Multiple magnificent top order batting performances secured SunRisers Leeds a dominant eight-wicket win over Manchester Super Giants at Headingley.
Swashbuckling knocks from Mitch Marsh (63 off 26), captain Zak Crawley (56no off 34), and Harry Brook (42no off 17) made quick work of the visitors' target of 182, breaking the record for the highest chase in the Hundred at Headingley.
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Take a look as Sunrisers Leeds let off after a Manchester Super Giants drop-catch
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Heinrich Klaasen notched 53 off 27 balls for the Super Giants
The Super Giants, though, put in a strong batting performance in their opening innings, with opener Tim Seifert (28 off 16) and skipper Aiden Markram (32 off 23) providing a solid platform for a brilliant 105-run stand shared by the impressive Jos Buttler (63no off 33) and Heinrich Klaasen (53 off 27), as Markram's side built a sizeable score of 181.
SunRisers Leeds, though, were undeterred by the early dismissal of Ryan Rickleton (13 off 11) by Josh Tongue, as Marsh built an incredible half-ton off 20 balls to get his side back in the game and on pace for a massive chase.
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Take a look as Tom Moores produces a stunning catch for Manchester Super Giants against Sunrisers Leeds
Former England team-mates Crawley and Brook did the rest, putting on a 68-run stand to secure victory, with Brook delighting his home crowd with six maximums in his cameo including a huge six over midwicket to win the game with 12 balls to spare.
The loss puts SunRisers Leeds level on points with league leaders Manchester Thunder on eight points, though Crawley's side remain fourth in the table with the lowest net run rate.
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Marsh notched his highest score of the Hundred season so far and was awarded Player of the Match
"It's been a good start. I thought that was a great win by the lads," Player of the Match Mitch Marsh said on Sky Sports.
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"They're a really good side so it's a really good win for us. We didn't get off to a flyer in the powerplay but we stuck at it. The partnership I was able to have with Zak was great; he batted beautifully today.
"We thought the wicket was a bit slower than the other day... but it's a tough ground to defend. I don't think it changed so much, but as you saw from their innings, once you get a partnership going it's hard to stop."
What's on in the Hundred on Wednesday?
The streak of men's and women's double-headers continue, with Wednesday seeing Welsh Fire take on Trent Rockets, live on Sky Sports from 3:00pm. Watch The Hundred and more contract-free on NOW%!s()
Football’s world governing body announces plans to sell stakes of up to 20 percent in the World Cup and other events.
FIFA has proposed a plan to sell stakes in the World Cup and other events to private investors, provoking a furious response from the European football governing body, UEFA.
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Under the plans announced by FIFA on Tuesday, a $20bn subsidiary would be created to run the World Cup and other events.
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World football’s governing body said it would retain a majority share in the new FIFA Forward Enterprise, offering minority stakes to external investment to raise up to $4.2bn.
The plan still needs to be voted on by FIFA’s 211 member nations.
If successful, the proposed investor group is expected to be led by a vehicle founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, FIFA said.
UEFA said the proposal “crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross”.
Reinvested in the game
FIFA has just held a 48-team World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico – the biggest in the tournament’s history.
It is one of the world’s wealthiest sporting organisations, generating billions of dollars, largely from broadcasting rights, sponsorship and other commercial deals linked to the World Cup.
But it says this proposal can increase funds to widen access to the sport and strengthen global participation, with all net benefits to be reinvested in football.
“Football is the world’s most popular sport,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
“Parts of the game have turned that popularity into remarkable commercial value – and we celebrate that success and want it to continue, because it lifts the whole game.
“Our job is to make sure the rest of football grows with it: FIFA exists to support sustainable, inclusive development in every corner of the world.”
FIFA said that in addition to retaining sole control of the subsidiary, it would retain authority over football governance, competitions, match calendars and regulatory and sporting decisions.
‘World Cup is not a product’
The proposal deepens the divide between FIFA and UEFA, with Europe positioning itself as football’s custodian, while FIFA, a not-for-profit organisation, says it is focused on broadening access with financial largesse.
In a statement, UEFA said it takes the new proposals “extremely seriously”.
“So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game.
“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”
The United Kingdom’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, joined critics, saying on social media that the sport does not belong to investors.
“The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone’s to sell,” Burnham wrote on X.
“Dress the deal up however you like. Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out.” %!s()
A team of researchers from Texas A&M University at Galveston is studying the ecology and conservation needs of the smooth hammerhead shark, a species that remains poorly understood. Credit: Texas A&M University at Galveston
For nearly two centuries, the Galapagos Islands have inspired scientific discovery. While some might think only of Charles Darwin and his journeys on the HMS Beagle, there is much more to discover. Today, María Antonia Izurieta Burbano De Lara, a master's student in Dr. David Wells' Shark Biology and Fisheries Science Lab at Texas A&M University at Galveston, is building on that legacy by studying one of the archipelago's most elusive predators—the smooth hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena).
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Originally from Ecuador, Izurieta Burbano De Lara has spent years conducting research throughout the Galapagos. Now, her graduate research focuses on understanding the ecology, movements and conservation of a species that had gone largely undocumented in the islands for more than two decades.
Her project expands on a smooth hammerhead conservation project she helped establish in Ecuador, bringing together researchers from Universidad San Francisco de Quito, the Galapagos National Park Directorate, MigraMar and other international partners to better understand one of the Eastern Tropical Pacific's least-studied sharks.
"The Galapagos Islands are famous for their big schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks, but smooth hammerheads hadn't been officially recorded in the archipelago for over 20 years," Izurieta Burbano De Lara said. "We know very little about where they feed, where they go or how their populations are doing."
That changed in 2024 when Izurieta Burbano De Lara's collaborators from Universidad San Francisco de Quito, led by Dr. Alex Hearn, discovered what is believed to be the first documented aggregation of juvenile smooth hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos. Genetic analyses confirmed the species' identity, revealing what may represent an important nursery area—a habitat where young sharks spend the earliest stages of their lives before moving into the open ocean.
Researchers measure a juvenile smooth hammerhead shark in the waters of the Galapagos islands. Credit: Texas A&M University at Galveston
A hidden nursery comes into view
The discovery provides researchers with an opportunity to answer fundamental questions about a species that remains poorly understood throughout the Eastern Tropical Pacific and globally.
Although smooth and scalloped hammerhead sharks appear similar at first glance, subtle differences distinguish the two species. Smooth hammerheads lack the central indentation found on the front of scalloped hammerheads' heads, making them difficult to identify from the surface. As a result, the research team believes the species may have been overlooked or misidentified in the past.
"Once we confirmed they were smooth hammerheads through morphology and genetic analysis, we realized we had an incredible opportunity," Izurieta Burbano De Lara said. "Now we're trying to understand why they use this area, how long they stay in the bay, where else in the islands they can be found and whether they are connected with other populations across the Eastern Tropical Pacific."
To answer those questions, the research team is using acoustic telemetry, underwater video systems, genetic analyses and dietary studies. Juvenile sharks are fitted with acoustic transmitters that allow scientists to monitor their movements within the Galapagos Marine Reserve, while DNA samples are compared with populations from across the Eastern Tropical Pacific to determine how connected these populations are.
Understanding the migration patterns of smooth hammerhead sharks is crucial to finding ways to protect them. Credit: Texas A&M University at Galveston
Tracking sharks across the region
"We're comparing DNA from sharks throughout the region to determine whether the Galapagos acts as a bridge between northern and southern populations," Izurieta Burbano De Lara said. "We're also analyzing fecal samples to understand what juvenile smooth hammerheads are eating and continuing efforts to study subadult and adult sharks, which have proven much more difficult to capture."
Understanding where these sharks travel is essential for their conservation.
Smooth hammerheads, like other hammerhead species, are threatened by overfishing throughout much of their range. Even when protected within marine reserves, highly migratory sharks may travel through international waters where fishing pressure remains high.
"Many shark species migrate through areas outside protected waters where they become vulnerable to international fishing fleets," Izurieta Burbano De Lara said. "We don't yet know whether smooth hammerheads follow those same routes, but that's one of the questions we're trying to answer."
The findings could help strengthen conservation efforts by identifying critical habitats and migratory corridors that require protection. Similar research on other shark species has already contributed to expanding marine protected areas and improving regional conservation strategies.
"Our goal is to provide the scientific evidence needed to inform the government how to better protect these sharks throughout their lives," Izurieta Burbano De Lara said. "If we can identify their nursery areas, migration routes and population connectivity, we can better inform conservation decisions not only in the Galapagos but across the Eastern Tropical Pacific."
Smooth hammerheads, like other hammerhead species, are threatened by overfishing throughout much of their range. Even when protected within marine reserves, highly migratory sharks may travel through international waters where fishing pressure remains high. Credit: Texas A&M University at Galveston
A personal stake in protection
For Izurieta Burbano De Lara, the project is especially meaningful because it combines her passion for marine conservation with her connection to her home country. Rather than beginning an entirely new project for graduate school, she continued developing the smooth hammerhead project her team initiated in Ecuador by bringing it to Texas A&M University at Galveston, where it continues to grow through international partnerships.
"Growing up in Ecuador inspired me to become a biologist," she said. "Being able to contribute to the conservation of one of the least-understood shark species is incredibly rewarding. Every new discovery brings us one step closer to ensuring these animals remain part of the Galapagos ecosystem for generations to come."
Charles Darwin documented the Galapagos Islands as he saw them in the 19th century. Thanks to the work of Izurieta Burbano De Lara and others, Texas A&M University at Galveston is working to protect smooth hammerheads and other species so that explorers centuries from now can enjoy them and build on the scientific discoveries surrounding them.
Bachelor's in mathematical biology, Master's in creative writing. Well-traveled with unique perspectives on science and language.
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Researchers shed light on elusive sharks of Galapagos Islands (2026, July 28)
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Figure 1. (Top) Water sampling at KAIST's Duck Pond and microcosms constructed using the collected water samples. (Bottom) The microbial biofilm formed on the plastic surface under eutrophic conditions over 42 days. Credit: KAIST
Every summer, algal blooms turn rivers and lakes green. Although they are widely known as a major form of water pollution that makes water murky, a KAIST research team has now shown for the first time that algal bloom conditions can make discarded plastics, such as plastic bags, more prone to breaking apart, potentially accelerating the formation of microplastics. The study points to a new direction for the era of climate change: water pollution and plastic pollution need to be managed together rather than as separate problems.
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A research team led by Professor Jaewook Myung from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering found, through a microcosm experiment using water collected from Duck Pond, a pond on the KAIST campus, that algal blooms alter the microbial ecosystem on the surface of low-density polyethylene (LDPE)—a common plastic used in plastic bags—and accelerate its early-stage weathering, in which the surface oxidizes and develops microscopic cracks.
The study is significant because it suggests that, in natural environments, plastic pollution and the eutrophication that drives algal blooms can interact and lead to new ecological changes.
The hidden life on plastic
Over time, plastic debris discarded in rivers and lakes becomes colonized by a wide variety of microorganisms, creating a small ecosystem of its own on the plastic surface. This ecosystem is known as the "plastisphere." The plastisphere is known to influence the spread of pathogens and the transport of microplastics, but little has been known about how algal blooms, a serious form of water pollution, affect this microbial ecosystem.
To investigate this question, the research team constructed microcosms—small-scale experimental systems that recreate natural environments in the laboratory—in which algal blooms were artificially induced by controlling light exposure and nutrient concentrations. Over the following six weeks, the researchers closely analyzed the biofilms forming on the plastic surface, the succession of microbial communities and changes in their functional gene profiles.
Thicker biofilms under bloom conditions
The analysis showed that under eutrophic conditions, in which excessive nutrients trigger algal blooms, cyanobacteria, a major group of photosynthetic bacteria, proliferated alongside a variety of other bacteria, forming a thicker biofilm on the plastic surface. Microorganisms capable of producing large amounts of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) also became significantly more abundant. EPS is a sticky, mucilage-like material that binds microorganisms together and helps them adhere to plastic surfaces.
As the microbial ecosystem on the plastic surface changed, the early weathering of the plastic—including surface oxidation and the formation of microscopic cracks—also accelerated. The team found that microorganisms harboring genes encoding enzymes associated with plastic oxidation and early-stage degradation became more abundant under eutrophic conditions.
Analyses using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) directly confirmed these changes. Oxygen-containing functional groups associated with oxidation, including carbonyl and hydroxyl groups, increased on the plastic surface, while more fine, hairline cracks appeared. These changes indicate that the plastic had become more susceptible to further physical weathering and fragmentation. The results suggest that these changes were driven not by a single microbial species but by the combined activity of a microbial ecosystem comprising photosynthetic and other bacteria.
A case for joint management
Myung said, "As algal blooms become more frequent because of climate change, we expect this work to provide an important scientific basis for integrated environmental management strategies that consider water quality management and plastic waste management together."
The study was led by first author Youngju Kim, a doctoral student from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and was published online in the journal Water Research on May 25, 2026.
Publication details
Youngju Kim et al, Eutrophication drives taxonomic and functional trajectories in plastic-associated biofilms, Water Research (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2026.126183
Bachelor's in mathematical biology, Master's in creative writing. Well-traveled with unique perspectives on science and language.
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Algal blooms accelerate plastic weathering, potentially fueling microplastic formation (2026, July 28)
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"As a small, tightly-knit team, these actions are not taken lightly"
Image credit: Xbox Game Studios
It's another one of those days, as Double Fine have announced that they are laying off 23 members of staff. This comes weeks after their split from Xbox that left them independent once more, which also saw South of Midnight developers Compulsion go indie, and State of Decay studio Undead Labs and Senua's Ninja Theory acquired by new, as of yet to be confirmed owners.
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"Today, Double Fine Productions let go of 23 members of our staff," reads a statement from studio head Tim Schafer. "As a small, tightly-knit team, these actions are not taken lightly. Only the survival of our studio would ever make us consider such a painful action. Our transition to becoming an independent company also means becoming a size that we can sustain. The people we are losing were all important. They all made an impact on our games and culture, and they will be missed."
The statement ends by noting that Double Fine are "committed to supporting each affected person as best we can," and thanked them for their work. In a separate statement provided to Kotaku, an Xbox spokesperson essentially washed their hands of the matter saying, "Double Fine fully returned to independent management earlier this week, with their IP, catalog, and runway for their next games. As they begin their next chapter as an independent studio, we look forward to seeing what they create next. Double Fine is now fully independent and manages its own operations."
Ever the insider Jason Schreier clarified on Bluesky that prior to the layoffs the studio was made up of around 90 staffers, meaning around 25% of the workforce has essentially been cut. Judging from several posts floating around on social media, some staffers had been at the studio for years that go in the double digits.
