Perera became only the third Sri Lanka cricketer to score a T20 international century after Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene in the last 14 years. New Zealand held a winning 2-0 lead in the series after winning the first match by eight runs and the second by 45 runs.

New Zealand needed to achieve their highest run chase in T20s to complete a clean sweep of the series and was given a good start by Rachin Ravindra who made 69 from 39 balls. But it fell just short, held to 211/7.

FIRST CENTURION OF 2025.

– Kusal Perera smashed 101 (46) with 13 fours and 4 sixes Vs New Zealand. pic.twitter.com/xKIFN9MdHy

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 2, 2025

The Black Caps began at a pace to match Sri Lanka, reaching 60/0 in the six-over power play. But Asalanka slammed the brakes on the New Zealand innings when he dismissed Ravindra, Mark Chapman (9) and Glenn Phillips (6) in quick succession.

Asalanka had figures of 3/25 after those dismissals but Daryl Mitchell hit four consecutive sixes from his final over to wreck his analysis and bat New Zealand back into the game.

Wanindu Hasaranga then dismissed Mitchell Hay (8) and Michael Bracewell (1) in the 16th over to tip the match back in the visitors’ favor. Asalanka took a superb diving catch to remove Bracewell and managed his bowlers well in a superb all-round performance.

“I think it’s a good win for us,” Asalanka said. “I think throughout the series we’ve played good cricket but couldn’t manage to get a win. Finally we got it. I hope this is a momentum shift for us. Adapting to these conditions has been a key for us.”

New Zealand came to the last over, bowled by Binura Fernando, needing 22 to win. After taking six runs from the first three balls, one of which was a wide, Zak Foulkes hit the fourth ball for six, leaving New Zealand needing 10 from the last two balls.

It was too much and the New Zealand batters managed only three more runs. The start of the match was delayed by 30 minutes by a wet outfield and when it began Sri Lanka lost the toss but had the chance to bat first on a good pitch at Saxton Oval.

The tourists lost both openers, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, inside the power play. But Perera powered up the Sri Lanka innings in an outstanding batting performance, hitting 13 fours and four sixes in his 101 from 46 balls.

One of the keys to victory was the 75 runs Perera and Asalanka hit between the 14th and 18th overs which proved vital in making the run chase just too much for New Zealand. The teams meet in the first of three one-day internationals in Wellington on Sunday.

“More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt,” Jolie’s attorney, James Simon, said in a statement. “She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over.”

The filing says they give up the right to any future spousal financial support, but gives no other details. A judge will need to sign off on the agreement. An email late Monday night to Pitt’s attorney seeking comment was not immediately answered.

Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, were among Hollywood’s most prominent pairings for 12 years, two of them as a married couple. The Oscar winners have six children together – Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne, and Knox.

Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, after a private jet flight from Europe during which she said Pitt physically abused her and their children. The FBI and child services officials investigated Pitt’s actions on the flight. Two months later, the FBI released a statement saying it would not investigate further, and the U.S. attorney did not bring charges.

A heavily redacted FBI report obtained by The Associated Press in 2022 said that an agent provided a probable cause statement to prosecutors on Pitt, but that after discussing the merits, “it was agreed by all parties that criminal charges would not be pursued.”

The document said Jolie was “personally conflicted” about supporting charges, and in a later court filing she said she opted not to push for them for the sake of the family.

A source familiar with the child services inquiry told the AP in 2016 that the child services investigation was closed without a finding of abuse.

A judge in 2019 declared Jolie and Pitt divorced and single, but the splitting of assets and child custody needed to be separately settled.

Soon after, a private judge that the two had hired to handle the case reached a decision that included equal custody of their children, but Jolie filed to have him removed from the case over an unreported conflict of interest. An appeals court agreed, removing the judge and vacating his decision. The couple had to start the process over.

During the long divorce fight, four of their children became adults, negating the need for a custody agreement for them. The only minors that remain are 16-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. In June, one of their daughters, then known as Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, successfully petitioned to remove Pitt’s name from hers.

The couple’s use of the private judge – an increasingly common move among splitting celebrities in recent years — has kept the details of the divorce largely under wraps. There had been no official court actions in the case in nearly a year, and no indication that the two were near agreement.

Some elements of their disputes, however, have been revealed through a separate lawsuit filed by Pitt over Jolie’s sale of her half of a French winery they owned. Pitt had wanted to buy her half of the winery, Chateau Miraval, and said she abandoned their negotiations and sold her part to the Tenute del Mondo wine group. Pitt said it was a “vindictive” and “unlawful” move that should not have been made without his consent and ruined a private space that had been a second home.

Jolie and her attorneys said that Pitt had demanded she sign a wide-ranging non-disclosure agreement about him as part of the proposed deal that was an attempt to cover up his abuse of her and the children.

The divorce agreement does not affect the winery lawsuit, where the legal battle between the two stars could continue.

Publicly, both Pitt and Jolie have been extremely tight-lipped on everything surrounding their split, despite robust promotional tours for various projects.

Pitt said in a 2017 interview with GQ that he had had a drinking problem at the time of the plane incident and the split, but had since become sober and was going to therapy. He has not defended his behavior on the family flight.

Both were among the most elite stars in film when they began dating in 2004, after co-starring as hitman-and-hitwoman spouses in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” and remained atop the Hollywood A-list throughout their coupling. The star of “Maleficent” and “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” Jolie won an Oscar for her performance in 1999’s “Girl, Interrupted.”

Pitt, the star of “Fight Club” and “Inglourious Basterds,” thrived as both actor and producer after the split. He won his own Academy Award for 2019’s “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood,” the crowning achievement in an awards season that some in media framed as a redemption and brought major public affection for him.

Jolie kept a less visible profile in the years since the divorce, though she directed several films and appeared in several more while trying to focus on raising the children. She has very much returned to the Oscar conversation this year for her portrayal of the legendary soprano Maria Callas in “Maria.”

“It’s really important to finish the game, no matter how it started,” Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka said. “The way you finish is the most important thing. In the first game we were almost there to win and again we’re disappointed.”

Series secured! Career-best T20I figures from Jacob Duffy (4-15) turning the game again with the ball, with support from Mitchell Santner (2-22) and Matt Henry (2-31). Scorecard | https://t.co/7h7R8dYvTv #NZvSL #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/iM9bWtpRj6

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 30, 2024

Once again, Jacob Duffy was New Zealand’s key bowler, dismissing opener Pathum Nissanka for 37 and returning to remove Kusal Perera for 48 when both batters looked well placed to steer Sri Lanka to victory. Nissanka made 96 in the first match in a 120-run opening partnership with Kusal Mendis before Duffy turned that match in New Zealand’s favor when he took three wickets in four balls, including Mendis, to stifle the Sri Lanka chase.

He took 4/15 on Monday to once again stand out as the difference between the teams. After dismissing Nissanka, Duffy produced a superb yorker to remove Perera in the 16th over when Sri Lanka was 127 for 4 and still in with a good chance. He then removed Wanindu Hasaranga (1) and Maheesh Theekshana (0) in the space of three balls in the 18th over as the Sri Lanka tail again failed to fire.

Matt Henry took two wickets with consecutive balls in the 19th over before Zak Foulkes finished off the Sri Lanka innings with five balls remaining.

New Zealand depended on a century partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell to post a competitive total in the first match. It produced a more balanced batting effort Monday to reach a testing total on a tricky pitch which sometimes skidded, sometimes held up and provided a batting challenge.

A strong wind across the Bay Oval also made hitting to one side of the ground difficult and gave an edge to the bowlers. Tim Robinson made 41 from 34 balls at the top of the New Zealand innings, hitting three fours and two sixes to impart early momentum while Rachin Ravindra failed again and was out for 1.

Mark Chapman made 42 from 29 balls batting at No. 3, then wicketkeeper Mitchell made a vital contribution with an unbeaten 41 from 19 balls at the death, including four fours and two sixes. His innings also separated the teams.

“It was good to contribute to a good score, one we were pretty happy with and to contribute to a win,” Hay said.

Brook is closing in on legendary Sir Donald Bradman’s mark of highest Test average away from home. Bradman, who ended his Test career with an average of 99.96, had an average of 102.84 in away Tests. While Brook is currently averaging 91.5 with England’s legendary Ken Barrington in third place with 69.18.

New Zealand finished in trouble at 86-5 in reply to England’s 280, having lost Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell before stumps. Tom Blundell was 6 not out and nightwatchman Will O’Rourke was unbeaten on 0.

Williamson appeared typically solid until he was caught by wicketkeeper Ollie Pope from the bowling of Brydon Carse for 37. Carse had bowled Williamson when he was 20 only to be denied when replays showed he had over-stepped.

Brook made the difference in the first Test which England won by eight wickets, going to the crease at 45-3 and making 171 to deliver a commanding first-innings lead.

On Friday he strode out onto the Basin Reserve with England at 26-3 after New Zealand’s seamers had dominated the first hour. He left in the last over before tea, run out after having hit five giant sixes and 74 runs from boundaries.

Harry Brook is in the mood

He cracks one over cover into the road

Watch #NZvENG with TNT Sports and discovery+ pic.twitter.com/4JeOT4pTcu

— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) December 5, 2024

England was 259 for 7 when Brook was out and, gradually losing momentum after his departure, was finally all out in 53.4 overs. The tourists would have hoped for more but it was a reasonable effort on a lively pitch and after being 43-4 after an hour.

Brook helped England loosen New Zealand’s strong early grip on the match and his innings was put in perspective by New Zealand’s struggles on a drying pitch in the last hour. He took three runs from the first nine balls he faced in deference to England’s precarious position when he went to the crease. Matt Henry had taken two wickets in his first four overs, all of which were maidens, as the ball seamed sharply on a greenish pitch.

Just Harry Brook things pic.twitter.com/2qdnESWut6

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 6, 2024

Ben Duckett was caught by Latham at second slip in Henry’s second over and Zak Crawley, who had opened the England innings at reckless pace hitting a six from the last ball of the first over, was bowled for 17 when England was 21-2.

Joe Root was out with the total only 26, brilliantly caught by Mitchell at second slip from the bowling of Nathan Smith, then Jacob Bethell (16) fell to Smith with the total 43.

As he did in Christchurch a week ago, and at the Basin Reserve in February 2023 when he made 186, Brook seized control of a test against New Zealand. At the end of his innings Friday, Brook had scored 437 runs against New Zealand in only six test innings at an average of 72.8.

He worked his way cautiously, with a single boundary, to 10 runs from 17 balls and then it began: he sent the 19th ball he faced soaring over extra cover, over the embankment fence and out into the street. There was another six and five fours in his half century from 37 balls and he found a like-minded partner in Pope, with whom he rushed to a half-century partnership from 37 balls and century stand from 97 deliveries.

Four of Brook’s sixes were lofted over cover or extra cover, including one from the bowling of spinner Glenn Phillips who hopefully shouted ‘catch’ before turning to see the ball disappear into the street.

Pope made 66, including a half century from 65 balls, before he was caught by Ravindra from the bowling of O’Rourke at the end of a partnership which produced 174 runs in just over 36 overs. Brook had played at missed at times, as did all batters on a seaming pitch. But he looked impregnable, reaching 123 from 115 balls in 194 minutes, when he finally was run out from a direct throw in the 53rd over.

Smith finished with 4-86, O’Rourke took 3-49 and Henry, who was the best of New Zealand’s bowlers, ended with 2-43. Carse had 2-28 at stumps after taking 10-106 in the first Test.

Williamson was injured and missed New Zealand’s historic 3-0 series win over India in India last month. That meant he had played only two Tests and a recent domestic first-class match since June.

But he was unimpeded by his recent lack of activity, coming within seven runs of his 33rd Test century before falling midway through a final session in which New Zealand lost five wickets and some of the advantage it held earlier in the day.

WATCH Kane Williamson in action in 1st Test vs England at Christchurch…

Back in whites and back to brilliance

Kane Williamson crafts a classy 93 against England, marking a stunning return to Test cricket #NZvENG #KaneWilliamson pic.twitter.com/al70mZ1IOz

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) November 28, 2024

New Zealand was in a strong position at 193 for 3 at tea with Williamson in full flight but England battled its way back into the match in the last session of a tiring day of warm conditions and blustery winds. Shoaib Bashir took 4-69 in 20 overs, an unusually heavy workload for a spinner on the first day of a match at Hagley Oval.

Williamson shared partnerships of 58 with Tom Latham (47), 68 with Rachin Ravindra (34) and 69 with Daryl Mitchell (34) which bound together the New Zealand innings. Williamson’s command of proceedings on day one made light of the fact it was a minor gamble to play him in this match. He took the place of Will Young who was Player of the Series in India, scoring 244 runs at an average of 48.8.

It was a classic Williamson innings, mixing care and concentration for long periods with bursts of controlled aggression. He took 15 runs to get off the mark and played in Latham’s shadow in the first session, contributing only seven runs to their 50 partnership.

Williamson was in one of his watchful periods before his dismissal. Seeking again to assert himself, he cut a ball from Gus Atkinson but didn’t manage to get on top of the bounce and hit the ball directly to Zac Crawley at backward point.

“It was a challenge,” Williamson said. “There were some really good partnerships there. The ball did a little bit throughout but as we know the wicket here is pretty good and generally pretty fair for ball and bat. It was a pretty balanced day of Test cricket.”

Williamson praised Bashir’s performance. “I suppose with there predominantly being sideways movement and a bit of bounce, which we often seen on this wicket, most wickets tend to go to guys that extract that, but he bowled nicely and into the wind and got a bit of drop,” Williamson said. “He’s a tall guy and got some bounce too, so he got some nice rewards.”

England would have been full of optimism when captain Ben Stokes won the toss in the city in which he was born and sent New Zealand in on a green pitch. But England didn’t embrace the opportunity provided by the toss. The fast bowlers ran in with energy but didn’t bowl well individually and didn’t execute as a group in the first two sessions.

The moderate impact of the England quicks was shown by the fact Stokes went to his spinner Bashir after only 29 overs. The pitch hadn’t performed quite as England expected.

“I wasn’t expecting to bowl 20-odd overs and take four wickets on day one, but I knew I had a job to do,” Bashir said. “I bowled plenty of bad balls out there but I was still kept on and that just shows how much faith they have in me. If I bowl a bad one there’s nothing really, Ben (Stokes) just just looks at me and smiles.”

Ollie Pope, behind the stumps, inherited the job of keeping wicket when Jordan Cox, who was expected to make his test debut in Christchurch, suffered a broken thumb in a training accident. Instead, 31-year-old Jacob Bethell was handed a test debut. He will bat at No. 3 even though he has not scored a first-class century.

McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the US Senate in Connecticut. McMahon served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she has expressed support for charter schools and school choice.

Congrats to @Linda_McMahon, our new Secretary of Education! Honored to call you a friend and can’t wait to see all you accomplish with @realDonaldTrump over the next four years. pic.twitter.com/UnX1WzuAwy

— Glenn Jacobs (@GlennJacobsTN) November 20, 2024

“Linda will use her decades of Leadership experience, and deep understanding of both Education and Business, to empower the next Generation of American Students and Workers, and make America Number One in Education in the World,” Trump said in a statement.

Fans on social media couldn’t keep calm after the news as memes around Linda McMahon went viral on social media. “Linda McMahon will be the first Secretary of Education to survive a Stone Cold Stunner,” one fan tweeted.

Fun Fact: Linda McMahon will be the first Secretary of Education to survive a Stone Cold Stunner. pic.twitter.com/L1Wu8ngnXc

— Brian Robinson, Ph.D (@MrBrianRobinson) November 20, 2024

Education Secretary Linda McMahon after the voucher doesn’t work out for the child George Bush left behind: pic.twitter.com/YrhhlzHOfB

— . ℂ (@ProfJonCollins) November 20, 2024

Education Secretary Linda McMahon after the voucher doesn’t work out for the child George Bush left behind: pic.twitter.com/YrhhlzHOfB

— . ℂ (@ProfJonCollins) November 20, 2024

In nominating McMahon, Trump is rewarding a loyal backer of his movement who, along with Lutnick, has also helped lead his transition team. She was with him Tuesday as he attended a launch of SpaceX’s Starship craft in Texas.

After her time in the Trump administration, McMahon became the chair of the board of the America First Policy Institute, a think tank created by Trump supporters and former officials who have been preparing for his return to government. McMahon has also been chair of the pro-Trump America First Action SuperPAC.

She is married to Vince McMahon, who stepped down as World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) CEO in 2022 amid a company investigation into allegations that he engaged in sexual battery and trafficking. He also resigned as executive chairman of the board of TKO Group Holdings this January, though he has denied the allegations.

If confirmed by the Republican-led Senate, Linda McMahon will be asked to bring the nation’s schools and universities in line with Trump’s vision of education. Trump has made sweeping promises centered on removing what he sees as “left-wing indoctrination” in America’s schools.

Trump has vowed to cut federal money for “any school pushing Critical Race Theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children.” He has promised to fight university diversity initiatives, saying he will open civil rights investigations and fine colleges “up to the entire amount of their endowment.”

Overnight batsman Rachin Ravindra, who had kept New Zealand’s hopes alive with a valiant 91 on Sunday, could only add one more run to his total before being trapped leg before wicket by Jayasuriya. The promising left-hander’s resistance ended as he misjudged a delivery trying to defend on the back foot.

In Jayasuriya’s next over, he bowled last man William O’Rourke for a duck, sealing Sri Lanka’s victory in a tightly contested match and the 32-year-old spinner’s eighth five-wicket haul in tests. Although Ravindra narrowly missed out on a well-deserved century, his score of 92 is now the highest by a New Zealand batter in Galle, surpassing Ross Taylor’s 86. Notably, no Black Cap has scored a century in Galle, where they have now lost all five matches played.

Sri Lanka’s win moved them up to third place in the World Test Championship standings, behind India and Australia. Meanwhile, New Zealand dropped to fourth after starting the series in third position. Playing their first test since March, several Black Cap players put in strong performances, especially pacer O’Rourke who took eight wickets in his first test in Asia and just his third match overall.

On the back of O’Rourke’s 5/55 the Kiwis managed to secure a first-innings lead, a significant thing on a Galle pitch that becomes increasingly difficult to bat on as the game progresses. However, New Zealand’s failure to break the crucial 147-run third-wicket partnership between Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne in Sri Lanka’s second innings proved decisive.

Both experienced batters scored half-centuries, with Angelo Mathews also contributing a vital 50, helping Sri Lanka set a challenging target of 275. On a deteriorating pitch, that total proved too much for the visitors. The teams will remain in Galle for the second Test, which begins on Thursday.

Sri Lanka will be hoping to win its first Test series against New Zealand since 2009. Since then, the sides have met in six series, with New Zealand winning four and two ending in draws.

García made several saves for the visitors before the Olympic gold medalist started an attack with a long pass from his box that ended with an own goal by counterpart Thibaut Courtois in the 54th minute. But García’s only slip of the match let Dani Carvajal equalize four minutes later when Jude Bellingham’s low pass squirmed under the goalie. The Madrid right back had to only push it over the line for 1-1.

Vinicius rested in the first half as Carlo Ancelotti rotated his attacking bunch. But the coach sent the Brazil forward on immediately after Espanyol went ahead. Vinícius then took control, curling in a perfect cross with the outer tip of his left boot for Rodrygo to score in the 75th.

Vinicius beat García in the 78th for his goal after Espanyol lost the ball and Mbappe played his attack partner clear on the break. Mbappe converted a 90th-minute spot kick after Endrick went on late and earned a penalty from Carlos Romero.
“We made mistakes that maybe you can get away with in other games, but not here,” Espanyol coach Manolo González said.

Madrid pulled to one point behind leader Barcelona before it plays at Villarreal on Sunday. Bellingham had a scare when he fell awkwardly on his right shoulder in the first half, but after briefly being seen by a doctor on the sideline he went back on. Ancelotti said it did not look like the England midfielder was fine.

Unsurprisingly, Ancelotti said he was satisfied with the “well-rounded” performance. García in goalAfter helping Spain win Olympic gold this summer, García was rumored to have been close to a move to Arsenal before finally staying put at the club he helped return to Spain’s top flight last season.

And he showed his quality at the Santiago Bernabeu. Garcia made at least eight saves before he turned playmaker with a booming kick from his box that launched Jofre Carreras down the left flank. Jofre won the end line before his low pass hit Courtois’ leg and turned into the net.

But once Madrid started clicking, even an inspired García couldn’t keep them out. Double deflectionTwo similar goals within three minutes of one another lifted Valencia to a 2-0 win over Girona at home. A pair of shots by Luis Rioja and Dani Gómez in the 56th and 58th both took deflections off Girona defender Juanpe Ramirez before skirting past goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.

Gazzaniga was to blame for Girona’s loss at Paris Saint-Germain midweek in the Catalan club’s Champions League debut. The goalie let a cross slip through his hands in stoppage time in a 1-0 loss in France.

Can’t get goingReal Sociedad’s surprising struggles continued after a scoreless draw at promoted Valladolid. The team from San Sebastian, which has consistently finished near the top of the table in recent years, has only one victory in seven rounds.
Sociedad visits Nice when the Europa League group stage opens next week. Also, Ante Budimir earned and converted a penalty and Aimar Oroz took the winner as Osasuna beat Las Palmas 2-1 at home. The team from the Canary Islands remained in last place and without a win.

Bethell’s dismissal for 44 off 24 balls with the finish line in sight disrupted England but Livingstone carried them to the brink of victory with a superb 87 off 47, including five sixes and six fours. He was bowled with the scores tied and Brydon Carse senselessly slogged in the air next ball to give part-timer Short, who had previously taken only two international wickets, a shock maiden professional five-wicket haul.

However, Adil Rashid steered to backward point for the single England needed for a three-wicket win with six balls to spare and to tie the series 1-1. Livingstone, in his 50th T20, earlier took 2-16 from three overs while Carse, barely a fortnight on from his return to cricket after a three-month ban for breaching betting regulations, also impressed with a couple of wickets as he filled in for Jofra Archer, breaching 90 mph (145 kph).

Head, the skipper in the absence of an ill Mitch Marsh, was again electric at the top of the order with 31 off 14 balls while Jake Fraser-McGurk’s 50 — his first international fifty — was followed by Australia plundering 60 from the final five overs to finish on 193/6.

Salt began the reply initially watchful, then belted three successive leg-side sixes off Aaron Hardie before Sean Abbott silenced the crowd with two wickets in three balls. Will Jacks under-cooked a pull on 12 and Abbott’s nip-backer breached Jordan Cox’s defences. Livingstone was beaten by a beauty first up and then survived a review for lbw in an eventful over.

Undeterred, Livingstone cleared deep midwicket off Marcus Stoinis then got some payback on Abbott with three fours in an over as England closed to within two of Australia’s powerplay score, aided by a couple of fumbles on the rope by Fraser-McGurk.

Head’s gamble to introduce Short’s part-time off-spin reaped rewards, with Salt miscuing to fall for 39 off 23 balls. Requiring 104 from the last 10 overs, Livingstone put the hammer down, scooping Cameron Green for six before twice depositing Stoinis into the crowd for a 27-ball fifty.

Bethell got into the act with a swing off slow left-armer Cooper Connolly before taking down Australia’s premier spinner Adam Zampa. Bethell, in just his second T20, used his feet brilliantly to disrupt Zampa’s rhythm and took him for 4-6-4-4. But with 25 needed off the last four overs, he missed a reverse sweep off Short.

Short snared Curran in the same over and while Livingstone belted a six then a four off the spinner to level the scores, both he and Carse blotted their copybook before Rashid got England home.

In his decision, de Moraes gave internet service providers and app stores five days to block access to X, and said the platform will remain blocked until it complies with his orders. He also said people or companies who use virtual private networks, or VPNs, to access X will be subject to daily fines of 50,000 reais ($8,900).

Elon Musk showed his total disrespect for Brazilian sovereignty and, in particular, for the judiciary, setting himself up as a true supranational entity and immune to the laws of each country, de Moraes wrote.

Brazil is an important market for X, which has struggled with the loss of advertisers since Musk purchased the former Twitter in 2022. Market research group Emarketer says some 40 million Brazilians, roughly one-fifth of the population, access X at least once per month.

X had posted on its official Global Government Affairs page late Thursday that it expected X to be shut down by de Moraes, simply because we would not comply with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents.

When we attempted to defend ourselves in court, Judge de Moraes threatened our Brazilian legal representative with imprisonment. Even after she resigned, he froze all of her bank accounts, the company wrote. Our challenges against his manifestly illegal actions were either dismissed or ignored. Judge de Moraes’ colleagues on the Supreme Court are either unwilling or unable to stand up to him.

X has clashed with de Moraes over its reluctance to comply with orders to block users.
Accounts that the platform previously has shut down on Brazilian orders include lawmakers affiliated with former President Jair Bolsonaro’s right-wing party and activists accused of undermining Brazilian democracy.

Musk, a self-proclaimed free speech absolutist,” has repeatedly claimed the justice’s actions amount to censorship, and his argument has been echoed by Brazil’s political right. He has often insulted de Moraes on his platform, characterizing him as a dictator and tyrant.

De Moraes’ defenders have said his actions aimed at X have been lawful, supported by most of the court’s full bench and have served to protect democracy at a time in which it is imperiled. His order Friday is based on Brazilian law requiring foreign companies to have representation in the country so they can be notified when there are legal cases against them.

Given that operators are aware of the widely publicized standoff and their obligation to comply with an order from de Moraes, plus the fact doing so isn’t complicated, X could be offline as early as 12 hours after receiving their instructions, said Luca Belli, coordinator of the Technology and Society Center at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a university in Rio de Janeiro.

The shutdown is not unprecedented in Brazil

Lone Brazilian judges shut down Meta’s WhatsApp, the nation’s most widely used messaging app, several times in 2015 and 2016 due to the company’s refusal to comply with police requests for user data. In 2022, de Moraes threatened the messaging app Telegram with a nationwide shutdown, arguing it had repeatedly ignored Brazilian authorities’ requests to block profiles and provide information. He ordered Telegram to appoint a local representative; the company ultimately complied and stayed online.

X and its former incarnation, Twitter, have been banned in several countries – mostly authoritarian regimes such as Russia, China, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Venezuela and Turkmenistan. Other countries, such as Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt, have also temporarily suspended X before, usually to quell dissent and unrest. Twitter was banned in Egypt after the Arab Spring uprisings, which some dubbed the Twitter revolution, but it has since been restored.

A search Friday on X showed hundreds of Brazilian users inquiring about VPNs that could potentially enable them to continue using the platform by making it appear they were logging on from outside the country. It was not immediately clear how Brazilian authorities would police this practice and impose fines cited by de Moraes.

Mariana de Souza Alves Lima, known by her handle MariMoon, showed her 1.4 million followers on X that she would go to rival social network BlueSky, posting a screenshot and saying: That is where I’m going.

X said that it plans to publish what it has called de Moraes’ illegal demands and related court filings in the interest of transparency.

Also on Thursday evening, Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet service provider, said on X that de Moraes this week froze its finances, preventing it from doing any transactions in the country where it has more than 250,000 customers.

This order is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible for the fines levied-unconstitutionally-against X. It was issued in secret and without affording Starlink any of the due process of law guaranteed by the Constitution of Brazil. We intend to address the matter legally, Starlink said in its statement.

Musk replied to people sharing the reports of the freeze, adding insults directed at de Moraes. This guy @Alexandre is an outright criminal of the worst kind, masquerading as a judge, he wrote.
Musk later posted on X that SpaceX, which runs Starlink, will provide free internet service in Brazil until the matter is resolved since we cannot receive payment, but don’t want to cut anyone off.

In his decision, de Moraes said he ordered the freezing of Starlink’s assets, as X didn’t have enough money in its accounts to cover mounting fines, and reasoning that the two companies are part of the same economic group.

Heritage Auctions said the New York Yankee slugger’s jersey went for a record-breaking $24.12 million after a bidding war that lasted over six hours when it went on the block in Dallas. The buyer wishes to remain anonymous, Heritage said.

The amount that the jersey sold for topped fellow Yankee Mickey Mantle’s 1952 rookie card, which the Dallas-based auction house sold for $12.6 million in 2022.

Chris Ivy, Heritage’s director of sports, calls the jersey “the most significant piece of American sports memorabilia ever offered at auction.” He said in a news release that it was clear from the bidding that ”astute collectors have no doubt as to what this Ruth jersey is and what it represents.”

“The legend of Babe Ruth and the myth and mystery surrounding his ‘called shot’ are united in this one extraordinary artifact,” Ivy said.

Ruth’s famed, debated and often imitated “called shot” came as the Yankees and Chicago Cubs faced off in Game 3 of the World Series at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on Oct. 1, 1932. In the fifth inning of the heated game, Ruth made a pointing gesture while at bat and then hit the home run off Cubs pitcher Charlie Root.

“It is the most dramatic moment in World Series history, and it may be the most dramatic moment ever in all of baseball,” said Michael Gibbons, director emeritus and historian at the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum in Baltimore.

The Yankees won the game 7-5 and swept the Cubs the next day to win the series.

That was Ruth’s last World Series, and the “called shot” was his last home run in a World Series, said Mike Provenzale, the production manager for Heritage’s sports department.

“When you can tie an item like that to an important figure and their most important moment, that’s what collectors are really looking for,” Provenzale said.

Heritage said Ruth gave the road jersey to one of his golfing buddies in Florida around 1940 and it remained in that family for decades. Then, in the early 1990s, that man’s daughter sold it to a collector. It was then sold at auction in 2005 for $940,000 and remained in a private collection until being consigned to Heritage this year.

There’s been debate for decades over whether Ruth really called the shot. But Gibbons said there’s home movie footage of the game that shows Ruth pointing, though it’s not clear whether he’s pointing at the pitcher, center field or toward the Cubs bench. Regardless, he said, Ruth, who had a history of making predictions, clearly “said something’s going to happen on the next pitch and he made it happen.” And, he said, Ruth himself said he’d called the shot.

“We think certainly that he did call his shot,” Gibbons said.

News reel footage shows Ruth rounding the bases after the home run and making a pushing out gesture toward the Cubs bench, as if to say “I gotcha,” Gibbons said.

The “called shot,” was an extraordinary moment from a man Gibbons called “the standard-bearer for all of Major League Baseball.”

“He was always uplifting, he was something very positive for this country to root for,” Gibbons said. “Then he caps it all off by calling his shot.”

“I didn’t feel comfortable enough to keep practicing, just in case if everything is going to be worse.” Alcaraz said he didn’t think the injury would put his participation in the US Open in doubt. He was more upset about losing time on court as he gets ready to try to win what would be a third consecutive Slam title after triumphs at the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July.

“I don’t want to stop any practice. I want to practice, I want to get better, I want to get ready for the tournament,” he said, adding: “I’m sure that tomorrow, or in two days, I’m going to be at 100%, for sure.” The third-seeded Alcaraz is scheduled to play his first-round match Tuesday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium against 188th-ranked Australian Li Tu, who will be appearing in just the second Grand Slam match of his career.

For Alcaraz, the preparation has not been ideal. He played only one match on a hard court in the leadup to the U.S. Open — a loss to Gael Monfils at the Cincinnati Open during which Alcaraz destroyed his racket by repeatedly hitting it against the court, something he later apologized for on social media.

The lack of hard-court work doesn’t concern Alcaraz, even if he did acknowledge he’d prefer to have had more before getting to New York. After all, he noted, he didn’t play a lot of matches on clay before this year’s French Open because of a lingering forearm issue and only played two on grass before Wimbledon — and left both of those events as the champion.

“I don’t want to think that it’s going to be the same (as) the previous two Grand Slams,” he said with a smile, “but I’m not worried about not having too many matches on hard courts.” Alcaraz also reflected on his most recent high-profile contest: a two-tiebreaker loss to Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles final at the Paris Olympics three weeks ago. The tears flowed after that one, and Alcaraz said that day he felt bad for letting his country down.

“It was a difficult moment to deal (with) for me,” Alcaraz said Saturday. “But in front of me, I had a really good player that was fighting for the same thing as me. And he deserve it. So days after the Olympics, I realized that I won the silver medal. It was a great achievement for me that I have to be proud of. I’ll try to keep going, try to learn (from) this match. … The next important matches of my career, I’m going to deal (with) in a different way, or a better way, than I did in the Olympics.”

Trump blamed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the deadly Afghanistan withdrawal and for wars in Ukraine and the Middle East while returning repeatedly in his remarks to the Democratic gathering in Chicago, where speaker after speaker has assailed Trump as a threat to the country should he return to the White House.

The former president, now the GOP nominee, asked the crowd gathered at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame whether they had seen the speeches given Tuesday by former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.

“He was taking shots at your president. And so was Michelle. You know, they always say, ‘Sir, please stick to policy. Don’t get personal.’ And yet they’re getting personal all night long, these people,” he said, asking: “Do I still have to stick to policy?”

Trump, who is facing Harris in the November election after Biden stepped aside, spoke from behind a podium surrounded by panes of bulletproof glass that formed a protective wall across the stage — part of ramped-up security measures aimed at keeping him safe after the attack by a Pennsylvania gunman on July 13.

Storage containers were stacked around the perimeter to create additional walls and block sight lines. Snipers were positioned on roofs at the venue, where old aircraft were sitting behind the podium and a large American flag was suspended from cranes.

The event, billed as focused on national security issues, was part of Trump’s weeklong series of counterprogramming to the Democratic National Convention, which is underway in Chicago. Allies have been urging him to focus on policy instead of personal attacks against Harris as he struggles to adjust to Biden’s departure from the race.

The second night of the Democrats’ convention Tuesday was a highly energized affair that featured speeches from both Obamas, who went after Trump in particularly biting terms.

“His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black,” Michelle Obama said.

Barack Obama mocked Trump’s obsession with his crowd sizes and called Trump “a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago.”

“It’s been a constant stream of gripes and grievances that’s actually gotten worse now that he’s afraid of losing to Kamala,” the former president said.

After mentioning the Obamas early on in his speech, Trump came back around to the former president’s comments.

“He was very nasty last night,” Trump said. “I try and be nice to people, you know. But it’s a little tough when they get personal.”

Sinner won the Cincinnati Open on Monday and will be among the favourites at the US Open, which starts in New York next week. Sinner made his debut at No. 1 in the ATP rankings in June and is considered among the top stars of the new generation in men’s tennis, along with Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner, an Italian who turned 23 on Friday, won the Australian Open in January for his first Grand Slam title. He reached the semi-finals at the French Open in June and the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in July, before sitting out the Paris Olympics, saying he had tonsilitis.

During the Indian Wells hard-court event in March, Sinner tested positive for low levels of a metabolite of Clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid that can be used for ophthalmological and dermatological use. It’s the same drug for which San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. was suspended by MLB.

Sinner tested positive again eight days later in an out-of-competition sample. He was provisionally suspended because of those test results, but he successfully appealed and was allowed to keep competing on tour. According to the ITIA, Sinner said his test results happened because a member of his support team used an over-the-counter spray that contained Clostebol to treat a small wound. That team member then gave Sinner massages.

The ITIA said it accepted Sinner’s explanation and determined the violation was not intentional. An independent panel held a hearing on August 15 and “determined a finding of No Fault or Negligence applied in the case, resulting in no period of ineligibility,” according to the ITIA.

However, the weapons are not expected to get to Israel anytime soon, they are contracts that will take years to fulfill. Much of what is being sold is to help Israel increase its military capability in the long term, the earliest systems being delivered under the contract aren’t expected until the 2026 timeframe.

“The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives,” the State Department said in a release on the sale.

The Biden administration has had to balance its continued support for Israel with a growing number of calls from lawmakers and the U.S. public to curb military support there due to the high number of civilian deaths in Gaza. It has curbed one delivery of 2,000-pound weapons amid continued airstrikes by Israel in densely populated civilian areas in Gaza.

The contracts will cover not only the sale of new 50 aircraft to be produced by Boeing. It will also include upgrade kits for Israel to modify its existing fleet of two dozen F-15 fighter jets with new engines and radars, among other upgrades. The jets comprise the biggest portion of the $20 billion in sales with the first deliveries expected in 2029.

Normally at the curve, Lyles starts making up ground, then pulling away from what have been, for the last three years, game but overmatched contenders.

This time, his momentum stalled. Instead of Lyles reeling in the runner two lanes to his right, Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, Tebogo pulled farther way. The American favorite, who had gone three years without losing in the 200, labored into the finish and collapsed onto the track after ending up in third.

The insidious specter of COVID, the killer virus that upended the globe four years ago and made the last Olympics part of its collateral damage, struck at the Paris Games, too.

In a bracing reminder that the virus is still very much a factor, even if its deadly fingerprint has been blunted, the world’s marquee sprinter, racing on the world’s biggest sports stage, revealed he had tested positive two days before his shocking, but now not-inexplicable, bronze-medal finish in the 200.

“I still wanted to run,” Lyles said, wearing a mask, as he spoke to reporters, whose mere congregation in a jam-packed scrum underneath the stadium was unthinkable three years ago at the delayed Tokyo Games. “They said it was possible.”

With the blessing of officials at USA Track and Field and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, who said they followed protocol, Lyles did run.

He finished in 19.70. That was .39 off his personal-best, and .24 behind the 21-year-old Tebogo. Lyles’ U.S. teammate Kenny Bednarek finished second, marking the second straight Olympics in which he and Lyles finished 2-3.

“When I saw Kenny fade, I knew Noah was far, far, far away behind us,” Tebogo said. “So that means I’m the Olympic champion.”

It was Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone vs her own world record
An hour after that shock, Americans Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone lowered her world record for the sixth time, finishing the 400-meter hurdles in 50.37 seconds for another Olympic blowout.

That was one of three gold medals and eight overall the U.S. won on a night filled with big events.

Tara Davis-Woodhall jumped 7.10 meters to capture the long jump and get in the Olympic win column next to some greats, including Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Brittney Reese.

Grant Holloway cruised to gold in the 110 hurdles, claiming the Olympic title that eluded him three years ago in his only major-championship loss.

Lyles seemed like a sure thing, until things got weird the night before
Coming into Paris, Lyles, the three-time world champion with the American record and the world’s best time of 2024 on his resume, had seemed like as sure a thing in the 200 as any single athlete at track this side of McLaughlin-Levrone.

After opening with a scintillating win in the 100 four nights earlier, he was trying to become the first man to complete the 100-200 double since Usain Bolt did it eight years ago.

A troubling sign, however, came the night before when Lyles finished second in his semifinal heat, also to Tebogo. It marked the first time he had lost a 200-meter race of any sort since his disappointing third-place finish in Tokyo.

He also hurried out of the stadium after that loss and went to the medical tent — a rare occasion when he didn’t stop to talk to reporters. His coach said he was fine.

Lyles said he tested positive two days after the 100 final
Turns out he wasn’t. Lyles said he tested positive early Tuesday morning and quickly got into quarantine.

He drank fluids, rested as much as possible and tried to gear up for the race. USATF said in a statement that Lyles was given “a thorough medical evaluation” and chose to compete.

“We respect his decision and will continue to monitor his condition closely,” the statement said.

The scene after the race was jarring. Usually one of the most energetic guys on the track, both before and after any sprint, Lyles collapsed, rolled onto his side and gasped for breath. He turned over on his hands and knees, then went to one knee, and balanced himself with his fist.

He finally stood up and wobbled toward the medics, signaling for a cup of water. Then, he left in a wheelchair.

“It definitely was an effect,” Lyles said. “But I mean, to be honest, I’m more proud of myself than anything for coming out and getting the bronze medal with COVID.”

This bronze medal feels different than the last one
It will take time for all the repercussions of this race to play out.

There’s still a chance Lyles could end up as the bigger-than-track superstar he set out to become after his disappointment in Tokyo three years ago.

Those Games, staged in front of no fans while the COVID pandemic raged, took a mental-health toll on Lyles, one he said made him less than himself and led to his disappointing finish in Tokyo.

After he won the 100 Sunday night, he took that Tokyo bronze medal out during his news conference, dropped it on the table and explained it was the thing that motivated him to become a new person and a new sprinter for this Olympic cycle.

The 100-meter thriller sealed the first half of the deal. But instead of breezing through the 200, just getting to the starting line became a product of “trying to get me on as much medication as we legally could to make sure that my body was able to just keep the momentum going.”

Lyles posts that he likely won’t run in the 4×100 relay
As Thursday turned to Friday in Paris, Lyles took to social media and posted his thanks to fans for their supportive messages and his congratulations to Tebogo and Bednarek.

He also said “I believe this will be the end of my 2024 Olympics,” where he was supposed to run the anchor leg in the final of the men’s 4×100 on Friday.

“It is not the Olympic I dreamed of but it has left me with so much Joy in my heart,” he wrote. “I hope everyone enjoyed the show. Whether you were rooting for me or against me, you have to admit you watched, didn’t you?”

The spectacle Lyles headlined struck a sobering chord at a revitalized Olympics that were supposed to be all about the return of fans and the return of the Games as we used to know them.

Lyles reminded us that there will never be a “post-COVID” Games.

When Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan and defending champion Neeraj Chopra of India finished 1-2 at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, fans from the subcontinent were in abundance at the Stade de France.

“There’s no doubt about the cricket rivalry. Now this javelin is also there,” Nadeem said through a translator. “People back home in Pakistan and even in India, they were eager to see us both throwing the javelin and beating each other. I’m happy to see Chopra earning silver.”

Nadeem set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters (305 feet) in his second attempt, smashing the old mark of 90.57 set by Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway in 2008.

Chopra took silver at 89.45 meters, a season best, and Anderson Peters of Grenada took the bronze at 88.54.

“When I threw the javelin, I got the feel of it leaving my hand, and sensed it could be an Olympic record, inshallah (God willing),” Nadeem said. “God indeed made it an Olympic record.”

It was the first ever gold medal in track and field for Pakistan which, along with India, can contend for gold in cricket four years from now when that sport joins the Olympic program in Los Angeles.

Chopra fouled on all five of his other throws and said he’s been in a funk the last few years.

“I’m always injured,” said Chopra, who has been slowed by a groin injury. ”Nadeem threw really well. Congratulations to him and his country. “

Chopra became a superstar in India when he won India’s first ever gold medal in track and field three years ago. But there were no fans in Tokyo because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Indian diaspora made sure Chopra felt the full support of his nation of 1.4 billion this time.

Students from Edinburgh and Austria. A couple from London. A cancer researcher based in Switzerland.

Spectators draped in the orange, white and green Indian flags could be spotted all over stadium. There were Pakistani fans, too.

“It’s never been a sport that’s been very big and he’s captured the imagination of a lot of people to look at javelin again,” said Varun Mathur, who traveled from London on Thursday morning with his partner, Sujata Ravi, to see Chopra.

At last year’s world championships, Nadeem took silver behind Chopra.

“It’s going to be a good rivalry,” Mathur added.

Another Indian, Kishore Jena, competed in javelin qualifiers but didn’t advance to the final.

“He’s an example of how people are taking it up further,” Mathur said. “Hopefully a lot more people come through.”

Devansh Kumar, a 20-year-old from Delhi studying in Edinburgh, Suksham Chahar, a 23-year-old from Haryana studying starting her PhD in Austria, and Ishan Maheshwari, a 27-year-old living in London, traveled to Paris to see Chopra.

They didn’t know each other but met earlier in the day while watching India’s field hockey team win a bronze medal. All three had tickets to track and field, too, so they came to the stadium together — new friends united by their support of Chopra.

“He’s a star,” Kumar said. “We are hoping that any Indian listeners and people who have power, they put more money into sports, remove the politics so we can get better athletes for all sports.”

India is planning to bid for the 2036 Olympics.

“There would be no shortage of people watching the Olympics, that’s for sure,” said Pranay Dey, a 30-year-old from Delhi who is a breast cancer researcher at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. “But regarding infrastructure, there’s still a long way to go.”

Nadeem was Pakistan’s flag bearer during the opening ceremony in Paris. He played age-group cricket at the state level until he took up throwing sports, starting with shot put and discus.

“Not becoming a cricketer was the best thing that happened to me,” Nadeem said. “I wouldn’t be in the Olympics otherwise.”

The Ernst Happel Stadium, where up to 65,000 fans had been expected, sat empty Thursday aside from media filming outside. Later in the day on Corneliusgasse — a small street just 5 kilometres (3 miles) from the stadium — fans flocked to trade friendship bracelets and commiserate about the cancellations. The beaded bracelets, typically bearing Swift’s song titles or popular phrases, are usually swapped at concerts with strangers.

Swifties trade bracelets in the city centre in Vienna on Thursday, Aug.8, 2024. Organizers of three Taylor Swift concerts in the stadium in Vienna this week called them off on Wednesday after officials announced arrests over an apparent plot to launch an attack on an event in the Vienna area such as the concerts. (AP Photo/Heinz-Peter Bader)

The fans gathered on Corneliusgasse because the street name echoes “Cornelia Street,” the name of a contemplative synth-pop track from Swift’s 2019 album, “Lover.”

Taylor Swift fans are devastated by canceled Eras Tour shows in Austria over apparent attack plot (AP Photo)

The title refers to a street in New York City’s Greenwich Village, where Swift rented a luxury apartment in 2016 and fans now visit to take selfies. “And I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends,” she sings in the song’s chorus. “I’d never walk Cornelia Street again.”

Fans clapped, danced and cheered as they belted out some of her songs and took selfies with each other. Some were upbeat, while others overcome by emotions as they hugged and cried, saying they were heartbroken.

Swifties fixed bracelets on trees in the city center. One police officer had his uniform decorated with bracelets.

As it started to rain, some of the fans dispersed, perhaps to be reunited another day.

Djokovic’s impressive career already featured a men’s-record 24 Grand Slam titles and the most weeks spent at No. 1 in the rankings by any man or woman. It also already contained a Summer Olympics medal, from 2008, but it was a bronze — and he has made clear that simply was not sufficient.

Until he got past bronze medalist Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the semifinals Friday, Djokovic was 0-3 in that round at the Games. He lost to the eventual gold winner each time: Rafael Nadal at Beijing in 2008, Andy Murray at London in 2012, and Alexander Zverev in Tokyo three years ago.

In Paris, wearing a gray sleeve over the right knee that required surgery for a torn meniscus two months ago, Djokovic faced Nadal in the second round and eliminated his longtime rival in straight sets. Now Djokovic is the oldest man to win the singles gold in his sport since 1908 — and prevented Spain’s Alcaraz, who is 21, from becoming the youngest.

It was the biggest margin in the women’s Olympic 100 since 2008. Richardson’ training partner, American Melissa Jefferson, finished third in 10.92 seconds. All week long, the field seemed to be clearing for Richardson, the reigning world champion who was making her Olympic debut after a positive test for marijuana cost her a chance to race three years ago in Tokyo.

When Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce abruptly withdrew from the semifinal, which went off about 90 minutes before the gold-medal race, the entire Jamaican team that had swept the podium in Tokyo was out of the 100. One island’s loss is another’s gain.

The strongest contender left was Alfred, who hails from the Eastern Caribbean island with a population of around 180,000. She was the only Olympic entrant besides Richardson to break 10.8 this year — and when she and Richardson lined up next to each other in the semifinals, it was a preview of things to come.

Alfred won that race by .05, then lined up next to Richardson again for the final and tripled that margin. One of the most anticipated races of the Olympic track meet was never a contest. Alfred had two steps on the entire field at the 40-meter mark, while Richardson, whose starts have been an issue at times this summer, labored to get to full speed.

The American, her arms pumping wide in Lane 7, looked to be making up a bit of ground when Alfred leaned into the finish line. But there was too big a gap between them and the real contest was the one between Richardson and Jefferson for second.

America’s lone gold medal of the day came from Ryan Crouser, who earned a three-peat in the shot put. Another American silver went to the 4×400 mixed relay team, which got reeled in by Femke Bol of the Netherlands in the anchor lap.

Jasmine Moore won a bronze medal in the triple jump competition, won by Thea Lafond, setting herself up for a possible double when she competes in long jump later this week. Earlier in the day, Noah Lyles finished second (10.04) in a sluggish first-round qualifying heat to make the semifinals in the men’s 100. The semifinals and finals for that are set for Sunday.