Olympics greats Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte rip USA Swimming during 2025 World Championships: 'Call it a funeral'New Foto - Olympics greats Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte rip USA Swimming during 2025 World Championships: 'Call it a funeral'

Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte aren't happy with the way Team USA has performed at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships. Phelps and Lochte expressed their disappointment with the team, sharing an Instagram post proclaiming it was time to hold a funeral for USA Swimming. Lochte was the first to share the image, which features people in mourning at a funeral. The image contains a tombstone, which reads: "In loving memory of United States Swimming." Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte just took some public shots at USA Swimming on Instagram.Agree with them or not, this is a pretty big deal. They're fed up and not afraid to start letting people know.pic.twitter.com/R9nxNBzeuP — Kyle Sockwell (@kylesockwell)August 1, 2025 The tombstone then lists the dates 1980-2025, suggesting USA Swimming lived 45 years before dying in 2025. Under those dates lies an epitaph, which reads, "They set the bar high — until they stopped reaching for it." It's unclear whether Lochte found the image elsewhere or asked for it to be generated. The image appears to be made by A.I. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Phelps shared the image on Instagram, adding his own critique of USA Swimming. Phelps' comment read, "Is this the wake up call USA Swimming needed? Let's find out....." Lochte and Phelps opted to share the image during the 2025 World Aquatics Championships. Team USA got out to a slow start at the event, as multiple members of the teamdealt with acute gastroenteritis. Despite those early struggles, the teamsecured five gold medalsas of Friday morning. That tied Team USA with Australia for the most swimming medals at the event. Team USA does own the most overall swimming medals at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, with 20. That performance isn't good enough for Lochte and Phelps, who happen to know a thing or two about the sport. Phelps is widely celebrated as one of the best swimmers — and one of the best Olympic athletes — of all time. He won 23 gold medals, the most of any Olympian. He also holds the record for most gold medals in individual events, with 13. Long after his retirement, Phelps remains one of the most prominent names in the sport. Lochte is a six-time Olympic gold medalist, winning events between 2004 and 2016. Two of Lochte's gold medals came in individual events. The other four came in relays, where Phelps was one of his teammates. The pair played a major role in Team USA's swimming dominance during their careers. Between 2003 and 2022, Team USA secured the most gold medals in swimming at the World Championships every year they were held. Team USA finished second to Australia in 2023, ending that streak, but then bounced back to reclaim first at the 2024 Olympics. Despite Team USA tying for the lead in gold medals and leading the pack with 20 overall swimming medals in 2025, Lochte and Phelps clearly view the squad's performance as a major disappointment.

byAlpha World
in
August 01, 2025

Olympics greats Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte rip USA Swimming during 2025 World Championships: 'Call it a funeral'

Olympics greats Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte rip USA Swimming during 2025 World Championships: 'Call it a funeral' Michael Phelps and...
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Carlos Correa is back with the Astros -- this time at third baseNew Foto - Carlos Correa is back with the Astros -- this time at third base

BOSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa wasn't going to waive his no-trade clause for any other team. But when the Twins told him that they would be rebuilding for the rest of the season – and probably beyond – Correa OK'd a deal back to Houston, where he still owned the house from his first go-'round with the Astros. "My wife hates the cold," the 2017 World Series champion said before making his Astros return in Friday night's game against the Boston Red Sox. "We kept the house in Houston just to come back to, and our family and friends are there. So we live there, so it works perfectly. "You never want to burn bridges in this game. You never know how things are going to end up panning out," Correa said. "My relationship in Minnesota (is) fantastic, same here in Houston when I left. And now you see that I'm back." The top pick in the 2012 amateur draft and 2015 AL Rookie of the Year, Correa was beloved in Houston as part of the homegrown core that helped the franchise go from laughingstock to perennial contenders. A two-time All-Star in his seven years with the Astros, he helped the franchise to six playoff appearances, three AL pennants and its first World Series title. He signed with Minnesota as a free agent in 2022 and made another All-Star team but just one playoff appearance, in 2023. On Thursday, with the Twins languishing in fourth in the AL Central and ninth in the race for three wild-card berths,they sold off anything of valueto look toward the future. "After talking to the front office in Minnesota, I understood that the direction where the organization was going was not the one that I was there for," Correa said. "So that's when we agreed that it was best for both parties to just make this trade happen." Houston sent minor-league pitcher Matt Mikulskito Minnesota in return for Correaand agreed to pay $33 million of the more than $100 million remaining on his contract. "That was never a thought until I saw the rumors, and I texted him and he said it was real," said second baseman Jose Altuve, one of the holdovers from Correa's first stint in Houston. "That's when we started as a team getting excited about it." The Astros, who at the time of the trade deadline led the AL West by five games over the Seattle Mariners, also picked up outfielder Jesús Sánchez and minor leaguers Chase Jaworsky and Esmil Valencia. Sanchez was in left field batting third against the Red Sox on Friday night. Correa was at third and batting cleanup. He had played 1,186 games at shortstop in his major league career, and none at third base; he did play some third base for Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic. "I'm going to be putting a lot of work at third base and getting to know the position," Correa said before taking grounders during batting practice. "I grew accustomed to shortstop and it's going to a fun challenge." Astros manager Joe Espada said he was at the movies with his children on Thursday afternoon when the news came in about Correa. "A lot of stuff happened on my off day, but it was a really good off day," Espada said. "I didn't finish the movie. The phone kept ringing, but I didn't mind. It happened really quickly. We added all those players in a matter of minutes. And I was very excited. Very, very happy with the outcome." ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/MLB

byAlpha World
in
August 01, 2025

Carlos Correa is back with the Astros -- this time at third base

Carlos Correa is back with the Astros -- this time at third base BOSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa wasn't going to waive his no-trade clause f...
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Republican super PACs bank millions ahead of midterm battlesNew Foto - Republican super PACs bank millions ahead of midterm battles

Republicans are betting that they can defend their slim congressional majorities in next year's midterm elections, and the party's biggest donors are putting their chips on the table, too. New fundraising reports filed Thursday for outside groups show that GOP megadonors are engaged in the fight for Congress, steering $59.2 million to the main two super PACs involved in House and Senate races aligned with GOP leadership, Senate Leadership Fund and the Congressional Leadership Fund, throughout the first six months of the year. The two major super PACs aligned with Democratic congressional leadership, Senate Majority PAC and House Majority PAC, raised $38.6 million combined. The GOP groups had $62 million left in their accounts as of June 30, while the Democratic groups had $35.8 million. And neither those figures nor the totals raised include all of the groups' nonprofit arms, which can also raise unlimited funds but do not have to disclose their donors. While Republicans may have an early advantage in the super PAC money chase, that doesn't necessarily mean they will be able to swamp the airwaves. Democratic candidates have typically raised more money directly for their campaigns than the average Republican candidate has in recent years, riding a wave of small-donor enthusiasm unleashed in response to President Donald Trump's first election in 2016. That candidate-to-candidate financial advantage pays dividends, since candidates can reserve television airtime at lower rates than outside groups. Still, the big hauls from Republican groups are a sign that the party's donors are tuned into the midterm battle ahead, with both groups raising substantially more than the first six months of 2021, the last midterm election cycle. That period was also marked by GOP donors pulling back from Republican causes after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. SLF, which is aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, pulled in $26.5 million during the first six months of the year, four times the size of its haul at this point in 2021. CLF, which is aligned with Speaker Mike Johnson, raised $32.7 million, more than double its 2021 haul. The same group of megadonors — hedge fund manager Paul Singer, current United Kingdom Ambassador Warren Stephens, investor Mark Rowan and poultry businessman Ronald Cameron — gave $1 million or more to each of the groups. The biggest checks came frombillionaire Elon Musk,who donated $5 million each to SLF and CLF on June 27, after he had left his role as a White House. Musk, whoalso donated to a pro-Trump super PAC, made his contributions before publicly musing about starting a third party in July. On the Democratic side, HMP saw a 50% increase compared to its 2021 haul, bringing in $21.2 million so far this year. But SMP saw a slight decrease, raising $17.3 million so far. And the groups drew from different big donors. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker gave $1 million to HMP but not SMP, the filings show. And HMP also benefited from Democratic megadonors including Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings and hedge fund manager Stephen Mandel. SMP, meanwhile, had million-dollar donations from software company founder Phillip Ragon, Olan Mills and real estate mogul George Marcus. Senate GOP candidates aren't just going to be boosted by SLF's significant resources; some will benefit from strong fundraising by outside groups specifically devoted to their elections, both in red and swing states. These candidate-specific Republican Senate super PACs have emerged to push back against the Democratic candidates' hard-money advantage. Maine Sen. Susan Collins, the only Republican defending a seat in a state Democrats regularly win statewide, has overcome a big fundraising discrepancy before — her Democratic opponent in 2020, Sarah Gideon, outraised her $75.6 million to $27.8 million between 2019 and 2020, but Collins won that race by almost 9 percentage points. After outraising her top Democratic opponent last quarter, Collins' allied super PAC, Pine Tree Results PAC, reported raising $5.6 million in the first six months of 2025, thanks to some key seven-figure checks from private equity CEO Stephen Schwarzman and New Balance executive James Davis. In Michigan, home to what's expected to be one of the most competitive Senate races of the cycle, a group backing Republican Mike Rogers could help him combatstrong fundraising on the Democratic side. Great Lakes Conservatives Fund, a pro-Rogers group, raised $5.1 million through June, virtually all from oil billionaire Timothy Dunn. In Texas, where Sen. John Cornynfaces a tough GOP primary challengefrom state Attorney General Ken Paxton, Cornyn is trying to counter Paxton's direct fundraising lead with a strong fundraising showing from outside groups. Texans for a Conservative Majority, a super PAC backing Cornyn, raised almost $11 million in the first six months of the year. And Louisiana GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy, who faces a primary challenge from state Treasurer John Fleming, is also getting an outside boost from a group called Louisiana Freedom Fund, which raised $2.5 million over that same time period.

byAlpha World
in
August 01, 2025

Republican super PACs bank millions ahead of midterm battles

Republican super PACs bank millions ahead of midterm battles Republicans are betting that they can defend their slim congressional majoritie...
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Trump administration blocks funding for CDC health programs, WSJ reportsNew Foto - Trump administration blocks funding for CDC health programs, WSJ reports

(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is blocking funding for a swath of public-health programs run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing unnamed sources. These include youth violence prevention programs, research on preventing gun injuries and deaths and efforts targeting diabetes, chronic kidney disease and tobacco use, according to the report. The money withheld could not be determined, but it could be as high as $200 million, the WSJ reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. The CDC did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The White House has previously stated its intention to reduce U.S. health spending by more than a quarter next year, with the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention facing the brunt of billions of dollars in cuts. Earlier this week, Susan Monarez was confirmed as CDC director to lead a downsized agency as the White House moves to slash its budget by nearly $3.6 billion, reducing it to about $4 billion. The cuts follow a layoff plan enacted by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that eliminated 2,400 positions in CDC, though roughly 700 of those workers have since been rehired. (Reporting by Mrinmay Dey and Padmanabhan Ananthan in Bengaluru; Editing by Chris Reese and Anil D'Silva)

byAlpha World
in
August 01, 2025

Trump administration blocks funding for CDC health programs, WSJ reports

Trump administration blocks funding for CDC health programs, WSJ reports (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is bloc...
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Micah Parsons requests trade from Cowboys after contract negotiations fall apart: 'I no longer want to be here'New Foto - Micah Parsons requests trade from Cowboys after contract negotiations fall apart: 'I no longer want to be here'

Micah Parsons wants a trade from the Dallas Cowboys. The star pass rusher released a lengthy statement Friday, detailing his frustrations with the team's approach to negotiating his next contract. Parsons posted hisstatement on Xwith the caption, "Thank you Dallas." In the note, Parsons detailed the timeline of his contact negotiations with the team. Early in the note, Parsons wrote, "I no longer want to be here." He then claimed he and his agent reached out to the Cowboys prior to the start of the 2024 NFL season and again after the 2024 season about a new contract, only to be ignored by the team. Parsons then confirmed earlier reports suggesting he met with team owner Jerry Jones in March "to talk about leadership." At that meeting, Parsons claimed Jones started to discuss Parsons' next contract. Parsons said he engaged in a back-and-forth with Jones over contract details, but did not feel it was "a formal negotiation." At the end of that meeting, Parsons said he told Jones his agent would reach out to further discuss the new deal. When Parsons' agent got in touch with the team, the Cowboys went silent, according to Parsons. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] At the end of the note, Parsons said the Cowboys have yet to speak with his agent regarding a new contract. He then confirmed he submitted a trade request to team COO and co-owner Stephen Jones. "Up to today the team has not had a single conversation with my agent about a contract. Not one demand has been made by my agent about money years or anything else. Still I stayed quiet but again after repeated shots at myself and all the narratives I have made a tough decision I no longer want to play for the Dallas Cowboys. My trade request has been submitted to Stephen Jones personally." Despite that request, the Cowboys reportedlyhave no desire to trade Parsons, according to Diana Russini of The Athletic. Parsons, 26, has one year left on his current contract. He's set to make $24 million in 2025 before hitting the free-agent market. Since being drafted by the Cowboys with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Parsons has emerged as one of the best defenders in the league. He's made the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons and is a two-time first-team All-Pro selection. Despite his contract situation,Parsons showed up at voluntary workoutsin April to lend his support to new head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Parsons alsoshowed up for training camp, though he has not participated in practices due to his contract situation. [Get more Cowboys news: Cowboys team feed] Friday's trade request comes a day afterParsons tweeted out a GIFimplying it would be his final season with the Cowboys. Prior to Parsons releasing his statement Friday, at least two Cowboys defenders showed support for the star pass rusher by changingtheir social media avatarsto pictures that included Parsons. Star receiver CeeDee Lamb weighed in on the situation, telling the Cowboys to "just pay the man" in a post on X.

byAlpha World
in
August 01, 2025

Micah Parsons requests trade from Cowboys after contract negotiations fall apart: 'I no longer want to be here'

Micah Parsons requests trade from Cowboys after contract negotiations fall apart: 'I no longer want to be here' Micah Parsons wants ...
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