List of All Articles with Tag 'f'

Immaculate Grid baseball answers, clues, hints and connections for Grid 107 on July 18th featuring the Yankees, Phillies, Brewers, Mariners and MarlinsHello everybody! Good morning to all, I hope your favorite team won last night, unless you are a Reds or a Giants fan, as mother nature had other...

WACO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 18, 2023--

Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana is set to join Manchester United after a deal was struck with both player and club, the PA news agency understands. The 27-year-old will replace David De Gea as first choice between the posts for United boss Erik ten Hag, who previously worked with Onana at Ajax. Here, the PA news agency asks why Onana is the man selected to take the gloves at Old Trafford. Why does Ten Hag like Onana? Since being appointed as United boss last summer, Ten Hag has been keen to instil in his team a structure of playing out from the back. That means he wants his goalkeeper and defenders to be comfortable in possession, happy to have the ball at their feet and build attacks themselves. De Gea, for all of the shot-stopping prowess that brought two Premier League Golden Gloves his way, was never a goalkeeper who seemed pleased to be given such a role. Onana is different and revels in the role and proved it in Inter’s Champions League final run last season. He is already accustomed to Ten Hag’s approach and it will be hoped he can settle straight into the United system without much need for adaptation, his abilities also bringing a calming influence to a backline that wilted under the pressures that comes with Ten Hag’s preferred method of play. Where have I heard of Onana before? Two years ago Onana was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal among the reported suitors. Those links materialised at a time when Onana was serving a ban for violating UEFA’s doping rules – his initial one-year suspension reduced to nine months on appeal. Having tested positive for the diuretic drug Furosemide, Onana claimed to have taken his wife’s medication by mistake. His ban began in February 2021 and featured for Ajax just six times the following season before leaving for Inter when his contract expired. What is his international pedigree? Well, there is more drama there, too. Born in Nkol Ngok, just south of Cameroon’s capital Yaounde, Onana played for the youth teams of his home country. He was handed his senior international debut in September 2016, just months after being given his Ajax bow, and went on to make 34 appearances. The last of those – to date – came in Cameroon’s opening game of the 2022 World Cup, a 1-0 defeat to Switzerland. He was then dropped by manager Rigobert Song and left the Indomitable Lions camp following an alleged bust-up with the head coach over his tactics. Onana soon announced his retirement from international football and, so far, has not made a return to the Cameroon set-up. So what will he bring to the Red Devils? Having worked together in Amsterdam, Ten Hag will no doubt believe he can get the best out of Onana at United. With a goalkeeper to play the way Ten Hag wants to approach the game, it should spread confidence in a squad which looked short of it at times last season. Onana also has plenty of silverware in his cabinet, winning the Eredivisie three times with Ajax, also claiming the KNVB Cup twice and picking up a runners-up medal following defeat in the 2017 Europa League final against United. He went on to win the 2023 Coppa Italia with Inter, where he once again came up on the losing side of a major European final after the 1-0 loss to City in June. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Daniel Ricciardo is pondering. This year, a presence in the paddock – but not on the racetrack – has been a curiously flummoxing existence for someone so synonymous with a seat at the 20-man table. In his own words, he has been doing “everything the drivers are doing… other than the driving.” So aside from the obvious of the lights-to-flag racing, what has the Australian found the most difficult about his eight months away from Formula 1? “I’d say the starting grid on Sunday,” he says, a glint in his eye, a longing for something previous. “I love that feeling before you’re about to race. It’s intense, it’s nerve-racking but it’s awesome. I miss that buzz.” Well, miss it no longer. The Honey Badger is back. Officially on loan from Red Bull to sister team AlphaTauri for the remainder of the season, Ricciardo last week replaced the axed Nyck de Vries and will be in the cockpit in Hungary this weekend. It represents a lifeline – his lifeline – back into the sport, a carving of an opportunity so desperately craved. In the end, he only missed 10 races. And all it took was one Silverstone tyre test after the British Grand Prix, at the wheel of the fastest car in F1 this year. A pace which would have put him on the front row of the grid a few days earlier. Never a duo to hesitate, Red Bull chiefs Helmut Marko and Christian Horner made the call swiftly. “After Abu Dhabi last year, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever race again,” he reveals to The Independent, with a casualness which implies a deep-down admittance that he wasn’t done just yet. “But coming back this year, I removed all ego and status. “I do think this year will be the best thing that’s ever happened to me and it will boost me now for the rest of my career. It honestly came at the right time… everything happens for a reason.” How a career can change in a year. Because, although we didn’t know it at the time, last year’s British Grand Prix was the breaking point for McLaren and Ricciardo’s uncomfortable marriage. A day after the Aussie finished second-last out of all the finishers at Silverstone, McLaren big boss Zak Brown made initial contact with Oscar Piastri. As Ricciardo interjects, this is where “all the s*** went down!” Nothing short of gutted at the time – “it sucked” – the 34-year-old now takes the judgement call as a positive. A chance to regroup, reassess and especially in the initial stages, relax. “I’ve really enjoyed this time off, to have the time for myself,” he says. “Last week I went home to Australia for my birthday, I haven’t done that since I was 17… so 17 years ago. “It honestly came at the right time. Look, I wish those two years were better. But it’s given me a mental break because the competition is intense, as much as we love it. It consumes a lot of you so I feel for me to bring my cortisol levels down a little bit, I just feel a lot more balanced this year.” Ricciardo hadn’t missed a grand prix since June 2011. 11 years, 232 races later and so came to pass a rest he now admits was much-needed and well-utilised. A huge NFL fan and a supporter of the Buffalo Bills, he attended the Super Bowl in Arizona. The same week, he thrived in the modern anarchy of golf’s WM Phoenix Open. He even went to the prestigious Met Gala in New York. But more than any showbiz spectacles, he felt like a normal human being again. “I didn’t want to see a gym for a while,” he says. “I just wanted to eat and drink with my mates. Out of principle, I wanted to give myself a break. Just to allow myself to put on a few kgs. It felt really good, I trained just once in December and January.” But then, around the launch of Red Bull’s 2023 car in New York, a flip. “I got to February and remember thinking ‘yeah, I’m done.’ I’d had enough. I didn’t feel like drinking every weekend and partying all the time. I wasn’t going crazy but I thought ‘this life isn’t for me just yet.’ “And then I became very self-motivated. I wanted it to come from me, I didn’t want someone telling me to run. I had this urge and desire to be back on the grid – and I’ve never enjoyed training so much. I’ve got more energy to train and the desire has increased, especially not being jet-lagged every fricking week!” Much to the surprise of many, while Ricciardo did take up the “third driver” role with a Red Bull team he claimed seven of his eight grand prix wins with from 2014-2018, he opted against racing even part-time in other racing series. For a lover of America, the likes of IndyCar and NASCAR were not explored. Not even a one-time jaunt at the 24 hours of Le Mans. Why? “Two reasons,” he starts. “Still a big part of me wanted a break from competition. It’s probably the thing I love most in life is competition, it’s why I race. But equally, it’s really tiring and draining. The last few years did take it out of me. “The other element is I still feel really strongly about being in this sport. The moment I start to engage in something else, the perception is: ‘Is he thinking of an alternative career?’ “There’s been times where I’ve been really keen to do Le Mans. I was desperate in 2015, speaking to Andreas Seidl who was running the Porsche project and was asking Red Bull to let me do it. But now, it’s not something that I need to do before I die. “I’ve given so much to F1 that I don’t have the capacity to do something else at the level and effort that I’ve put into this sport.” And how Ricciardo’s decision has bore fruit. Attaching himself back in the ecosystem where it all began with Toro Rosso, the Australian who has catapulted himself into a sporting celebrity with his warm, charming personality has ended up back at the modern-day equivalent team in AlphaTauri. Simulator sessions – even with ex-race engineer Simon Rennie now running the programme at Red Bull – are never enough for any racer. Cue the second coming. Now entering the twilight years of his career, can he see himself ‘doing an Alonso’ and racing into his 40s? Given his perseverance to reclaim a spot on the grid this year, the response is something of a surprise. “Ideally not,” he says. “Ideally, I’d have had enough success in the next five years. I think there’s something cool about going out on top. “This is my element but what this year has shown is I’m OK after retirement, I do have hobbies and other things going on. For lots of athletes, the thought of retirement is scary – what do you do now? You’ve lived this crazy life for so long that it can be daunting. “But for me, let’s say the next 3-5 years of awesome success and then… peace!” Now up against Yuki Tsunoda at AlphaTauri, with Max Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez already under pressure after a string of poor performances, a spot with Red Bull next year is not the ludicrous suggestion it may have been six months ago. 2025 may still be the more realistic target. Ricciardo admits “if one step here then gets me here… then I have to be open-minded” with regards to future seats. Nice guys come last, as the episode title for his McLaren demise in Netflix’s Drive to Survive insinuates. Yet for Ricciardo, a re-opening of a door which looked closed could trigger a renaissance. A planned road trip across the United States will have to wait. Instead, a chance to race in his beloved Las Vegas in November has come to fruition – and a chance to get back to the front. The ultimate ambition – race wins, maybe even a world championship – is still at the forefront of his mind. “That is the reason I would come back,” he signs off. “I still believe I can do it. I feel like the Red Bull Daniel. He is still here.” Read More Red Bull has handed Daniel Ricciardo the first step to Sergio Perez’s seat Daniel Ricciardo returns to F1 as he replaces Nyck de Vries Daniel Ricciardo shaped void will take some filling by Oscar Piastri at Australian GP Sebastian Vettel hints at return to F1: ‘I have some ideas’ Red Bull has handed Daniel Ricciardo the first step to Sergio Perez’s seat Daniel Ricciardo returns to F1 as he replaces Nyck de Vries

Bank of America Corp.’s second-quarter profit soared after its core Wall Street businesses exceeded analysts’ expectations. The firm’s

The second coming of Walt Disney Co.’s Bob Iger has been extended given the challenges he faces —

The England women’s team took the decision to pause controversial negotiations over World Cup bonuses in order to show it was “on their terms”, but also make clear their anger and disappointment with the Football Association over an issue that could have developed into a huge distraction on the eve of the tournament. There is similarly a determination the issue isn’t parked once the competition ends, and that the federation have got the message over how payment structures need to be clarified going forward. There has still been some debate over the merits of the strategy, particularly as the FA had already been insistent that all discussions be delayed until after the campaign. While that could be seen as bending to what the association want, there is also the risk now that the England squad lose their leverage in the event of going out of the competition unexpectedly early. The dispute most directly comes from the players’ feeling that the FA should top up the guaranteed Fifa prize money with performance-related bonuses, in the same way that similar elite sides like Australia and USA do. The wider context is nevertheless a frustration that the squad went through the same issues over Euro 2022, and that has only belatedly been resolved, rather than immediately after the competition in the way that had been promised then. That is why there has been scepticism throughout these negotiations. The players ultimately feel there has not been sufficient clarity or transparency through any of the process. That is the major point of contention for the players, and feeds into why the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has been pushing for a collective bargaining agreement, in the same way that American and Australian players have. For its part, the FA has argued that the full budget for an expensive trip will not be known until afterwards, while there has been some concern that this is being pushed by agents and the PFA, who are representing the players in this. A different position has also been that not all the discussions should become about prize money, since this is supposed to be about the “holistic” growth of the women’s game, too. That is also why the players took the unprecedented decision to release a statement on the eve of a World Cup, however, in order to show they have been pushing it and they are “disappointed” with the association and make a stand that women’s teams shouldn’t constantly have to battle for everything. “Last year we presented the FA with concerns relating to our bonus and commercial structures,” a statement read by the entire squad read. “The hope was that discussions would lead to a solution before the commencement of our World Cup. “We are disappointed that a resolution has still not been achieved. We view the successful conclusions of these discussions, through player input and a transparent long term plan, as key for the growth of Women’s Football in England. With our opening game on the horizon, we Lionesses have decided to pause discussions, with full intentions of revisiting them following the tournament. “We collectively feel a strong sense of responsibility to grow the game. And while our focus now switches fully to the tournament ahead, we believe every tackle, pass, and goal, will contribute to the work we are committed to doing off the pitch. We look forward to playing for our country this World Cup, with pride, passion, and perseverance. Thank you for your support, Your Lionesses.” That move has at least staved off the possibility of a damaging “civil war” that could negatively affect what can be a historic competition for the England team, although some in the game have questioned why they didn’t fully use their considerable leverage. This is also the matter of some debate, however. While the presumption would be that national heroes and European champions would enjoy public support against a bureaucratic federation, online discussion has so far been mixed, with a lot of discussion about the women’s game potentially going the same financially driven way as the men. The players have naturally been intent on completely ignoring this, of course, and the main concern is now ensuring they maximise an opportunity to make history in Australia and New Zealand. The feeling is that they have asserted themselves by parking this on their terms, and also making it publicly clear how aggravated they are by the FA’s stance. It is an issue that will now be put off until the World Cup campaign ends – although it could well be dictated by how the tournament pans out. Read More FIFA Women’s World Cup start date, fixtures and full schedule World Cup 2023 fixtures from England vs Haiti to route to the final FIFA Women’s World Cup start date, fixtures and full schedule Can France handle injuries after overcoming Women’s World Cup crisis?

Republic of Ireland midfielder Ruesha Littlejohn believes footballers cannot shy away from the spotlight if they want to escalate the growth of the women’s game. The 33-year-old is one of 23 women selected by manager Vera Pauw to represent the Republic in their first World Cup, a monumental moment that has drawn unprecedented attention to the team and individual players. The full World Cup experience comes with corresponding changes off the pitch – more photo shoots and social media followers among them – a fact of life Littlejohn encouraged the players at this Australia and New Zealand-hosted tournament to embrace like England’s Lionesses after their Euro 2022 victory blasted them into their country’s consciousness. Speaking at the Girls in Green’s team hotel in Brisbane, she said: “It’s full on. The other day we were doing pictures and I was shattered, and I kind of felt sorry for the camera guy because I was just dead tired. Hopefully the pictures look OK. “But look, this is it, we wanted to be here and now we’re going to need to embrace the change and manage all the way. I’m not a superstar so I think it’s going to be different for me but it could be different for the likes of Denise [O’Sullivan] and Katie [McCabe]. “Look at other teams. Like, you see the Lionesses, how their lives have probably changed massively. It’s probably been a big adjustment for some of them and I’m sure it’s not always easy. “I’m sure there’s moments where they’re like, ‘oh, leave me be’. Let me go and get a Nandos and leave me in peace please’. But look, that’s where the game’s going and we kind of need to embrace that and learn now to deal and manage situations.” The effects of England lifting the European trophy last July were keenly felt throughout the following 2022/23 domestic Women’s Super League (WSL) season, which according to a league report saw attendances up 173 per cent compared to the previous campaign. All but one of the WSL’s 12 sides broke a club or stadium record during a season that also set the three highest attendance records in the English top flight, including the league record 47,367 who turned out for the North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham at the Emirates. Littlejohn’s side are now just two sleeps away from their World Cup opener, when they will face Group B rivals and tournament co-hosts Australia in Sydney, and says “you know it’s on party mode back home”. It will be some time before the legacy of the World Cup in the Republic of Ireland crystallises, but ex-Aston Villa player Littlejohn is already starting to notice a shift. The native Glaswegian, who swapped allegiances through her Irish grandparents after representing Scotland at youth level, added jokingly: “It was the Euros last summer. Obviously deep down I’m gutted that England won. “I’m just about over it. It was great for the game there, the WSL. It’s only going in one direction and I think the change that they’ve made is massive, and now you can see the change that hopefully we can all make on this world stage. “It’s just exciting to see. You can even see that, round about the hotel, there’s a few young girls running about with Ireland tops on. I mean I would have never been taken anywhere to a different country to watch a game of football. “I don’t know how these people are getting to do it, but that’s amazing that there’s so many people tuning in and it’s a reality for people now. This can become a job for you. You can go and do this too if you want to do it.”

Wall Street is drifting following some mixed reports on the economy and corporate profits

Charles Schwab Corp.’s bank deposits fell 7% in the second quarter from the prior period as the firm

Turkish savers still get far higher interest on deposits than lenders charge for commercial credit, an anomaly that’s

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 18, 2023--