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  • Phillies call up catcher Payton Henry as Rafael Marchán joins Garrett Stubbs on the IL

    Phillies call up catcher Payton Henry as Rafael Marchán joins Garrett Stubbs on the IL

    For most of the season, the Phillies have carried three catchers on their roster.

    In the span of four days, both backups — Rafael Marchán and Garrett Stubbs — have been placed on the injured list.

    Stubbs landed on the shelf Tuesday with left wrist inflammation. Marchán departed Wednesday’s game in the middle of the ninth inning with left knee pain, and imaging Thursday revealed patellar tendinitis.

    Interim manager Don Mattingly said the news was better than feared.

    “We were worried about a tear,” he said. “They haven’t given us a real timetable, but it didn’t sound like it was extended. … I do feel like they’re pretty encouraged, get the inflammation out of there, calm it down, and see where it goes.”

    Marchán played 32 games for the Phillies this year. The switch-hitter has a .102 batting average and has posted plus-5 defensive runs saved at catcher. Stubbs has made 20 appearances, including four as a position player pitcher in blowouts. In 28 at-bats, Stubbs has a .179 batting average.

    It’s clear what the Phillies need at the trade deadline. Do they have the prospect capital to get it?

    Stubbs’ placement on the injured list was retroactive to July 18. Mattingly hopes he will be ready to return once the 10 days are up on Tuesday.

    Until then, Payton Henry was recalled from triple-A Lehigh Valley to serve as J.T. Realmuto’s backup. Henry has a .201 average with four home runs in 55 games in triple A this season. He was 20-for-47 in catching attempted base stealers.

    Henry, 29, last played in the major leagues in 2022 for the Marlins, where he crossed paths with Mattingly.

    “He’s always had the profile of good catch and throw. So that’s what we saw in Miami,” Mattingly said. “There is some pop in there, seeing that also. So it’s never off the table.”

    To clear room for Henry on the 40-man roster, Brad Keller (right elbow UCL tear) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

    Phillies players react to LeBron James’ decision to play for Sixers: ‘Really cool for the city’

    Extra bases

    The Phillies have not announced a starter for Saturday’s game against the Yankees, who will have Ryan Weathers (3-7, 4.40 ERA) on the mound. Brian Keller, who had a locker in the Phillies clubhouse Friday, is expected to play a role. Keller, a 39th-round draft pick in 2016, is set to be activated Saturday and is positioned to make his major league debut after stints in the minors and Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Keller also missed nearly three years because of injury, but, after signing a minor league deal with the Phillies in May, has a 2.06 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 39⅓ innings with the IronPigs.

  • FDA panel narrowly backs unapproved peptide drugs favored by RFK Jr. and wellness influencers

    WASHINGTON — A panel of federal health advisers on Thursday narrowly recommended easing access to several peptides popular with wellness influencers and celebrities, despite warnings from government scientists that the chemicals haven’t been shown to be safe or effective.

    In a series of votes, outside experts to the Food and Drug Administration advised the agency to drop current restrictions barring pharmacies from producing injectable peptides with names including BPC-157, TB-500, and KPV.

    The panel’s vote is not binding but is likely to embolden Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has described himself as a “big fan” of peptides and vowed to overturn FDA restrictions put in place under President Joe Biden.

    Across several votes, the panelists voted 8-6, with one abstention, in favor of putting the peptides on FDA’s list of substances considered safe for pharmacy compounding. If FDA follows that advice, telehealth companies are expected to ramp up marketing of the chemicals for wellness and cosmetic uses.

    Thursday’s vote tally reflected the unusual makeup of the panel. Prior to the meeting, more than a half-dozen people with connections to the peptide industry were added to the group, including doctors, pharmacists, or consultants who work in the field.

    “I voted yes because it’s time to put this decision back in the hands of the patient, the physician, and the pharmacist,” said David Pope, chief pharmacy officer of Xifin Pharmacy Solutions, after the vote on BPC-157.

    The panel was set to vote Friday on three more peptides. The FDA isn’t required to follow the group’s advice, though it usually does.

    FDA scientists remain unconvinced of peptide safety and benefits

    The positive votes came despite highly critical reviews from FDA staff scientists, who said there was little data that BPC-157, TB-500, and the other chemicals can be safely used for medical purposes.

    Panel members with backgrounds in academia, rather than peptides, mostly voted against the substances, which are widely advertised on social media.

    “I’m concerned we’re responding to a market-induced demand rather than a decision based in solid science,” said Elizabeth Rebello of the University of Texas MD Anderson Center.

    Peptide supporters include podcaster Joe Rogan and longevity influencers such as Gary Brecka, a supporter of Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again agenda who sells peptides through his website.

    But medical experts describe the marketplace as a “Wild West” of unproven, unregulated drugs that could cause serious harm, including infection, allergic reactions, or other problems.

    “This is really alarming,” said Rita Jew, a pharmacist and president of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, in an interview ahead of the meeting. “There aren’t that many other substances people are injecting into themselves where you see that the clinical evidence is so lacking.”

    In recent years, the FDA has warned Americans about the risks of injecting peptides like BPC-157 and TB-500. In 2023, both were placed on a list of substances considered to be too high-risk for pharmacy compounding. But Kennedy announced their removal from that list earlier this year.

    Gap wide between FDA-approved drugs and wellness peptides

    Peptides are the building blocks of more complex proteins, triggering hormones inside the body needed for growth, metabolism, and healing. Drug companies have brought several to market as medications, including mainstay treatments for diabetes and weight loss.

    But most peptides sold online are promoted for unproven uses, often combined in “stacks,” to purportedly heal injuries, build muscle, rejuvenate skin, or increase energy.

    FDA scientists said they could find little data on the effectiveness of peptides for proposed medical uses like ulcerative colitis, wound healing, and opioid addiction.

    Five studies of BPC-157 reviewed by the agency “were of short duration, had small sample sizes, and evaluated doses that were likely exploratory in nature,” the staffers said.

    For TB-500, regulators said they could not find any human studies using the compound.

    Even determining which form of the peptides should be used was unclear to regulators, since substances like TB-500 aren’t recognized as official pharmaceutical ingredients in the U.S.

    “There’s no way to know what the substance actually is, was, or will be tomorrow because that name has no legal meaning,” said Russell Wesdyk, an associate director in FDA’s drug center.

    Peptide supporters push for easier access

    The panel votes are only one part of more than 18 hours of discussions and presentations scheduled across two days.

    During several public comment periods, the panel heard from more than two dozen speakers — including doctors, lawyers, and peptide entrepreneurs — urging that the substances be made more widely available.

    Brigham Buhler, a wellness clinic owner whose clients include Rogan and other celebrities, said allowing U.S. pharmacies to compound peptides would steer Americans away from unvetted products imported from China and other foreign countries.

    “It’s crucial to allow patients to have safe and effective access to these treatment options,” Buhler said. “Individuals who have gotten these resources are going to continue to utilize these products.”

    After the meeting, the FDA will review the votes, discussion, and public comments before making a decision on each of the peptides.

    FDA watchers say the most likely outcome may be a temporary policy reassuring pharmacies that they won’t be targeted for compounding the peptides under review. Formally placing the substances on FDA’s list of drugs that are safe for compounding would require new regulations, which can take months or years to draft.

    “We’re still going through this process, but I think it’s more than likely that the process will end up at the result that Secretary Kennedy wants,” said Nathan Beaver, an attorney specializing in FDA issues.

  • Cyclosporiasis cases in Pennsylvania linked to recalled Taylor Farms lettuce at Taco Bell

    Cyclosporiasis cases in Pennsylvania linked to recalled Taylor Farms lettuce at Taco Bell

    Cyclosporiasis cases in Pennsylvania have been linked to a multistate outbreak of the intestinal illness spread by a parasite that causes “explosive” diarrhea, state and federal health officials said Friday.

    Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked cyclosporiasis cases in five states to lettuce grown by Taylor Farms and sold at Taco Bell. Now, investigators say they’ve identified illnesses in nine states in people who ate at Taco Bell and later became sick.

    Cyclosporiasis is caused by a single-celled parasite, Cyclospora cayetanensis, that spreads through fecal material. It can infect a person’s gut after consuming food or water contaminated by feces, and in the past has spread through fresh produce like leafy greens.

    The CDC has identified 1,947 people in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia who were infected with Cyclospora and reported eating at Taco Bell. At least 98 people have been hospitalized, the Food and Drug Administration said.

    It’s likely that case counts are much higher than reported, the CDC says, because many people recover from cyclosporiasis without seeking medical care or getting tested.

    Nationwide, the agency is tracking 4,173 confirmed cases of the illness and another 7,400 cases that haven’t been confirmed by lab testing, including many cases in Michigan and Ohio.

    Pennsylvania health officials said they have confirmed 45 cases in the state so far this year and are monitoring three additional suspected cases. In all of 2025, the state saw 40 cyclosporiasis cases; Pennsylvania reported 87 cases in 2024.

    State officials said “several” of this year’s cases have been linked to the multistate outbreak, but added their investigation is ongoing.

    In New Jersey, health officials recorded 46 cases between May 1 and July 16. Cases typically rise in the late spring and summer months, and officials said last week that this year’s are in line with a typical year’s case count.

    Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey were among the 27 states affected by a recall of lettuce sold by the California-based Taylor Farms.

    Last weekend, a sample of Taylor Farms lettuce that wasn’t part of the recall, taken from a shipment at the U.S.’s southern border with Mexico, tested positive for Cyclospora. The results turned out to be a false positive.

    Still, the Food and Drug Administration tweeted, there is “overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall” from Taylor Farms.

    The FDA has listed products affected in the recall on its website. People who bought affected lettuce should throw it out immediately and not eat it, the CDC says.

    They should wash items and surfaces that might have touched the lettuce with hot, soapy water, and avoid recalled lettuce at Taco Bell or other restaurants. Customers should ask restaurants about the source of their lettuce before ordering it.

  • Del Buono’s Pastry Shop set for August opening at former McMillan’s Bakery in South Jersey

    Del Buono’s Pastry Shop set for August opening at former McMillan’s Bakery in South Jersey

    The former McMillan’s Bakery in Haddon Township will reopen as Del Buono’s Pastry Shop in late August after months of extensive renovations, featuring the expertise of a McMillan family member and a Food Network alum.

    Construction is still underway, but entrepreneur and Haddon Heights resident Tom Whitman, 63, said he plans to host a grand opening on Aug. 29.

    Whitman, who also owns 100-year-old Del Buono’s Bakery in Haddon Heights and all three Carmen’s Deli locations, said he and his team took the South Jersey staple, once known for its cream doughnuts and holiday cakes, down to the studs.

    “We’re going to build upon that legacy,” Whitman said. “We’ll have some of the original flavor of the business, and hopefully make it better.”

    Construction continues July 20, 2026 on the former McMillan’s Bakery on Haddon Avenue in the Westmont section of Haddon Township. The family business closed in May 2025 after 86 years. It will be a new bread-and-pastry shop operated by the local Del Buono’s chain.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    The new pastry shop, set to open seven days a week, will be 2,000 square feet, more than double the size of McMillan’s Bakery. It will feature doughnuts, pastries, desserts, specialty coffee, and bread and rolls sourced from Del Buono’s Bakery. Whitman said he hopes the products at Del Buono’s Pastry Shop will also be sold at his other storefronts.

    “I combine legacies and use the strengths of each of the businesses and try to combine them,” Whitman said.

    The pastry shop will use 900 square feet of the new space to host DiBartolo’s Kakery, a cake shop led by Woolwich resident Al DiBartolo.

    DiBartolo, 51, has long baked for South Jersey residents and made his name in years past as a winner of Food Network’s Halloween Wars and as a contestant on TLC’s Next Great Baker.

    Whitman, a former Domino’s Pizza franchisee, plans to employ between 20 and 40 workers, including part-time and full-time staffers. Some employees who worked at McMillan’s for decades will return, Whitman said.

    One returning employee is Doug Biemiller, a grandson of McMillan’s founders George and Evelyn McMillan. Whitman said Biemiller, DiBartolo, and other bakers have worked together to compile 400 of their recipes to start the pastry shop off.

    From left to right, Atilla Baysal, Tom Whitman, Al DiBartolo, and Doug Biemiller stand in Del Buono’s Pastry Shop at 15 Haddon Ave. on Friday, July 24, 2026, in Haddon Township, N.J.Robin Lange

    The founding family of McMillan’s Bakery, a fourth-generation business at 15-17 Haddon Ave., put the shop up for sale in 2024. Whitman purchased the building for $500,000 last September from Grake Homes Construction, according to deed records, to pursue his third revival of a family-owned South Jersey food destination.

    In October, Whitman said he planned to spend $1.5 million to $2 million on the project, including the real estate purchase and the construction of two apartments above the pastry shop. Weeks before the August opening, Whitman declined to share the total spent, but he said the ticket price was over $2 million, after rebuilding the property from scratch.

    He had initially expected the shop to open in February, but construction has taken longer than Whitman anticipated.

    “It was extremely expensive, but I just want to do it once, and I want to do it right,” Whitman said.

    Until recently, DiBartolo served as chief baking officer for Cherry Hill’s Classic Cake.

    But after moving between three jobs in the last two years, DiBartolo said, he jumped at the chance to finally bake with his own recipes again and work with Del Buono’s, where his family members are regulars.

    “It’s still nice to be in your 50s and make your parents proud,” DiBartolo said.

    DiBartolo’s Kakery will have grab-and-go cakes, including fan favorite rum and pound cakes, along with a consultation area where customers can discuss options for custom specialty and wedding cakes.

    Del Buono’s Pastry Shop currently plans to have a soft opening in mid-August. In the meantime, renovations to the property are still in progress, and with the Aug. 29 grand opening looming, Whitman said he thinks the shop will meet the deadline to serve locals looking to rediscover their neighborhood “mental health food” destination.

    “I’m like a little kid waiting for Christmas,“ Whitman said. ”I want to see it as much as anybody else does.”

  • A high-ranking official in Bucks County Sheriff’s office resigns after violating department rule

    A high-ranking official in Bucks County Sheriff’s office resigns after violating department rule

    A high-ranking official resigned from the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office earlier this month after having a few sips of beer at a reception then driving home in a county car, which violated department policy, county sources said.

    Lieutenant Deputy George McClay stepped down from his role after the incident, which occurred during a department reception held at Chambers 19, a Doylestown restaurant, after a July 9 promotion and new hire ceremony at the nearby county courthouse, according to county sources familiar with the incident but not authorized to comment on personnel matters.

    Operating a county vehicle after drinking is a policy violation. McClay, 63, was not accused of driving under the influence, nor wearing his uniform during the incident.

    Sheriff Danny Ceisler, a Democrat who took office in January, confirmed that McClay had stepped down, but would not provide details on an “HR situation.” McClay handled standards enforcement and discipline in the office and there was a conversation among command staff around July 11 as to whether he could properly do that job given the policy infraction, Ceisler said.

    “The collective group felt that he would not be able to do it,” Ceisler said. “He offered his resignation.”

    “It’s pretty difficult once someone has publicly committed a policy violation to have credibility to do that job,” he added.

    Ceisler said he expects to eventually fill McClay’s position.

    McClay denied being asked to step down in an interview Friday, saying the decision to leave was his own.

    “I’m retired,” he said in a call from his home in Ocean County. “I’m 63, and it was time to go.”

    When asked about the policy violation, McClay said he had “no idea” what a reporter was referring to. He chose to retire now, he said, because it’s summertime and he wanted to enjoy the season.

    McClay’s seven-month stint with the sheriff’s office capped off a 40-year career in law enforcement, more than half of which he spent as a Philadelphia Police officer.

    “Lt. McClay has spent over four decades in public service and deserves the opportunity to relax with his family and enjoy life,” Ceisler said.

    Most recently, McClay served as the chief of police in Morrisville, a Bucks County municipality across the Delaware River from Trenton.

    His nine-year tenure in Morrisville ended in a contentious dispute with the borough council, who terminated him in November 2023 amid allegations he had mistreated other borough officials and influenced matters that were beyond his authority as police chief, according to a report from The Bucks County Courier-Times.

    Residents spoke out in favor of McClay at the time, criticizing the council for voting to fire him while he was on vacation and defending his record as a public servant.

    McClay appealed his termination, calling it illegal, and was eventually awarded a $200,000 settlement by the borough council.

  • ICE officer linked to Maine shooting was deemed not credible in court last year

    ICE officer linked to Maine shooting was deemed not credible in court last year

    The U.S. immigration officer allegedly involved in the fatal shooting of an immigrant in Maine told a judge in October that he was struggling to earn money because he had health issues and his driver’s license had been revoked.

    Maine District Court Judge Amy Dieterich declared a month later that David Brouillette’s claims were not credible, denying his request to terminate his child support payments to a former wife. Instead, she concluded, Brouillette was “voluntarily underemployed.”

    State records show that Brouillette’s license was not revoked at the time of his court testimony, an official who represents Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles told the Washington Post. Brouillette separately indicated in a divorce settlement that he was employed by a local police department in 2019, but that agency said it has no record of him working there.

    Brouillette’s credibility could come under scrutiny as authorities investigate the July 13 shooting death of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero during an immigration enforcement action in Biddeford, Maine.

    The Department of Homeland Security has not identified Brouillette as the officer who shot Durán. But his former wife Ashley Brouillette and others have said Brouillette told them he was responsible for the shooting and fired his weapon in self-defense. Multiple people have identified Brouillette from footage capturing the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

    Ashley Brouillette has said her ex-husband told her that ICE hired him in November, around the time of the judge’s ruling and as the federal agency was rushing to put thousands of new officers on the streets. He said he would start in a couple of months, she said. Former Department of Homeland Security officials have publicly questioned whether those new hires were properly vetted.

    One former official told the Post that any record of a judge questioning David Brouillette’s credibility would add to questions about his fitness to serve and could cast a negative light on whatever he tells his superiors about the encounter with Durán.

    “Obviously if a judge had found that he had made false statements to the court, that would have a significant detrimental impact on his testimony as to what happened in the shooting,” said John Roth, who served as DHS inspector general from 2014 to 2017 and was a longtime federal prosecutor. “I think it’s a big deal.”

    Brouillette did not respond to calls or emails for this story. Blair Jones, his attorney at the child support court hearings in October, also did not respond to calls or messages.

    DHS did not respond to questions from the Post about Brouillette’s past statements, when he was hired by ICE, and how he was vetted. An agency spokesperson said ICE officers are targeting criminals and are under constant threat.

    “Publicizing their identities puts their lives and the lives of their families at serious risk,” the agency said in a statement.

    Durán, a 25-year-old asylum seeker from Colombia who had a work permit issued by the Trump administration, was shot shortly after leaving for work. An ICE spokesperson said officers were surveilling an address associated with an individual who has a final order of removal when they saw Durán leave and attempted to stop his vehicle.

    The agency said that the officer fired, “fearing for public safety,” after the driver tried to flee.

    A spokesperson for Sen. Angus King (I., Maine) has said that DHS initially told him that Durán was the target of an enforcement operation but later reversed and said he was not. Immigration court records show Durán did not have a final removal order and was scheduled for an initial hearing in May.

    Jonathan Ramirez, a friend of Duran’s who answered the door at his apartment the day after the shooting, said that he owns the white Kia that Durán was driving. Ramirez, who is also Colombian, said he does not have a final order of removal and did not think he was the person ICE was seeking. Ramirez said he has a Social Security number and a valid work permit and had paid his taxes.

    “The car is in my name,” he said. “I’m someone who follows the rules of this country.”

    State investigators have interviewed Durán’s partner, Karolina, who arrived at the scene with their 3-year-old daughter shortly after hearing gunfire, said Ben Gideon, who is representing the Durán family as they weigh legal action against the government.

    Gideon said he has not heard from the FBI or the DHS Office of Inspector General, which typically investigate officer-involved shootings. The FBI declined to comment; the OIG said in a statement that its policy is not to confirm or respond to questions on investigations.

    State court records show that Brouillette has been embroiled in contentious divorce and child support proceedings over the past two decades and that he and his two former wives have accused one another of abusive and neglectful behavior in civil court.

    The court hearing in October was part of an effort by Brouillette to modify his child support and custody arrangement for his daughter with his second wife, Lucinda Brouillette. After two days of testimony in October, the judge denied David Brouillette’s request.

    In a Nov. 17 written order, Dieterich said Brouillette had testified that he recently embarked on a new career as a real estate agent but his earning capacity was impacted because “his driver’s license had recently been revoked due to his failure to pay child support.” She said she found his claim to be not credible but did not say why.

    Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles told the Post this week that the state has no record of any recent license revocation. Brouillette’s license was suspended in 2008 for a few weeks after he failed to provide proof of insurance following an accident, the agency said.

    “We have no record of any suspension or revocation for failure to pay child support,” said Jana Spaulding, spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office, which oversees the bureau.

    In 2019, Brouillette signed a divorce settlement that said he had a job at the police department in Hallowell, a city of 2,500 on Maine’s Kennebec River. Hallowell Police Chief Zachary Kindelan said Brouillette has never worked at the police department.

    “I do know that he had applied a couple times, but as far as I know he was never hired,” Kindelan said. “He’s a name I had never even heard before. Maine is obviously a smaller state but … I’ve never even heard of this guy until the news recently.”

    Brouillette graduated from a Maine high school in 2007, served in the Maine National Guard until 2010, and then became an active-duty soldier in the Army, according to resumés and job applications he filed with the state for various law enforcement positions. The documents were obtained in response to a public records request.

    In an application he filed in 2015, he wrote that he had deployed to Afghanistan and served as a military interrogator. He said embedded with infantry patrols to recruit informants and interrogated Taliban insurgents in jail and “on the battlefield.” The Army sent him to Hawaii in 2014 to manage intelligence analysts, and he retired for unspecified medical reasons the following year.

    State records show Brouillette was employed as an officer in several different agencies, often for short periods of time. Those positions included roles at the Maine Department of Corrections, the state Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

    The Durán family’s attorney said Brouillette’s candor and character will be paramount to the investigations into the recent shooting.

    No body-camera footage appears to have captured the moment that the shots were fired. And no bystander or surveillance video has emerged thus far showing when Durán was shot. That will make witness testimony — including Brouillette’s own account — key in determining what happened.

    “It’s critically important,” Gideon said. “If there’s no direct video evidence produced of the very moment of the shooting, there’s going to be questions about the credibility of the accounts given.”

  • How LeBron landed in Philly: Recapping King James’ free agency twists and turns that led to the Sixers

    How LeBron landed in Philly: Recapping King James’ free agency twists and turns that led to the Sixers

    LeBron James is joining the 76ers.

    A few weeks ago, most people would’ve laughed at those words. But 3½ weeks after James, 41, informed the Lakers that he’d be playing his 24th NBA season elsewhere, it’s a reality. James announced Friday that he’s taking his talents to South Broad, and he’ll sign a two-year deal with the Sixers as he tries to bring an NBA title to Philly.

    So how did this happen? How did the Sixers go from an afterthought to the home of one of the league’s all-time greats? Here’s a look at the twists and turns that led LeBron to Philly for the final chapter of his Hall of Fame career:

    June 30: LeBron tells the Lakers he’s not coming back

    James informed the Lakers he’s leaving Los Angeles and will play next season elsewhere.

    July 1: The Jaylen Brown trade and the tweet heard ’round the world

    A day later, Rich Paul, James’ agent and longtime friend, told Game Over podcast cohost Max Kellerman that between 12 and 14 teams have reached out about his client and says that James’ free agency won’t be about money.

    Meanwhile, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that James was willing to play for the veteran minimum, making him a viable option for the cash-strapped Sixers.

    LeBron chose the hard, dramatic path when he picked the Sixers. Get ready for a wild ride, Philly. | Mike Sielski

    But the biggest news of the day came in the evening, when it broke that the Sixers were acquiring Jaylen Brown from the Celtics for Paul George and draft picks. The move turned the Sixers from an afterthought to a legit option to land James.

    A couple hours later, Steve Gansey, the brother of Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, posted a photo that featured James and Mike as high schoolers.

    Before Mike Gansey became a Sixers executive, he was a hard-nosed high school player who earned LeBron James’ respect

    July 2: The Sixers become a real option

    Charania and fellow ESPN insider Brian Windhorst signaled that the Sixers were seriously in the mix for James for the first time and outlined the team’s potential pitch, led by Tyrese Maxey.

    July 3: The whiteboard podcast

    Paul outlined James’ possible landing spots on Game Over and included the Sixers among them, launching a million conspiracy theories and causing Sixers fans to ask, “Why was Maxey the only player with a star next to his name?” and “Why were the Sixers the first team added to the board?” The four other teams listed among the top contenders were the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Denver Nuggets.

    July 4: James parties in Cleveland

    James was spotted in Cleveland over Fourth of July weekend with some former high school teammates, including with Cavaliers assistant general manager (and longtime friend) Brandon Weems, whom Paul previously said was “basically LeBron’s brother.”

    July 7: The Sixers enter the top three

    ESPN reported that the Sixers are one of the top-three teams in the running to land James, along with the Cavaliers and Heat.

    July 8: Bob Myers pitches Sixers on Rich Paul’s podcast

    Bob Myers, the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and the man who led the search to replace Daryl Morey (and hire Mike Gansey), was a guest on the Game Over podcast and pitches the Sixers directly to Paul.

    “If he was here, I’d say I honestly believe [Philly] is your best chance to win,” Myers said. “… What I would just say is, if it’s about winning, let’s talk about this team. Because you can win here in Philly.”

    LeBron James’ new teammates — and other Philly athletes — react to his signing with Sixers

    July 9: Philly stars make their pitches

    Windhorst reiterated how impactful Maxey could be in the Sixers’ recruitment of James but said on First Take that other teams “are skeptical” they can compete with Cleveland in the recruiting process.

    Meanwhile, two Philly sports stars — including one of the newest Sixers in Jaylen Brown — made public pitches to James. First was Saquon Barkley, who said he’d tell James that he’ll be “remembered forever” if he brings a championship to Philly.

    Later, Brown used an appearance with streamer iShowSpeed during the France-Morocco World Cup quarterfinal to have Speed, an Ohio native whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr., to recruit James to the Sixers.

    July 10: Cleveland starts to fade; Rich Paul drops another podcast

    In another episode of Game Over, Paul was asked about Maxey being the main draw in Philly. His response? “First of all, none of these lists [of teams] are accurate, what you’re seeing out there. No one knows what the list looks like.”

    While that wasn’t the question — though it certainly was an interesting start to his answer — Paul then outlined some of why Maxey is at the top of the list of reasons his client would want to play for the Sixers. But he also talked about Joel Embiid, the Brown trade, and more.

    Later, while attempting to temper Cavaliers fans’ expectations during a radio hit in Cleveland, Windhorst said he “had somebody on the phone with me today that I consider a good source who was swearing it’s a done deal in another city [outside of Cleveland] a couple hours ago.”

    And nearly two weeks after James first let it be known that he was entering free agency one last time, Paul was in Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League and joined ESPN to discuss his client’s free agency. In addition to saying there’s no timeline for a decision — “I just tell him take your time, [and] whenever you’re ready, just let me know,” he said — Paul added that his client and longtime friend isn’t “chasing a ring” and is “not worried about nobody’s opinions.”

    July 14: The Sixers are officially interested

    While their name had been linked to James for weeks, Gansey confirmed the Sixers’ interest. He told The Inquirer that “we’d love to have [James] in Philly. I think he’d really, really help us and add to our group. But he’s making a big decision here. It’s wild [that], at his age, he’s playing at such a high level.

    “I have all the respect in the world for him, and he’s smart as heck. He’s going to figure it out and talk to his family, and we’ll be waiting. Whatever he decides, I know he’s going to make the right decision.”

    July 15: Sixers players enter the chat

    ESPN reported that the Sixers’ three biggest stars had been in touch with James, with Maxey leading the team’s pitch to the superstar.

    “As LeBron James’ free agency decision extends into its second week, the Philadelphia 76ers have kept up their pursuit of the four-time NBA champion through three of their players, league sources told ESPN,” Dave McMenamin wrote. “Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown have all been in communication with James. … Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday the Sixers remain one of the top potential destinations for James, along with the Cavaliers and the Miami Heat.”

    July 16: Appearances at Fanatics fest

    James made two appearances at Fanatics Fest in New York and shared his first public comments since his free agency began. While James didn’t say much at either event — first on a live recording of Mind the Game podcast, and then on CNBC’s Boardroom — he did hint that a decision could be coming soon, saying that he “won’t hold you guys up too much longer.” He also hinted that his 24th NBA season may not be his last.

    July 17: LeBron wants to ‘trust the process’

    James continued appearing at Fanatics Fest, and during one of them — a live recording of The Shop talk show — the future Hall of Famer sent the crowd into a frenzy when he said he wants to play for a team that “trusts the process.”

    While “The Process” was both a rebuilding period for the Sixers and Joel Embiid’s nickname, James said he has been using the phrase for his entire career and that it was not a reference to the Sixers or their former motto.

    July 21: The pitches are in

    After James was spotted meeting Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sixers managing partner Josh Harris while in New York for Fanatics Fest, it didn’t appear his top three teams had changed. According to Charania, the pitches were all in, and “the choice is LeBron James’ right now.” The Sixers, Cavaliers, and Heat remained the possible landing spots.

    The next morning, Paul dropped another podcast and confirmed that the decision was in James’ hands and could come at any time — “It could be 48 seconds [from now]. It could be 48 minutes” — and there was nothing teams could do at that point to sway King James.

    July 22: The Heat drop the ball

    A member of the Miami Heat’s social media staff posted a link Tuesday night for a July 27 livestream titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference.” The post was later deleted and a Heat spokesperson told ESPN that the team was preparing for the possibility of James signing in Miami and accidentally posted the link to the team’s YouTube page. At this point, Miami was also the favorite to land James. Needless to say, the errant post sent the internet into a frenzy.

    July 24: LeBron makes his decision

    In a series of posts on X, James confirmed that he is headed to Philly. According to ESPN, he agreed to a two-year contract with the Sixers on Friday in one of the more improbable roster additions in Sixers history.

    “I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time,” James wrote on X while confirming the news.

  • Trump says U.S. will investigate EU trade practices, claiming the bloc unfairly fined tech giants

    Trump says U.S. will investigate EU trade practices, claiming the bloc unfairly fined tech giants

    WASHINGTON — The United States will open a formal investigation into the European Union’s trade practices, President Donald Trump said on Friday, claiming the bloc has unfairly levied billions of dollars of fines against Google, Apple, and other U.S. tech giants.

    The Republican president made the announcement a day after the EU hit Google with a fine of 890 million euros, or $1 billion, after it said the technology behemoth broke digital antitrust regulations by setting up Google Play and its ubiquitous search engine to corral consumers toward its own services and apps to the detriment of competitors.

    In a lengthy post on social media, Trump said he has warned the EU about its practice of fining U.S. tech companies. He named Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon, and others.

    “The United States of America is not a ‘PIGGYBANK’ for Europe, nor will we allow it to be!” Trump said, adding that his post should serve as notice of an immediate trade investigation “into the practice of ‘ROBBING’ American Companies and, in turn, the American Taxpayer.”

    Trump’s move comes a day after the White House announced double-digit tariffs on imports from more than 60 countries, accusing them of inadequately enforcing bans on goods produced by forced labor. The new tariffs replace temporary 10% worldwide import taxes that Trump imposed after the Supreme Court struck down his biggest tariffs.

    The new tariffs are being implemented using Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which permits the president to impose import taxes and other sanctions against countries found to engage in “unjustifiable,” “unreasonable,” or “discriminatory” trade practices.

    The EU’s billion-dollar fine against Google was the latest major crackdown on Big Tech by Brussels, which has led the world in reining in some of the world’s largest companies from Silicon Valley to Beijing.

    It has done so despite the risk of incurring the wrath of Trump, who has lashed out at the 27-nation bloc’s digital regulations amid a broader campaign against Europe: imposing high tariffs, making threats to seize Greenland from Denmark by force, and rattling trust within the NATO military alliance.

    Trump had threatened retaliation if American tech companies are penalized.

    Google had recently lost its appeal of a $4.5 billion antitrust fine imposed by the EU for throttling competition and reducing consumer choice through the dominance of its mobile Android operating system.

    The European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch and highest antitrust enforcer, said it was acting in the interest of consumers after an investigation of Google.

    “The best products should succeed because they’re better, not because they’re owned by the company running the search engine. And European consumers have a right to be told by app developers where to sign up to the best offers, even when the app store owner does not get a cut,” said Teresa Ribera, the commission’s executive vice president for clean, just, and competitive transition.

    Google’s president of global affairs, Kent Walker, blasted the fine as “product degradation driven by a small group of self-serving complainants” that will have a negative impact on European businesses and consumers.

    He said the EU’s Digital Markets Act forces Google “to strip away real-time search features Europeans love — like instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights, and restaurants — and dismantle safety protections on Google Play.”

    The EU describes some of the world’s leading tech giants — Amazon, Apple, Google parent Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, and TikTok owner ByteDance — as “gatekeepers” that control access for consumers.

    “In the EU, businesses have the right to compete fairly. Gatekeepers have the obligation to ensure a level playing field and consumers the right to choose for cheaper alternative offers,” European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said. Alphabet reported $403 billion in revenue last year.

  • QVC hosts vote to unionize

    QVC hosts vote to unionize

    Most QVC hosts have voted in favor of unionizing, according to SAG-AFTRA, as the West Chester-based shopping network prepares to emerge from bankruptcy.

    About 80% of the hosts voted in favor of joining SAG-AFTRA, according to a news release from the union, which represents 160,000 media professionals nationwide.

    The group includes 53 on-air hosts who sell clothes, home goods, and other products from QVC Group’s West Chester studios. The programs are broadcast on QVC, HSN, and various digital platforms, a segment of the business the company refers to Omni Channel.

    “The strong show of support for unionizing reflects QVC, HSN, and Omni Channel hosts’ professionalism and resolve to improve their workplace and build a better future for themselves and their colleagues,” SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a statement.

    QVC officially filed for bankruptcy. Here’s what to know.

    A QVC Group spokesperson reiterated that the hosts are “deeply valued team members.”

    “While we have long believed that a direct relationship with team members is the best approach, we respect the outcome of the election and our hosts’ right to make this choice,” spokesperson Matthew Goldstein said Friday in a statement, adding that management “will work with SAG-AFTRA on the next steps.”

    The vote comes a month after a supermajority of QVC’s TV and digital hosts presented a petition to company management, asking for voluntary recognition of the union.

    In the petition, the hosts expressed concerns about QVC using artificial intelligence to imitate their image, voice, and likeness without consent or compensation, as well as about pay equity and transparency.

    “As QVC Inc. adapts, we hope to foster a culture in which workers feel valued, trusted, and appreciated, where ideas are recognized and concerns respected,” the hosts wrote in the petition. “This is especially true given the current landscape of artificial intelligence, discussions surrounding the regulation of image and likeness, and concerns of job security.”

    Meet the QVC fans who have kept the shopping network alive

    Despite developing a loyal following of fans over 40 years, QVC has struggled recently to expand its customer base and compete with online retailers. After years of declining revenue, QVC Group filed for Chapter 11 protection in April.

    A federal judge last week approved the company’s reorganization plan, which would slash its debt from about $6.6 billion to $1.3 billion. QVC executives have said they hope to emerge from bankruptcy sometime this summer.

  • Northern West Bank in lockdown as clashes rock villages and Israel deploys troops in Nablus

    Northern West Bank in lockdown as clashes rock villages and Israel deploys troops in Nablus

    NABLUS, West Bank — Israel widely deployed troops in the West Bank after clashes broke out Friday across the occupied territory following the killing of an Israeli settler triggered violence that left two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinian villagers dead.

    Palestinians in the West Bank have been facing a wave of violence as Israel’s hard-line government, dominated by settler leaders and supporters, has overseen a surge in settlement construction over the past four years. The international community overwhelmingly considers Israeli settlement construction in these areas to be illegal and an obstacle to peace.

    4 Palestinians, 2 Israelis killed as fear of violence escalates

    The Palestinian Health Ministry said Israeli soldiers shot and killed four Palestinians in the village of Tell in the northern West Bank while the military reported the deaths of two soldiers, one of whom was a settler in a local defense squad.

    Two other Israelis and four more Palestinians were wounded, health officials said, and the Israeli military announced it was preparing for an “extensive” counterterror operation in the West Bank. It said it conducting a search for Palestinians suspected of attacking Israelis and that it had apprehended two during a raid in Nablus.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a joint statement with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, called Friday for more troops to the West Bank and the razing of the homes of the accused in Tell, as well as collecting weapons and revoking work permits in the village.

    “The security forces must be allowed to act freely and with full force against terrorism,” they said.

    Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich went farther, saying that the villages of Tell, Iraq Burin, and Beit Furik “need to look exactly like the refugee camps in Nablus and Tulkarm,” referring to the mass demolition campaign that displaced tens of thousands in the West Bank towns last year.

    “It is necessary to evacuate the population there for their protection and to clear these villages of terrorist infrastructure,” Smotrich said. “A sharp, determined, and unequivocal military action is required here and now.”

    Human rights group B’Tselem warned the violence could spin out of control as Israeli settlers and soldiers amass near multiple Palestinian cities.

    “Israeli violence is spreading across the West Bank, fueled by Israeli politicians openly calling for revenge,” said Yuli Novak, the group’s executive director. “We know where this leads. Millions of Palestinians are now completely exposed to further attacks, with no one protecting them.”

    An unclear confrontation at the center of the tension

    The exact circumstances of Friday’s incident remained unclear, but Israeli media reports and interviews with local Palestinian officials suggested a group of settlers entered Tell and were confronted by residents who were fearful of an attack.

    The village is off-limits to Israelis as part of Area B under the 1993 Oslo Accords struck after the first Palestinian Intifada.

    According to the Israeli military, one of the villagers took one of the settlers’ weapons and fired on the group, killing Benayahu Mellet, 32, a security guard in a settlement nearby.

    In a video of the incident, confirmed by the Israeli military and circulated online by the military correspondent for Israel’s Army Radio, two armed men in civilian clothing, as well as at least one Israeli soldier, are shown pointing their weapons at a group of Palestinians who had gathered in a field.

    At one point, the two armed men rushed toward several Palestinian residents with their guns drawn. In the footage, the residents try to push them back and appear to disarm one of the men before opening fire.

    In a statement, the Israeli military said it killed the man who took the settler’s weapon and that he was armed when soldiers shot him. But a separate video, published by Israeli media outlets and confirmed by the military, showed Israeli forces firing on a group of Palestinians in the same field who were already on the ground.

    More than a dozen gunshots can be heard in the footage, which is less than a minute long. The military said the suspect was one of the people killed in the field. It did not respond to questions about why soldiers killed the other men — all of whom were related — or how long after the original altercation the killings took place.

    Later, army chief Eyal Zamir said he was sending more troops to the occupied West Bank.

    Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, a settler group in the northern West Bank, posted a video online in the wake of the Tell confrontation demanding the government crack down hard on Palestinians.

    “We demand an iron fist and for the government to carry out a wide military operation against the Palestinian Authority and against Hamas,” he said.

    Settlers have long targeted villages in the northern West Bank

    Five Palestinian villages surrounding Nablus were attacked by Israeli settlers on Friday, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

    The towns and villages surrounding Nablus sit in one of the most violent parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. In addition to newly approved settlements, at least nine farming outposts dot the area and attacks by Israeli settlers, army incursions, and confrontations have become frequent.

    Palestinians and human rights groups have increasingly documented armed settlers entering villages in the area. Livestock theft, arson, and the defacement of mosques are routinely reported.

    According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, since the beginning of this year, 87 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank governorates, including 21 by Israeli settlers.

    Israeli deaths have repeatedly been followed by revenge against nearby Palestinian communities called “price tag” attacks.

    That pattern followed the March 21 death of 18-year-old Yehuda Sherman, who was killed when a Palestinian vehicle struck his ATV near Beit Imrin. Senior politicians, including Smotrich, attended Sherman’s funeral and called for vengeance.

    At the time, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs documented 32 settler attacks affecting 30 Palestinian villages and communities across the West Bank, about a third near Nablus governorate over the following two days. Settlers torched homes and vehicles, vandalized property, and assaulted residents, injuring at least 32 Palestinians, according to OCHA.

    More than 700,000 Israelis live in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in 1967 and sought by the Palestinians for an independent state along with the Gaza Strip.