to be completed by the end of the day on Monday. 
EW YORK (AP) — Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” launched with an estimated $124.5 million in domestic ticket sales and another $139.6 million from overseas, notching an even better debut than “Oppenheimer” and marking the filmmaker’s best opening since 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises.”