The police said that a murder accused in Maharashtra`s Thane, absconding for the last 14 years, has been arrested from Surat in Gujarat, reported news agency PTI.
The case pertains to a firing incident at an office of the Shiv Sena in Ambernath area of Thane district on November 24, 2011.
A local leader`s bodyguard, Shyamsundar Yadav, was killed in the attack, the police said on Wednesday, reported PTI.
Following the incident, the Shivajinagar police here registered a case on various charges, including murder, destruction of evidence and criminal conspiracy.
While some of the Thane murder accused were arrested earlier and one was killed in a police encounter, Rajesh Ramshiromani Shukla (51) had managed to escape, a police release said, reported PTI.
He had been constantly shifting locations to evade arrest, the police said.
Acting on technical analysis, mobile surveillance, and intelligence inputs, the police recently tracked him down to Surat, reported PTI.
A police team laid a trap and nabbed the Thane murder accused from Surat on Tuesday, the release said.
Man kills father after fight over money for exam fees; arrested
In another case, a man allegedly killed his 70-year-old father after a dispute over not being given money to pay the fees for a competitive exam in Maharashtra`s Latur district, police said, reported PTI.
The incident occurred in Hinpallner village on Tuesday, following which the accused was arrested, they said.
The victim`s family used to survive by selling vegetables and working as daily wage labourers, reported PTI.
The 24-year-old accused, identified as Ajay Panchal, had completed his education up to class 12. He was preparing for police recruitment exams and had been repeatedly asking his father for money to pay the fees for it, according to an official from Chakur police station, reported PTI.
On Monday night, heavy rains soaked the household`s firewood used as fuel and rendered it unusable. The wife of the victim, Devidas Kashiram Panchal, then purchased a gas cylinder to meet immediate needs, reported PTI.
When Ajay learned about the purchase, he confronted his parents, arguing they had money for the gas cylinder, but not for his exam fees, reported PTI.
His mother tried to pacify him and told him she would arrange the money by morning, but Ajay demanded it immediately, the official said.
Frustrated and unable to get the money, the accused argued with his father early Tuesday morning.
In a fit of rage, he then allegedly struck his father on the head with a wooden stick. The elderly man died on the spot, the official said, reported PTI.
Upon hearing the commotion, neighbours rushed to the scene.
Based on a complaint filed by the victim`s wife, the police registered a case of murder against Ajay and arrested him, the official said.
Everything that happens in and around MLB has some additional context when viewed from a fantasy baseball perspective. From lineup changes to minor league call-ups to injuries and so much more, the news cycle will constantly affect player values in fantasy baseball.
Our fantasy baseball buzz file, with contributions from our ESPN fantasy writers, aims to provide fantasy managers with the intel they need as news breaks around MLB.
Todd Zola: Today’s abbreviated 10-game slate gets underway at 1:10 p.m. ET with the first trio of matinees for the day. Three more afternoon affairs follow, with the final four contests played under the lights.
Tarik Skubal has been cleared to start this afternoon’s matchup when the Detroit Tigers host the Cleveland Guardians. The lefty had to leave his latest start early due to tightness in his side. Subsequent imaging revealed no issue, and Skubal was able to complete his between-starts work with no problems.
Junior Caminero left last night’s game in the seventh inning due to a sore back. He’s considered to be “day-to-day” and is questionable for today’s AL East meeting between the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays. With the early start, the Rays may take the safe route and give Caminero the day off for the fourth and final game of the series in Florida. The Blue Jays captured the first two with the Rays prevailing last night.
Something to consider as teams clinch playoff berths is that they will often play reserves on the day after securing a postseason berth. Last night, the Chicago Cubs locked down October baseball with their win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The club celebrated, but they also had to prepare to travel to Ohio for tonight’s opener of a four-game set with the Cincinnati Reds. Even though the Cubs haven’t yet been eliminated from winning the NL Central crown, it would take a ton of doing. Don’t be surprised if some of their regulars get the evening off.
WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday to decide the legality of Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs, setting up a major test of one of the Republican president’s boldest assertions of executive power that has been central to his economic and trade agenda.
The justices took up the Justice Department’s appeal of a lower court’s ruling that Trump overstepped his authority in imposing most of his tariffs under a federal law meant for emergencies. The court swiftly acted after the administration last week asked it to review the case, which implicates trillions of dollars in customs duties over the next decade.
The court, which begins its next nine-month term on October 6, placed the case on a fast track, scheduling oral arguments for the first week of November.
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington ruled on August 29 that Trump overreached in invoking a 1977 law known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, to impose the tariffs, undercutting a major priority for the president in his second term. The tariffs, however, remain in effect during the appeal to the Supreme Court.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Trade court said Trump exceeded powers with tariffs
• Administration called decision judicial overreach
• Trump cited longstanding trade deficit as an emergency
The appeals court ruling stems from two challenges. One was brought by five small businesses that import goods, including a New York wine and spirits importer and a Pennsylvania-based sport fishing retailer. The other was filed by 12 US states — Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Vermont — most of them governed by Democrats.
The Supreme Court also agreed to hear a separate challenge to Trump’s tariffs brought by a family-owned toy company, Learning Resources.
The levies are part of a global trade war instigated by Trump since he returned to the presidency in January that has alienated trading partners, increased volatility in financial markets and fueled global economic uncertainty.
Trump has made tariffs a key foreign policy tool, using them to renegotiate trade deals, extract concessions and exert political pressure on other countries. Trump in April invoked the 1977 law in imposing tariffs on goods imported from individual countries to address trade deficits, as well as separate tariffs announced in February as economic leverage on China, Canada and Mexico to curb the trafficking of fentanyl and illicit drugs into the US
The law gives the president power to deal with “an unusual and extraordinary threat” amid a national emergency. It historically had been used for imposing sanctions on enemies or freezing their assets. Prior to Trump, the law had never been used to impose tariffs.
“The fact of the matter is that President Trump has acted lawfully by using the tariff powers granted to him by Congress in IEEPA to deal with national emergencies and to safeguard our national security and economy. We look forward to ultimate victory on this matter with the Supreme Court,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said.
Jeffrey Schwab, a lawyer with the Liberty Justice Center legal group representing small business challengers to Trump’s tariffs, said he is confident that the Supreme Court will recognize that the president does not have unilateral tariff power under this law.
“Congress, not the president alone, has the constitutional power to impose tariffs,” Schwab said.
’ECONOMIC CATASTROPHE’
Trump’s Justice Department has argued that the law allows tariffs under emergency provisions that authorize a president to “regulate” imports.
Denying Trump’s tariff power “would expose our nation to trade retaliation without effective defenses and thrust America back to the brink of economic catastrophe,” it said. Trump has said that if he loses the case the US might have to unwind trade deals, causing the country to “suffer so greatly.” The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported in August that the increased duties on imports from foreign countries could reduce the US national deficit by $4 trillion over the next decade.
The US Constitution grants Congress, not the president, the authority to issue taxes and tariffs, and any delegation of that authority must be both explicit and limited, according to the lawsuits.
The Federal Circuit agreed. “It seems unlikely that Congress intended, in enacting IEEPA, to depart from its past practice and grant the president unlimited authority to impose tariffs,” it said in a 7-4 decision.
The appeals court also said that the administration’s expansive view of this law violates the Supreme Court’s “major questions” doctrine, which requires executive branch actions of vast economic and political significance to be clearly authorized by Congress. The New York-based US Court of International Trade, which has jurisdiction over customs and trade disputes, previously ruled against Trump’s tariff policies on May 28.
Another court in Washington ruled that the law does not authorize Trump’s tariffs, and the administration has appealed that decision as well. At least eight lawsuits have challenged Trump’s tariff policies, including one filed by the state of California.
Tim Brightbill, an expert in international trade law at the Wiley Rein law firm, said it was important for the Supreme Court to weigh in as quickly as possible given that it is an “extremely important question involving billions of dollars — potentially trillions of dollars.”
Brightbill said that only a handful of trade law cases have gone to the Supreme Court, “so it just shows the extreme importance of this issue across the US economy, and really the global economy.”
Trump – who is in the UK on a state visit – cheered ABC’s move on his social media site Truth Social, saying Kimmel had “ZERO talent” and describing it as “great news for America”.
“Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,” he posted.
He also took aim at two other late-night hosts, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, saying they should be cancelled too, calling them “two total losers”.
While hosting Kirk’s podcast, Vance said people celebrating his killing should be held accountable. “Call them out, and hell, call their employer,” he said, before adding: “We don’t believe in political violence, but we do believe in civility.”
Pilots, health workers, teachers and a Secret Service employee were among those who had been suspended or sacked for social media posts about Kirk’s death, the BBC reported.
‘The sickest conduct possible’
Earlier on Wednesday, the regulating Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair, Brendan Carr, urged local broadcasters to stop airing the show on the Walt Disney-owned ABC.
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CNN reported that Carr told right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson that Kimmel’s remarks constituted “the sickest conduct possible” and suggested the FCC could move to revoke ABC affiliate licences to force Disney to punish the late-night host, who has been a vocal critic of Trump.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said. “These companies can find ways to change conduct and take actions on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.
“This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney. They have a licence granted by us at the FCC, and that comes with an obligation to operate in the public interest.”
FCC chairman Brendan Carr.Credit: The New York Times
Elsewhere in the interview, Carr attacked Kimmel as “talentless” and suggested the comedian’s comments displayed “some sort of desperate irrelevance”, CNN reported.
In a post on X, Carr thanked Nexstar for making its decision. “While this may be an unprecedented decision, it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values. I hope that other broadcasters follow Nexstar’s lead.”
The suspension started with Wednesday night’s broadcast (US time), Disney said in a statement. ABC has aired Kimmel’s late-night show since 2003.
FCC commissioner Anna Gomez – the FCC’s only Democratic Party member – criticised Carr and accused the administration of attempting to “suppress lawful expression”, while other leading Democrats also spoke out.
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! studio on Hollywood Boulevard on Wednesday.Credit: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Democratic senator Ed Markey defended Kimmel, labelling the move as “censorship in action”.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii also weighed in, with Pritzker on X condemning “an attack on free speech” and Schatz accusing the government of “using regulatory leverage to crush speech”.
On X on Wednesday night (US time), White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich posted: “Welcome to Consequence Culture. Normal, common-sense Americans are no longer taking the bullshit, and companies like ABC are finally willing to do the right and reasonable thing.”
A spokesperson for Kimmel, who, like CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert, has consistently been critical of Trump and many of his policies on his ABC show, did not immediately return a call for comment.
CBS in July said it was cancelling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at the end of this season for financial reasons, although some critics have wondered if his stance on Trump played a role.
After Colbert’s dismissal, Trump said: “Next up will be an even less talented Jimmy Kimmel.”
Kimmel’s contract with ABC is set to expire at the end of next season, which ends in May 2026. There has been speculation about whether it would be renewed, particularly after the Colbert decision, the Washington Post reported.
A 35-year-old man died after allegedly being hit by an excavator machine near Ghatkopar railway station in Mumbai in the early hours of Thursday, a police official said, reported the PTI.
Following the incident, the police have registered a case of culpable homicide against the machine`s driver, the official said.
After his body was found at the spot, a case of accidental death (ADR) was registered and a probe was launched. Technical evidence later proved that he was sleeping near the wheeled excavator machine. When the driver came there and started the machine, he was hit by it, the official of Government Railway Police (GRP) in Kurla said, according to the PTI.
A case of culpable homicide but not amounting to murder was registered against the machine`s driver who has been identified as Bharat Yadav. He has been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigation is underway, he said.
Trailer-mounted rig machine catches fire in Thane; no one injured, say officials
Meanwhile, in an another incident, a fire broke out on a trailer-mounted rig machine on a highway in Maharashtra`s Thane city early on Thursday, civic officials said, as per the PTI.
No person was injured in the incident but the incident caused damage to the equipment, Thane Municipal Corporation`s disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said.
The incident was reported at 3.46 am on Thursday. It took place near a temple on the Eastern Express Highway in Naupada area of Thane district.
“The battery and control panel of the rig machine mounted on a trailer caught fire.
The fire brigade and regional disaster management cell of Thane`s teams brought the blaze under control swiftly. No one was injured,” Tadvi said, according to the PTI.
The incident took place when the rig machine was being transported on a trailer and it was en route from Kalyan to Mahim in neighbouring Mumbai when the fire broke out in the machine, the official said.
The teams rushed to the spot and launched a fire-fighting operation at the spot. The fire was doused by 4.30 am. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, he said.
NBA draft analyst and writer Joined ESPN.com in 2023 Covered the NBA and NBA draft for Sports Illustrated from 2015-2023
Sep 18, 2025, 08:00 AM ET
The 2025 NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, have set the standard for how fringe playoff teams can successfully stockpile multiple future draft picks and build on young prospects.
The 2019 trade that brought reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a load of draft picks to Oklahoma City for Paul George produced twofold and six years later has become the blueprint for how teams can maximize their return value.
Of those teams, which are best positioned to dominate the league’s annual draft through the next few years or use those assets to execute front office goals? Here is a ranking of the top five teams that hold the most first-round picks as of Sept. 18, 2025, and the biggest questions about those teams’ next moves.
Incoming future first-round picks: 13 Future second-round picks: 16 Most valuable pick: 2026 top-4 protected first from the Philadelphia 76ers and 2027 swap rights with the LA Clippers
There’s no team better positioned for long-term success than Oklahoma City.
Even after committing $800 million this summer to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, which projects them to be a second apron team next summer, the Thunder have a treasure chest of future draft assets to offset their rising payroll.
The apron restrictions are designed to limit front offices from improving their rosters via free agency and trades. But unlike other high-spending teams, Oklahoma City has 13 first-round and 16 second-round picks in the next seven years. Four of those firsts could be in the 2026 draft and they are the only team to have at least three first-round picks next June.
Even if they finish with one of the best records, the Thunder could be drafting in the lottery for the next two drafts. They have a top-4 protected first from Philadelphia next June, the right to swap firsts with the Clippers in 2027 and then with the Dallas Mavericks the following year. — Bobby Marks
2. Brooklyn Nets
Incoming future first-round picks: 13 Future second-round picks: 19 Most valuable pick: Their own first in 2026 and unprotected 2032 first from the Denver Nuggets
The 2026 draft looms large for Brooklyn for two reasons: the star power atop the class could transform the franchise; however, the Nets owe a 2027 pick swap to the Houston Rockets, presenting an inflection point in the trajectory of this rebuild.
With the front office under general manager Sean Marks, the Nets are opting to maximize player development, reshape the roster and position themselves for top lottery odds next year. That was made clear with Brooklyn casting a wide net with its five first-round selections in this year’s draft. The Nets prioritized versatility and playmaking and will look to turn as many of their rookies into contributors this season as possible. The subtext of what will likely be a losing season is the opportunity to select at or near the top of next year’s draft, which a group of talent evaluators has continued to express excitement about all summer.
Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, a top-ranked prospect for next year, could be a dynamic creator from the moment he steps on an NBA court. The same goes for BYU wing A.J. Dybantsa, who NBA teams view as another strong candidate for the No. 1 pick. The projected top five is presently rounded out by Duke’s Cameron Boozer, positioned for a breakout year in college, as well as two rising names in Tennessee’s Nate Ament and Louisville’s Mikel Brown.
How this college season plays out will shift opinion to some extent, but there’s potentially quite a bit of impact talent atop the draft. Meaning a tanking team may not need to win the lottery to land a transformative player.
Because the Nets don’t control their 2027 first-rounder, next offseason — in which they’ll again be heavy on cap space and flexibility — presents an obvious opportunity to accelerate the roster back into playoff contention. What exactly the next iteration of the team will look like remains to be seen, but some potential stars available in free agency and a cache of future draft capital to dangle in trade discussions gives Brooklyn a pathway back to competitiveness if things break right. — Jeremy Woo
3. Utah Jazz
Incoming future first-round picks: 11 Future second-round picks: 7 Future outgoing first-round picks: Top-8 protected to Oklahoma City (2026, else a 2028 second-round pick) Most valuable first: Their own first in 2026 (if 1-8) and 2031 unprotected Phoenix Suns‘ first
The Jazz have effectively been stuck in neutral the past three seasons, with the rebuilding process that began in 2022 and has yet to bear results. Hiring Austin Ainge away from Boston to run the front office this offseason signaled a change to come and Ainge quickly went on record declaring that Utah wouldn’t be tanking in 2025-26. However, Utah’s first-rounder is top-8 protected to Oklahoma City, and the lack of veteran offseason additions potentially points to where the Jazz are headed, at least for one more season.
Utah took a major swing on Ace Bailey in the draft and added more offensive punch later in the first round with Walter Clayton Jr. This is a critical season for internal development as the Jazz evaluate which prospects from that group are long-term keepers. How the crowded backcourt minutes will be distributed should be particularly interesting, with Clayton joining Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier in a trio of offensive-minded and undersized ball handlers.
Although the Jazz have several veterans on the roster, headlined by former All-Star Lauri Markkanen, the priority should be on developing the younger talent. Bailey, a gifted wing shotmaker with size, offers the most untapped upside of that group, and as Ainge’s first selection, figures to be the prospect Utah pours into most. However, there are likely to be ups and downs as he adjusts to the NBA game, considering how raw his game appeared to be in college. Forward Kyle Filipowski has made some positive strides and deserves opportunities after winning summer league MVP. Taylor Hendricks also needs developmental minutes after an unlikely leg injury caused him to miss nearly all of his Year 2 last season.
There’s no simple, direct through line for Utah’s position back into playoff mode, with the 2026 draft class holding potential to reshape the trajectory. Whatever patience the Jazz can exercise despite the protracted nature of this rebuild might still pay off long-term. — Woo
4. Houston Rockets
Incoming future first-round picks: 9 Future second-round picks: 4 Future outgoing first-round picks: Top-4 protected first to Oklahoma City (2026) Most valuable first: 2027 unprotected Phoenix first and two of the more favorable first of own, Dallas and Phoenix (2029)
The Rockets continue to invest strongly in both their short and long-term plans. They enter this season as one of the favorites in a tough Western Conference and still have some valuable, high-leverage draft capital on the way. How Houston integrates Kevin Durant into the mix after adding him in the offseason will be one of the biggest storylines this season. And the Rockets have enough talent to make waves in the West, as well as a number of young, rising players still developing within this competitive context.
The unprotected 2027 pick Houston owns from Phoenix stands out as a potential lottery ticket, with the Suns in the midst of a younger roster reset that figures to be challenging in the short term. It’s also a valuable trade chip if the Rockets decide to continue buying in the moment to contend with Durant turning 37 this year.
However, NBA teams’ current attitude toward the 2027 draft class can be characterized nicely as underwhelming. For as excited as front offices are about 2026, a major question mark hangs over the following year, with some executives viewing it as one of the weakest draft-eligible classes in some time, both from a domestic and international perspective. The American high school class is presently headlined by forward Tyran Stokes, who was the clear standout among his peers at the Nike Skills Academy, but will need to show improvement to solidify himself as a No. 1 pick-caliber prospect, even in what may be a comparatively thin draft.
NBA teams will be closely tracking how that group shapes up over the next 18 months and whether new players will emerge as potential blue-chip names. While the recurring “bad draft” label is always inherently flawed — sharp teams are generally able to find value no matter the strength of the player pool — that perception will hold some sway over how decision-makers operate with foresight. How perception affects the way teams, including the Rockets, choose to treat their 2027 draft picks, and how they are valued in trade discussions, could be an interesting subtext to this season’s transaction wheel. — Woo
5. Memphis Grizzlies
Incoming future first-round picks: 9 Future second-round picks: 6 Most valuable first: 2026 unprotected Phoenix first
The Grizzlies made a measured offseason decision to pivot toward long-term growth, trading Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for a nice return of draft assets that helped sustain the roster. They cashed in some of those chips immediately to move up to No. 11 in the draft this year and select Cedric Coward, a buzzy sleeper prospect who missed nearly the entire last college season due to injury.
Memphis doesn’t figure to bottom out, with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. forming the backbone of a competitive roster in a conference that will likely place them in play-in conversations. And the decision to offload Bane could portend more moves, depending on how the Grizzlies play to begin the season.
One positive for the Grizzlies is that they could wind up with a lottery ticket in 2026, no matter how their season goes, as they hold the rights to the Suns’ 2026 first-round pick if the swap rights with the Washington Wizards are eliminated. In essence, Memphis may not need to be a drastic seller to have multiple swings at selecting a top prospect. The Grizzlies have largely built well through the draft under Zach Kleiman, and the decision to be patient rather than push in chips this season could certainly pay off. — Woo
What first-round pick could be the most valuable next June?
The most surprising trade on draft night was the New Orleans Pelicans‘ decision to send a high-value draft pick — the more favorable of its own and Milwaukee Bucks‘ 2026 first — to the Atlanta Hawks for the 13th overall pick, which became Derik Queen.
That pick stands out as the most tantalizing 2026 draft asset untethered from its parent franchise, as it gives the Hawks rare control over two teams’ picks that could be lottery-bound. The Pelicans’ pick looks like a good bet at this stage, considering the number of things that would have to break correctly for a team that’s seemingly been snakebitten in recent years.
The Bucks will begin the season with a thin roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo, particularly in the backcourt, and will rely on him and new addition Myles Turner to prop them up. While a playoff berth is attainable, Antetokounmpo will be asked to create even more than last season with no guarantee Milwaukee ends up back in the postseason.
From Atlanta’s perspective, a best-case scenario is that this one selection represents dual lottery odds come May. The overall shock around the NBA over the Pelicans’ decision to move the pick last June, despite the potential high-impact players in next year’s lottery, plays into the relative feasibility of Atlanta getting two high picks. — Woo
Hornets, Wizards and Trail Blazers among next tier of teams
The Charlotte Hornets and Wizards continue to play the long game with their roster.
The two teams have a combined 15 players on first-round rookie contracts, an unprecedented 47 draft picks in the next seven years and over $100 million in expiring contracts.
Charlotte has their own first in the next seven years and four additional firsts that were acquired in prior trades. The most valuable is a 2027 top-14 protected first from the Miami Heat that becomes unprotected in 2028 and a 2027 top-2 protected first from the Mavericks.
On the other hand, the Wizards are in a unique position. Their 2026 first goes to the New York Knicks if it falls outside of the top-8, and they also have the right to swap firsts with the Suns if the pick to the Knicks is not conveyed. If their own first is kept, they will send New York a 2026 and 2027 second.
The Portland Trail Blazers took an aggressive approach this summer, first trading for veteran Jrue Holiday and then signing injured guard Damian Lillard. The two transactions improved the roster at the cost of no draft picks sent out.
Ironically, from the trades that sent Lillard to Milwaukee and Holiday to the Boston Celtics in the 2023 offseason, the Trail Blazers have the most and least favorable 2029 first of their own, Boston and Milwaukee. They also have the right to swap firsts with the Bucks in 2028 and 2030.
They will send their own 2026 first to the Chicago Bulls only if it falls outside of the top 14. — Marks
After trading for superstars, do the Warriors, Lakers and Spurs have enough to make another big move?
Golden State traded its own 2025 first for Jimmy Butler, but still can trade up to four firsts (2026, 2028, 2030, 2032) and swap firsts in every season.
While the Warriors have the draft assets to land another impact player, one obstacle could be the lack of sizable contracts to send in a trade. The trio of Butler, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green combine to make 78% of Golden State’s salary this season.
The Lakers land on the opposite side of that spectrum. Even with LeBron James and Luka Doncic earning close to $100 million this season, Los Angeles still has over $60 million in expiring contracts available to use in a trade. However, they lack available first-round picks, owing Utah a 2027 top-4 protected first and an unprotected first to Dallas in 2029, the lone first allowed to trade is in either 2031 or 2032. They can swap firsts in five seasons (2026, 2028, 2030, 2031 and 2032).
The Warriors and Lakers also have only one second available to trade.
The Spurs have the right to swap firsts with Atlanta this year and the Hawks’ unprotected first in 2027.
They also have the right to swap firsts with Boston (top-1 protected in 2028), more favorable of Dallas and the Minnesota Timberwolves (top-1 protected in 2030) and the Sacramento Kings (2031). San Antonio can also trade two of their own firsts in 2029 and 2031 or 2032.
San Antonio has 15 seconds available, the third most of any team. — Marks
WASHINGTON: Over a recent two-year period, the Pentagon funded hundreds of projects done in collaboration with universities in China and institutes linked to that nation’s defense industry, including many blacklisted by the US government for working with the Chinese military, a congressional investigation has found.
The report, released Friday by House Republicans on the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, argues the projects have allowed China to exploit US research partnerships for military gains while the two countries are locked in a tech and arms rivalry.
Previous research has shown that when captive aye-ayes and slow lorises were offered nectar with varying percentages of alcohol, they finished off nectar with the highest alcohol content first.
Missing link to human drinking
While there is little to indicate that chimps are getting drunk from the fruit, experts say it could explain why humans have developed such a fondness for alcohol.
The common ancestors of humans and chimps were likely also exposed daily to alcohol from fermenting fruit.
Chimps and humans share the same enzyme that helps them to process alcohol.Credit: Lapresse
“Chimpanzees consume a similar amount of alcohol to what we might if we ate fermented food daily,” said UC Berkeley graduate student Aleksey Maro of the Department of Integrative Biology.
“When you adjust for body mass because chimps weigh about 40 kilos versus a typical human at 70 kilos, it goes up to nearly two drinks.
“Human attraction to alcohol probably arose from this dietary heritage of our common ancestor with chimpanzees.”
The ‘drunken monkey’ hypothesis
Previous studies of the human genome have shown that the ability to process alcohol dates from about 10 million years ago, about the same time when our ancestors were moving from the trees to the ground.
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Great apes, such as chimps, who shared an ancestor with humans between eight and 10 million years ago, also possess the same enzyme – alcohol dehydrogenase – which helps them efficiently break down ethanol, like humans.
More than 10 years ago, Professor Dudley first suggested humans inherited their appetite for alcohol from primate ancestors who ate fermented fruit from the forest floor, a theory dubbed “the drunken monkey hypothesis”.
At the time, many scientists were sceptical, claiming that primates avoided ethanol in fruit.
But in recent years, several studies have shown apes do like fermented food, and may have evolved the ability to metabolise ethanol to allow them to eat windfall fruit that monkeys and other animals struggle to digest.
Professor Dudley believes apes may seek out the smell of ethanol because it signals that a fruit has a higher sugar content and will be more enjoyable to eat.
The most frequently consumed fruits at each site, a fig in Nigeria and the plum-like fruit of the evergreen Parini Excelsa in Ivory Coast, were found to have the highest alcohol content.
A fire broke out on a trailer-mounted rig machine on a highway in Maharashtra`s Thane city early on Thursday, causing damage to the equipment, officials said, reported news agency PTI.
No person was injured in the incident, Thane Municipal Corporation`s disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said, reported PTI.
The incident was reported at 3.46 am near a temple on the Eastern Express Highway in the Naupada area.
“The battery and control panel of the rig machine mounted on a trailer caught fire. The fire and disaster management teams brought the blaze under control swiftly. No one was injured,” Tadvi said, reported PTI.
The rig machine was being transported on a trailer and it was en route from Kalyan to Mahim in neighbouring Mumbai when the fire occurred, the official said, reported PTI.
The fire was doused by 4.30 am. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, he said.
Train engine catches fire in Palghar district; passengers safe
In another incident, the engine of the Mumbai Central-Valsad passenger train caught fire during the journey at Kelve Road station in Palghar district of Maharashtra on Wednesday evening, a Western Railway (WR) official said, reported PTI.
All passengers are safe, he added.
The incident occurred at Kelve Road station around 7.56 pm, the official said, citing the preliminary information.
A Western Railway spokesperson said an incident of “flash and flames in the electric loco” of train no. 59023 Mumbai Central-Valsad fast passenger train was reported. “All passengers are safe. Nobody was injured,” he said, reported PTI.
The OHE power supply was temporarily switched off for safety reasons.
Senior railway officials and technical staff have rushed to the site to assess the situation and carry out necessary checks.
The train departed on schedule from Mumbai Central Station at 6.10 pm. It reached Kelve Road station at 7.56 PM after a 17-minute delay, when the crew of the engine noticed a flash and flames and immediately stopped the train, which had just started pulling out of the platform, reported PTI.
The crew, including the loco pilot, assistant pilot, and train manager, rushed to douse the fire using onboard extinguishers.
A senior railway official stated that staff at the station showed exceptional courage in bringing the blaze under control.
Stationmaster Aditya Kumar and two pointsmen, Som Prakash and Radheshyam, also joined the firefighting operation, reported PTI.
“They used eight fire extinguishers,” the railway official said, adding that even passengers on the platform helped the railway staff.
Local Fire Brigade personnel rushed to the station and doused the blaze.
“Due to the incident, trains heading towards Surat may experience delays. Some trains will be halted at all stations till Dahanu or Valsad to ensure passengers of 59023 can leave,” Vineet Abhishek, chief spokesperson of Western Railway, told PTI.
“At least seven Gujarat-bound trains were regulated en route various stations,” the Western Railway stated on X.
Services of local trains on the Virar-Dahanu section were also affected due to the engine fire incident.
The Mumbai Central-Valsad fast passenger train is one of the popular trains that connects southern Gujarat with Mumbai.
Alaina Getzenberg covers the Buffalo Bills for ESPN. She joined ESPN in 2021. Alaina was previously a beat reporter for the Charlotte Observer and has also worked for CBS Sports and the Dallas Morning News. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley.
The question hadn’t even been finished, but the words that the Buffalo Bills quarterback had heard over and over again were brought up — to his displeasure: When you’re asked about getting over that hump and winning the Super Bowl, does that..?
“I think if I knew how to get over that hump, we would’ve gotten over that hump already,” Allen said. Allen has become all too familiar with the line of questioning as the Bills’ quest of reaching the Super Bowl has extended over the years.
His seven playoff wins are the most by any quarterback in NFL history without a Super Bowl appearance. Allen is now a winner of the league’s MVP award and widely considered one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
So, the question comes up often.
“… You have to continue to keep giving yourself chances, and I feel like, one thing that I’ve for sure learned this last offseason is trusting in God’s timing. It’s never wrong, and when it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen, and you just got to continue to keep putting yourselves in opportunities where it could happen.”
The losses over the years have been memorable in their own ways. In the first AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020, Coach Sean McDermott said the team wasn’t ready to win the biggest of games. The loss the following year to the Chiefs in the Divisional Round is remembered by two words, “13 seconds.” Despite taking a three-point lead and leaving just 13 seconds on the clock for the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes was able to orchestrate a game-tying drive that ended with a Kansas City win in overtime before the rule change that both teams are guaranteed possession.
Allen walked up to a podium after the 2024 AFC Championship loss to the Chiefs again this past January and took a sigh, visibly crestfallen, before taking the questions of what went wrong again.
For years, Allen has maintained that his only goal is to win a Super Bowl. But after an offseason of significant highs, both personally and professionally, the 29-year-old shares a different perspective on football and its place in his life. The Bills have once again started strong with a 2-0 start in Allen’s eighth season, and now host the Miami Dolphins on “Thursday Night Football” (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video). Winning the Super Bowl is still the ultimate professional goal but now comes with the mentality that there’s also more to life.
“It’s never been a goal of mine to win MVP. If anything, it’s been to win the Super Bowl MVP,” Allen said. “I think that’s the better of the two awards and make no mistake, it’s a very cool honor. I really do appreciate it, but it doesn’t change my life. It doesn’t change who I am, and to that point, it probably … winning a Super Bowl doesn’t change who I am or change my life either. But it’s something that the city’s wanted for a very long time and to feel like I can help be a piece that brings it here, that’s more important to me than a singular trophy.”
YOU’VE UNDOUBTEDLY SEEN Allen’s face on TV and mobile screens in 2025, and if you live near a Wegmans supermarket, plastered on the outside of freezers. He’s promoting all sorts of brands from Therabody to Natrol, a sleep aid, to New Balance, and has expanded his relationship with New Era and Snickers, which made him available for this interview on a day when Allen helped to launch the candy’s new sauces available in three flavors.
Some of that larger public profile stems from how his offseason began, when Allen beat out Lamar Jackson in MVP voting.
While accepting his award, Allen gave a speech with a catchphrase that has found its way across Western New York.
“Be good, do good, God bless and go Bills.”
In March, Allen was rewarded for his seasons of work with a restructuring of his contract that included $250 million guaranteed and tied him to the team through the 2030 season.
On May 31, he got married in California to actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld, which Allen described as by far the most significant event. “They’ve all been big, none other than marrying my best friend,” Allen said. “And she makes everything easier, so I don’t really focus on the other stuff. That was the most important decision I’ll make in my life, and I made the right one.”
Allen has demonstrated a desire to be present in whatever part of life he is in, whether it includes work or family or spending time on the golf course.
“When football is on, he’s locked in and … there’s no quarterback out there that knows his offense better, is better at understanding the defense teams are playing,” friend and Detroit Lions quarterback Kyle Allen said. “…And then when it’s over, he loves to have a good time. So, I mean, all his teammates can attest to that. He loves to have a good time, and in the offseason, I don’t know if we talk about football ever.”
The Bills QB’s new perspective from the offseason stems from the time spent with loved ones this offseason and “knowing what’s truly important.
“Obviously, I love my job. I think it’s extremely important,” Allen said. “I do everything that I can to win games and help our team win, but the family aspect in being a good person and all that other stuff, I think that’s, if not just as important, if not more, than playing our game and what we do.
“It’s weird for me to say that because football is the only thing I’ve ever truly like, wanted to do. … It’s the only thing that like I care about in my life more than anything. And knowing that there’s more in life, it’s … I don’t know, I think as you get older you start to realize that, but don’t get it twisted, I still care, probably an obnoxious amount about this game and trying to bring a Lombardi here to Western New York, and it’s the only goal that I have in my work career.”
That career took Allen from a no-star recruit to the seventh overall pick in the draft to a top quarterback. He’s come to epitomize Western New York, an area on the opposite side of the country from his hometown of Firebaugh, CA where he has become beloved.
His commitment to wanting to win is visible, not missing a game since his rookie season despite a variety of injuries along the way, but also in his verbal commitment.
Teammates who have known him throughout the years bring up quickly how he’s stayed himself and not changed.
“He’s pretty much always the same. He’s a very consistent person on a daily basis. He gives a lot of himself,” Bills backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky said, “Especially, I would say, wherever he’s at, the main thing is going to be the main thing.”
Allen has always liked to keep many aspects of his private life just that — private. As far as what he’s putting into his offseason, there is an emphasis on the things outside of the game.
“He’s playing a little bit more golf nowadays,” Seattle Seahawks quarterback and friend Sam Darnold joked on Allen’s recent approach to his offseason. “No, he’s always trying to get better in the offseason. He’s working out, he’s doing his thing. He is playing a lot of golf, got married. So, his life is pretty hectic at times. And so, I think the most important thing for him is just to relax and be with his family and friends as much as he can be.”
ALLEN, AN AVID golf fan, took note of golfer Scottie Scheffler’s remarks during a press conference ahead of the Open Championship in July. Scheffler, currently the No. 1-ranked player in the world, gained attention for comments that asked, “Why do I want to win this golf tournament so badly?” The golfer made it abundantly clear the important role the sport plays in his life, but that his family is his top priority.
“That’s why I wrestle with why is this so important to me, because I’d much rather be a great father than I would be a great golfer,” Scheffler said. “At the end of the day, that’s what’s more important to me,”
Allen noted those words, specifically picking up Scheffler’s letting go of expectations, and asking, “Why do I care so much?”
Allen found that within himself as well.
“If we don’t win, we’re going to next year and we have a chance to win it next year,” Allen said. “And I think every year that I’ve had in this league, it’s like, ‘It’s gotta be Super Bowl, it’s gotta be Super Bowl,’ and I think this year, I just want to be like, you know what? I just want to play football and whatever happens, happens, and focusing more on the process than the results and letting go of that expectation and going out there and just playing to the best of my abilities no matter what and just being where my feet are.”
Bills quarterback Shane Buechele noted that Allen sets goals and that there is a positive in him doing that, but there’s also something to take from just focusing on what is in front of you.
“Just going 1-0 every week, just trying to handle or control what you can control, and I think he’s taken that maybe to the next level of man, just worrying about what he can do today or this week to make himself and the team better,” Buechele said.
Allen and others have expressed over the years how hard he can be on himself. Something former Bills offensive coordinator and current New York Giants coach Brian Daboll would preach is that, “‘It’s never as good as you think. It’s never as bad as you think.’”
Does that change with his new mindset?
“Maybe. Maybe. I mean, I still want to be my own harshest critic but maybe giving myself a little more grace,” Allen said.
DOWN 40-25 to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, Allen’s demeanor did not reflect whether the team was up or down by two scores. Lingering on the past is not something his brain is wired to do, and there’s a focus on continuing to do whatever it takes to win even when it takes a toll on his body.
“[His demeanor not reflecting the scoreboard is] one of his great powers,” Bills quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry said. “I think the greats have that. … Everybody talks about the shots that he makes, and nobody talks about the shots that he doesn’t. I think he goes out there, he lays on the line, he cares and he understands this is not the end of the world. So, he can go out there and he can be free.”
Allen led the Bills on a historic comeback, scoring 16 points in the final four minutes of the game to win 41-40. Those on the sideline with him noted the calm he maintained.
“To say, I expect [performances like the game-winning drive], I mean, we do. That’s such a hard job to have that pressure, but I’ve seen him do everything,” Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White, who was drafted the year before Allen said “…I feel like his situational awareness … in the middle of the game, the heat of battle, I feel like that’s next to none. … I think that he’s the guy that through whatever, he remain calm, keep his pulse, keep his poise. Guy’s just a great f—ing quarterback, great football player.”
Allen will continue to lead the Bills on the quest to get over the hump this year, or whenever it may occur.
“I’m gonna do everything that I can to make it happen, but don’t worry about it. Let’s go out there and if I’m doing everything that I can and putting my best foot forward, sometimes the ball’s gonna bounce the other way, and that’s just the unfortunate part about what we play, but that’s why we play, because the outcome is unknown and just going out there and enjoying the game that I love.”
