Popular halftime performer Red Panda injured in fall at WNBA game

Popular halftime performer Red Panda injured in fall at WNBA game

Acrobat Red Panda, a popular halftime performer known for juggling various items while riding a 7-foot unicycle, suffered a scary fall while performing during the2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cupgame at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Red Panda, whose real name is Rong Niu, is well known for her halftime performances at various NBA and WNBA games. Niu's act involves catching and balancing bowls on her head and feet while riding a unicycle, but Tuesday's performance at the Commissioner's Cup game between theIndiana FeverandMinnesota Lynxtook a scary turn shortly after it began. Niu uses a ladder to mount her unicycle. Shortly after letting go of the ladder, Niu fell off her unicycle and clutched her wrist on the floor. She was attended to by medical professionals before being wheeled off the floor in awheelchair. Red Panda fell off her unicycle during the WNBA Commissioner's Cup final. She is being attended by medical personnel after being wheeled off the court.pic.twitter.com/30WrXGQtxU — Tedd Buddwell 🏀🏈 (@TedBuddy8)July 2, 2025 ESPN, citing a WNBA source, reportedthat Niu "was taken to a hospital for evaluation." Caitlin Clark gave Niu a shoutoutin an Instagram Live video posted by Sydney Colsonas the Fever celebrated their Commissioner's Cup win over the Lynx. "Red Panda, we love you," Clark said. This isn't the first time Niu has suffered an injury. She previously broke her arm after falling off her unicycle. "At the beginning, I was riding unicycles two-and-a-half feet high. Then, once you get better, you change the height. After riding like a year or two, you don't feel the fear any more. You're getting used to it. But then a few years ago, I fell and broke my arm. That made me feel that fear again. But after a while, you get over that," she said during an interview withSB Nation in 2018."I was in a cast for 10 months without practice." Niu, who has been a halftime performer since 1993, recently performed during Game 5 of the NBA Finals between theIndiana PacersandOklahoma City Thunderat the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. She appeared on Season 8 of "America's Got Talent" in 2013 and advanced to the quarterfinals before withdrawing due to personal reasons. This story has been updated with new information. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Red Panda performer injured in unicycle fall during halftime show

byAlpha World

in

July 02, 2025

Popular halftime performer Red Panda injured in fall at WNBA game

Popular halftime performer Red Panda injured in fall at WNBA game Acrobat Red Panda, a popular halftime performer known for juggling various...

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UPenn updates swimming records set by Lia Thomas, settling with feds on transgender athletes case

UPenn updates swimming records set by Lia Thomas, settling with feds on transgender athletes case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The University of Pennsylvania on Tuesday modified a trio of school records set by transgender swimmerLia Thomasand said it would apologize to female athletes "disadvantaged" by her participation on the women's swimming team, part of a resolution of a federalcivil rights case. The U.S. Education Department and Penn announced the voluntary agreement of the high-profile case that focused on Thomas, who last competed for the Ivy League school in 2022, when she became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title. The department investigated Penn as part of theTrump administration's broader attemptto remove transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports, concluding the university in Philadelphia had violated the rights of female athletes. Under the agreement, Penn agreed to restore all individual Division I records and titles to female athletes who lost to Thomas and send a personalized apology letter to each of those swimmers, the Education Department said. By Tuesday afternoon, thePenn websiteshowed other athletes holding the school's top times in Thomas' events. The site was annotated with a note that read, "Competing under eligibility rules in effect at the time, Lia Thomas set program records in the 100, 200 and 500 freestyle during the 2021-22 season." "While Penn's policies during the 2021-2022 swim season were in accordance with NCAA eligibility rules at the time, we acknowledge that some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules," Penn President J. Larry Jameson said. "We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or experienced anxiety because of the policies in effect at the time." As part of the settlement, the university must also announce that it "will not allow males to compete in female athletic programs" and it must adopt "biology-based" definitions of male and female, the department said. In his statement, Jameson said Penn has always been in compliance with NCAA and Title IX rules as they were interpreted at the time, and that the university has never had its own policies around transgender athlete participation. The school has followed changes to eligibility guidelines as they were issued earlier this year, he said. The NCAA changed its participation policy fortransgender athletesin February, limiting competition in women's sports toathletes who were assigned femaleat birth. "Our commitment to ensuring a respectful and welcoming environment for all of our students is unwavering," Jameson said. "At the same time, we must comply with federal requirements, including executive orders, and NCAA eligibility rules, so our teams and student-athletes may engage in competitive intercollegiate sports." Education Secretary Linda McMahon called it a victory for women and girls. "The Department commends UPenn for rectifying its past harms against women and girls, and we will continue to fight relentlessly to restore Title IX's proper application and enforce it to the fullest extent of the law," McMahon said in a statement. Former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines thanked PresidentTrumpon social media and wrote of the settlement, "Are pigs flying?" Gaines has said she started her activism against transgender athletes competing in women's sports after sharing a locker room with Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championships. The Education Department opened its investigation in February and concluded in April that Penn had violated Title IX, a 1972 law forbidding sex discrimination in education. Such findings have almost always been resolved through voluntary agreements. If Penn had fought the finding, the department could have moved to refer the case to the Justice Department or pursued a separate process to cut the school's federal funding. In February, the Education Department asked the NCAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations, or NFSHSA, to restore titles, awards and records it says have been "misappropriated by biological males competing in female categories." The most obvious target at the college level was in women's swimming, where Thomas won the national title in the 500-yard freestyle in 2022. The NCAA has updated its record books when recruiting and other violations have stripped titles from certain schools, but the organization, like the NFSHSA, has not responded to the federal government's request and did not respond to emails seeking comment Tuesday. It was not clear how either would determine which events had a transgender athlete participating years later. ___ Associated Press writers Annie Ma and Dan Gelston contributed. Gelston contributed from Philadelphia. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP'sstandardsfor working with philanthropies, alistof supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

byAlpha World

in

July 02, 2025

UPenn updates swimming records set by Lia Thomas, settling with feds on transgender athletes case

UPenn updates swimming records set by Lia Thomas, settling with feds on transgender athletes case WASHINGTON (AP) — The University of Pennsy...

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'You'll always be my friend': Trump and Ron DeSantis put aside rivalry at 'Alligator Alcatraz'

'You'll always be my friend': Trump and Ron DeSantis put aside rivalry at 'Alligator Alcatraz'

There was no evidence of the onetime rivalry between President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday as they came together in a common cause:opening an immigrant detention centerin the swampy heart of Florida. Trump and his top deputies visited the Everglades, where Florida officials delivered a win for his anti-immigration agenda and positioned the state at the forefront of his crackdown. The facility, which Republican leaders dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," is set to house 3,000 detainees and took just eight days to construct. "It might be as good as the real Alcatraz," Trump told reporters Tuesday. "It's a little controversial, but I couldn't care less." The push behind "Alligator Alcatraz" is not only to keep Florida aligned with Trump on immigration but also to reposition some of the state's biggest Republican players politically. DeSantis, for instance, fought vocally with Trump during the 2024 presidential primaries; during the visit Tuesday, however, he and Trump praised each other. "You are my friend, and you'll always be my friend, and we may have some skirmishes, even in the future. I doubt it, but I will always come back, because we have blood that seems to match pretty well," Trump said. "I think it is a 10," Trump added of their relationship. "Maybe a 9.9. ... We get along great." DeSantis, unprompted, quickly chimed in with a reminder that he endorsed Trump as soon as he exited the presidential race in early 2024. "The thing about it is, I endorsed him," DeSantis said. "Raised one of his PACs millions and millions of dollars." Trump and DeSantis, along with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, toured the facility in a made-for-TV presentation of the opening of what is one of the largest immigrant detention facilities in the country. A number of the media outlets on the tour were Trump-friendly organizations, who asked questions that praised him or allowed him to hype his agenda. One reporter asked him to weigh in on the "disastrous handling of the border" by President Joe Biden's administration, while another had him comment on how his "beloved New York City may well be led by a communist soon." "What's your message to Gov. Gavin Newsom?" right-wing YouTube personality Benny Johnson asked. Trump responded that the "first thing" Newsom, the governor of California and a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, should do "is come here and learn something." The political undertones of the event were hard to ignore. Among those Trump invited to attend was Rep. Byron Donalds, a Florida Republican running for governor in 2026. At the same time, DeSantis' wife, Casey DeSantis,continues to consider a competing run for governor. During a roundtable discussion Tuesday, Donalds — sitting just a couple of feet from DeSantis — said he "commended" him for his work to combat illegal immigration. The moment represented political foes' setting aside their feud, at least for the day. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, a close DeSantis ally, hatched the idea for Alligator Alcatraz last month, but it got national traction when DeSantis did a live tour of the facility Friday on "Fox and Friends," which caught the Trump administration off-guard. Noem and top adviser Corey Lewandowski supported the facility but wanted the opening Tuesday to be the formal public rollout, two sources familiar with the matter told NBC News. "DeSantis upset Noem and Lewandowski with his Fox News tour of the detention site," a Republican operative familiar with the process said. "Noem wanted an event for Tuesday and didn't want anyone having eyes on the site and needed to push until Tuesday because she was traveling." The Republican operative said Noem's staff asked DeSantis not to do the Fox News tour. "The DHS team asked DeSantis not to do his Friday event," the person added. "DeSantis did what was best for DeSantis and got out in front...angering both Noem and Lewandowski." Another source familiar with the matter said the ire did not stem directly from the White House but from Lewandowski. "He lost his s---," the person said. Lewandowski and DeSantis' political team did not respond to requests for comment. The White House called the assertion "fake news." "Leave it to the Fake News NBC to write about baseless gossip following a hugely successful event with President Trump, Secretary Noem and Governor DeSantis at Alligator Alcatraz," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement. "Here's the real story that the state-of-the-art facility will play an important role in fulfilling the President's promise to keep Americans safe and deport criminal illegal aliens." "The President is grateful to work with both Secretary Noem and Governor DeSantis on this project," she added. Still, the event signaled that DeSantis was publicly rekindling his relationship with Trump, and to some degree it wasseen as a boonfor his attempt to again regain national political footing for a potential presidential campaign in 2028, even as Vice President JD Vance is widely seen as the current front-runner. "No one thought Trump would so closely embrace DeSantis today," said a longtime Florida operative who was at the event. "We didn't think he would try to undercut him or insult him, but Trump was over the top in his praise today. I don't know what that means, but it was a good day for Ron DeSantis." The Everglades facility has given DeSantis and the state's Republican leaders, including Uthmeier,a boost to their fundraising efforts, even as Democrats have decried the effort as cruel to those accused of being in the country illegally. "'Alligator Alcatraz' is a callous political stunt," said David Jolly, a former Republican member of Congress who is running for governor as a Democrat in 2026. "Florida's most pressing challenge is the housing affordability crisis created by Republican leaders, not immigrants working to support our state's economy." Since the announcement of the facility,there have also been protests— including one Tuesday for the opening — and a lawsuitfiled by environmental groupsconcerned over the impact it could have on the Everglades. The facility was made possible by DeSantis' using emergency powers he enacted in 2023. The state built what amounts to a tent city, hiring a dozen vendors and seizing land from Miami-Dade County over local leaders' objections. The facility is housed on a little-used airstrip that includes a runway that DeSantis said can be used to quickly fly undocumented immigrants to third countries if deportation is deemed appropriate.

byAlpha World

in

July 02, 2025

'You'll always be my friend': Trump and Ron DeSantis put aside rivalry at 'Alligator Alcatraz'

'You'll always be my friend': Trump and Ron DeSantis put aside rivalry at 'Alligator Alcatraz' There was no evidence of ...

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Anti-Trump Protests Planned Across U.S. on July 4

Anti-Trump Protests Planned Across U.S. on July 4

A banner showing a picture of President Donald Trump is displayed outside of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) building on June 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Credit - Kevin Carter—Getty Images This July 4, some Americans are planning to retire their Independence Day barbecues and instead head to the streets in protest againstPresident Donald Trumpand his Administration. The collective demonstrations will be the latest in a long line of protests that have taken place since Trump returned to the White House for a second term. On June 14, as Trump held a national military parade in Washington, D.C.,–the largest the capital city has seen in decades—people across the U.S. gathered for counter-action, attending"No Kings" proteststo publicly "reject authoritarianism." Ahead of the big day, Trump had warned that "people that want to protest will be met with big force," saying participants are "people that hate our country." Amid the "No Kings" activism, states across the U.S. also encounteredimmigration protestsas people demonstrated against the Trump Administration's ICE raids. The protests notably started in Los Angeles and garnered national and international attention, especially afterTrump deployed the National Guard, and later the Marines, to quell the demonstrations, without the request of California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The decision resulted in much criticism and a legal battle, with an appeals court ultimately ruling that Trump was allowed to keep control of the National Guard in L.A. In April,people gathered across the U.S. and international citiessuch as London, Paris, and Stockholm to protest against the actions of Trump and his then-ally, former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) lead Elon Musk. (The former allies have since had avery public falling out.) Now, a fresh round of protests are set to take place on July 4, America's Independence Day. Here's what we know about the planned action. Women's March, which coordinates protests across the U.S.against sexism and oppression, has published a list of over 140 events set to take place on July 4. The displays of protest range from rallies and marches to block parties. Women's March has invited communities across the country to create even more events. Per the organization, the Free America Weekendaims to highlightkey issues being faced by people across the U.S., such as poverty, unlawful orders, and "the grip of hate and the politics of fear." "This July 4th, while the U.S. marks Independence Day, we'll gather across the country—on porches, in town squares, backyards, and streets—to stand for real freedom and build a vision of a Free America, brick-by-brick," reads a statement within Women March's call for action. "They want us scared, divided, and alone. They don't want us to dream about freedom. But that's exactly what we have to do," said the organization. After widespread "No Kings" protests took place throughout the U.S. on June 14, another round of demonstrations are set to take place on July 4. "No Kings 2.0" events have been scheduled inWisconsin,LouisianaandWyoming, along with at leastten other locationsacross the U.S. While the "No Kings" protests in June were notably rallying against "authoritarianism," the event page for Wisconsin's July 4 rally in Green Bay says that the focus this time is on ICE raids and activity amid Trump's nationwide immigration crackdown. The protest event page encourages those attending to stand up for "community, justice [in] solidarity with our immigrant neighbors." In June, ICE arrests conducted in Trump's second term reportedly reachedover 100,000. Organizers of "No Kings 2.0" events in Louisiana and Wyoming have stressed non-violent demonstrations as a core principle of the gatherings. Read More:Protesters Across the U.S. Rally Against Trump and Musk: 'Stop Destroying America' Locals areplanning a demonstrationoutside Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. Protesters are scheduled to gather near the estate on the evening of July 4, equipped with a large balloon depicting the President as a baby. A similar balloon was hoisted above Trump's Florida residence on Juneteenth in 2020,in protestagainst the treatment of Black Americans, in the weeks after the killing of George Floyd. "We're supposed to be celebrating America's independence, and I felt a moral responsibility to stand up and declare our independence from Trump-ism," Mark Offerman, a local activist, told Palm Beach Daily News. Meanwhile, The People's Union USA is encouraging Americans to stay at home on July 4, boycotting large corporations and avoiding parades and firework displays in a show of solidarity against wealth inequality and ICE raids. Instead, The People's Union USA, whoorganized the "Economic Blackout" in February, wants people to focus on supporting their communities and buying locally. Founder John Schwarz hascalledit the "most important boycott of the year." "Do not wave a flag for a country that no longer waves it for you," Schwarz saidin a video. "The 4th of July is supposed to be a celebration of freedom, but what freedom are we actually talking about?" Contact usatletters@time.com.

byAlpha World

in

July 02, 2025

Anti-Trump Protests Planned Across U.S. on July 4

Anti-Trump Protests Planned Across U.S. on July 4 A banner showing a picture of President Donald Trump is displayed outside of the U.S. Depa...

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ACC quarterback rankings for 2025 college football season include two playoff starters

ACC quarterback rankings for 2025 college football season include two playoff starters

As college football fans well know, having the best quarterback in the league does not guarantee a championship. But it certainly helps, and having an experienced hand directing the offense is a huge advantage, especially in the era of the portal. It therefore should come as no surprise that the two teams that squared off for the ACC title last season and appeared in the inaugural 12-team playoff, both of which have incumbent signal callers in place, can be found at or near the top of our ranking of each team's QB situation with fall practice getting underway in just a few weeks. Of course, transfers are part of the picture as well, with programs seeking to maintain upward trajectory or reverse their tumbling fortunes. Here's how we rank the ACC starters. The Tigers needed Klubnik to improve in his second season, and he did just that as he threw for 3,639 yards and 36 TDs in 2024 as part of a run to the ACC title and College Football Playoff. If he continues to progress, Clemson fans can think about not just making the playoff again but sticking around a while. When healthy King was outstanding, tossing 14 TD passes with just two picks. He was also a productive runner with 587 yards and 11 scores. But his aggressive style led to some nagging injuries during much of the season, so keeping him protected will be a major priority for the Yellow Jackets. EXPERIENCE MATTERS:Familiar faces top Big Ten QB rankings TIME TO SHINE:Arch Manning headlines SEC QB rankings Jennings was a revelation after assuming the starting job early last season. Unfortunately, he had his the worst day of an otherwise outstanding campaign in the Mustangs' first-round playoff loss to Penn State. But now with a full year under his belt he should keep SMU in the league title hunt once again. In arguably the splashiest move of the early transfer cycle, Beck left Georgia after two seasons as the team's starter. He will look to pick up where No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward left off for the Hurricanes. But while his stint with the Bulldogs was largely successful, his resume does not include a national championship and he his health remains a question after an arm injury in the SEC title game. The fact that the Blue Devils were able to gain the services of the highly sought after Tulane transfer indicates how serious the school is about not just being a basketball destination. Mensah threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns while leading the Green Wave to a nine-win campaign as a freshman. His sophomore campaign will be a step up in competition, but he seems ready for it. The well-traveled Morris was most recently putting up lofty passing numbers at North Texas (3,774 yards, 31 TDs). He wasn't nearly as productive at his previous Power Four locations (Oklahoma and TCU), but he might be the experienced hand theCavaliersneed to recharge their program. Johnson's season was over before it really got started when he was injured in last year's opener at Minnesota, and he was still unable to participate in spring drills for new Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick. That might give the edge in the competition to Lopez, who transfers in from South Alabama, where he led the Jaguars to the program's first bowl win. As a promising season as the replacement for Caleb Williams at Southern California drifted into mediocrity, Moss lost his starting job and entered the portal. Cardinals coach Jeff Brohm's track record with transfer quarterbacks suggests the results here will be good given the physical tools Moss brings to the table. As Florida State fans know all too well, not every quarterback transfer is a home run. The DJ Uiagalelei experiment was part of a disappointing two-win season last year. They hope this one will work out better, although Castellanos's tenure atBoston Collegewas a mixed bag as he ultimately wound up on the bench at the end of the season. His mobility and moxie should help bring improvement to the Seminoles offense. Drones had highlight moments for the Hokies, but he also made his share of mistakes as the team went through a subpar season after high expectations. Consistency from the offense would go a long way toward cooling coach Brent Pry's potentially warm chair. New Demon Deacons coach Jake Dickert has also demonstrated the ability to develop transfer QBs. Both Ashford and Purdie have starting experience at Auburn and Charlotte, respectively, though neither posted eye-popping numbers. The competition is expected to extend deep into training camp and might now be fully decided before the opener. Holstein's first season at Pitt was going swimmingly until it wasn't, as a 7-0 start was followed by the team's six-game losing skid. Multiple injuries sidelined him for most of the last four games. He returns after posting a respectable 61.9% completion rate with 17 scoring throws, though he must manage more accomplished defenses better. James started the last four games for the Eagles after replacing Castellanos in the starting lineup. He finished with solid numbers - 1,202 yards passing and six TDs - and ran for three more scores. The offense is his now, and he should be able to negotiate the Eagles' early schedule before things heat up in October. After seeing limited action in two seasons at LSU, Collins moved north with the Orange needing a replacement for Kyle McCord. Collins was officially named the starter by coach Fran Brown coming out of the spring. He's a huge wildcard on this list with significant talent but few live reps. Pressed into service ahead of schedule as a freshman when Grayson McCall was injured, Bailey posted solid stats with 2,413 yards and 17 TDs. He was intercepted 10 times, a number that must be reduced if theWolfpackare to get back to the league's upper tier. A full offseason as the starter should serve him well Cal faithful are hopeful that signing a guy who has been in Ohio State's quarterback room works out as well as McCord did at Syracuse. Brown completed just 11 passes on 20 attempts with a touchdown in mop-up duty behind Will Howard on the Buckeyes' title team. Brown, the former four-star recruit out of perennial prep power Mater Dei, is the lone remaining quarterback on the Cardinal roster with any live reps. Interim coach Frank Reich might instead turn to Gulbranson, a late portal arrival from Oregon State, to ease the transition from a chaotic offseason. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:ACC quarterback rankings for college football season

byAlpha World

in

July 02, 2025

ACC quarterback rankings for 2025 college football season include two playoff starters

ACC quarterback rankings for 2025 college football season include two playoff starters As college football fans well know, having the best q...

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